People often ask how they can stay warm in freezing weather. To stay warm, we usually wear thick clothing. However, for freezing weather, just wearing thick clothing won’t provide warmth in freezing weather. Extra measures need to be taken.
In freezing weather, it is best to dress in layers of clothes. Of course, I don’t mean just any layer of clothes. There are specific clothes for each layer, and each of them has its functions, which help maximize warmth in freezing weather.
Layers Of Clothing
Apart from underwear, it is best to dress in three layers of clothing. The first layer should consist of clothing made of polyester, silk, or any other clothing that can absorb sweat from the skin, and let it evaporate.
The second layer of clothing should consist of thick clothing. This is because the second layer is the insulating layer; it keeps the body warm. Clothes made from cotton would be appropriate for this layer, but not just any clothes. Sweaters and sweatshirts would do nicely. Remember, this layer keeps you warm.
The third layer of clothing does little to keep the body warm. Its main function is to protect the body from wind and rain. For this layer, regular coats would do nicely. But waterproof coats are highly recommended. Waterproof coats aid the evaporation of sweat into the atmosphere and are also ideal during heavy rainfall.
Food Or Drinks That Can keep The Body warm
Clothes aren’t the only things that keep the body warm. The foods we eat also play a part. Generally, foods rich in fats carbohydrates, and proteins help raise body temperature. Also, foods that take longer time to digest do help raise body temperature. This is because the longer it takes to digest, the more metabolic activities that are required to digest them, and hence the longer the warmth.
Drinks that contain caffeine like coffee, increase body metabolism, and hence raise body temperature. This is why drinking coffee can cause insomnia. It increases body metabolism, making you feel energetic rather than sleepy.
Water also helps keep the body warm. It helps the body carry out its metabolic activities fluently.
With the body’s metabolic activities functioning properly, the body temperature rises. It is normal to feel less thirsty in cold weather, but it is important to remain hydrated under such circumstances. Dehydration reduces the metabolic functionality rate, and hence reduces internal body temperature. So, drinking water regularly is very important if you want to stay warm in freezing weather.
Foods rich in iron like red meat, soybeans, and cashew, also raise body temperature. Iron helps carry oxygen throughout the body. Oxygen helps break down food, releasing energy and heat. This heat helps raise body temperature.
Some foods aid the functionality of glands that regulate body heat. The thyroid and adrenal glands [1] help raise body heat. The thyroid gland regulates body metabolism, which helps maintain body heat. A poorly functioning thyroid gland leads to poor body metabolism, and hence, low body heat.
The adrenal gland is popularly known for one of the many hormones it secretes; adrenalin. Adrenalin is secreted by the adrenal gland during emergencies. When you feel threatened, the body secretes adrenalin, which speeds up the body’s rate of metabolism and hence increases body heat. In freezing weather, the adrenal and thyroid glands need to be functioning properly, to maintain body heat.
Foods rich in iodine, like seaweed, cod, tuna, milk, cheese, and other dairy products are essential to ensure the functionality of the thyroid gland. Foods rich in zinc, manganese, selenium, magnesium, and other trace elements aid the functionality of the adrenal gland. These foods include lean meat, dairy products, legumes, and pretty much anything rich in vitamins and minerals. Making all these a part of your daily meals will help maintain bodily activities, and hence maintain internal body heat.
Other Means To Keep Warm
Dressing in layers and eating appropriate meals are necessary for freezing weather. But all these would be a waste if your home isn’t set up to ward against extreme cold. To prepare your home for extremely cold seasons, here’s what needs to be done.
Seal up cracks and openings that could let cold air into your home. It might seem difficult to isolate these cracks, but here’s a simple way to do so. Wait for a windy day. Close all the windows and doors, make sure they’re sealed tight. Then move around the house, and search for cracks. They’ll be quite noticeable.
If you still have trouble isolating these cracks, light a candle, and hold it in places where you suspect house cracks. If the flame looks unsteady, then there’s definitely an opening there. If the flame is steady, then there’s no opening.
It’s also necessary to purchase warm blankets, curtains, and rugs. Cover your floors with thick rugs. It’ll help keep the floor warm.
Hang curtains over windows and doors, to prevent cold air from entering the home through unnoticed cracks and openings. Keep the doors and windows closed at all times. If there is a need to open a door or window, ensure that there’s a curtain hanging over them, to prevent cold air from entering your home.
Pile your beds with duvets and thick blankets. Cover your sofas and chairs with thick clothes to keep them warm. Rearrange your furniture to make your home warmer. Move chairs away from windows that might leak in cold air. Do not place sofas and chairs directly under ceiling fans. You could place them near windows that let in sunlight, but make sure they’re covered with thick clothing.
While all the tips mentioned above are important, they’ll not be enough for freezing weather. It is also very important to get a good heating system. Heating systems will help raise the temperature of your home in freezing weather. Just like your furniture, heating systems need to be placed in the right positions for effective heat flow. One of the best positions for heating systems is under windows.
This will enable the heating systems to heat up any cold air leaking from such windows. Also, do not place any furniture directly in front of a heater. This will prevent effective heat flow around the home. Do all these, and you’ll surely stay warm in freezing weather.
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