Apart from things such as the festive season, winter can be a dreary time that some find miserable. And unless you’re out skiing or building snowmen, cold weather is rarely fun.
In fact, cold temperatures can impact a person’s health in negative ways. This is especially the case for people with respiratory conditions such as asthma, or those with heart conditions.
To stay in good health, the human body needs to be kept at around 37°C. This is the average body temperature but can vary depending on activity or the time of day. Older people will usually have lower body temperatures than younger people. Keeping rooms heated to at least 18°C will help with maintaining a normal body temperature.
Just as you should do all you can to keep cool in a heatwave, you should make the effort to keep yourself comfortably warm in the winter months.
However, this can be challenging as energy bills rise sharply. So here are some tips on staying warm wherever you are.
Staying Warm Outside
You may not need to worry about heating bills when outdoors, but staying warm is still important. As is getting fresh air when you can. Keeping effectively warm when outside will mean you won’t need to turn up the heating the minute you get in from the cold…
Garden Socialising
Winter doesn’t have to mean staying indoors until warmer days. If you fancy having family or a few friends over during colder months, there are ways to keep warm so that you can socialise out in the garden.
Fire pits come in many different designs to match your garden, with some coming with a cover for extra safety. A patio heater can also be great, allowing you to host outdoor gatherings comfortably. Try them out if you’ve got an event coming up, they’ll be great for other seasons too.
Layer Up
Whether you’re indoors or outside, layers are key! So make sure you have a decent coat such as a padded parka that will keep you both warm and dry, or a wool jacket if you want a smarter look. Something fluffy or a leather jacket with a hoodie underneath are also good options.
Stock your wardrobe with knitwear like jumpers and cardigans, so you always have something to keep you from feeling the chill. Long sleeve T-shirts, doubled up T-shirts, and button up shirts add an extra, thinner layer. Don’t forget thermal underwear such as long johns and vest tops. Wearing several thin layers helps to trap the heat better than one thick layer.
Make sure to have the appropriate footwear for indoors and outdoors; chunky socks and thick shoes for outdoors and slipper socks so your feet are fully covered indoors – flip flops won’t cut it!
Fleecy pyjamas and thicker winter bed sheets will help at night too.
Move As Much As You Can
Whilst it’s normal for many of us to sit down for long periods of time, by getting up and moving around, you’ll boost your circulation which will help you feel warmer.
Even just exercising for 10-20 minutes will help you feel warm for a while, and might be a good way to avoid turning the heating on for a bit longer.
Food and Drink
Eating healthily will make sure your body is in optimum condition to keep itself warm. Hot drinks help to give you a boost, but avoid alcohol as this will lead to you losing body heat.
Keeping Warm Indoors
If you have curtains, open them during the day so that the sun can shine through and warm up your rooms. Close them once the sun sets, and invest in thicker curtains to trap heat in, if needed.
Insulate Your Home
Check for any gaps in your property and fill them in, use draught excluders for gaps under doors and keep those doors closed to prevent heat from escaping. Consider rugs if you have laminate or wooden flooring, you may also need to stuff your fireplace with wool to prevent draughts coming from there.
Although keeping doors and windows closed will insulate and keep the place efficiently heated, try to let things breathe and ventilate when you can as condensation can build up. This will then turn to mould and can affect your lungs and health.
Quick ways to stay warm without using gas heating also include using electric blankets and heaters, which are cheaper to run and are more energy efficient. A hot water bottle is another simple solution that can help.
Final Thoughts
Using a combination of products and simple solutions can help make your winter cheaper and more fun. Try some out, and don’t worry, it’ll be summer soon!
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