7 Tips on Keeping Warm ...

I have a large heating pad that I can plug in next to the desk when I have work to do at the computer. Sometimes I only need to use the low setting. The hard part is fighting off the cats that try to steal the warmth as well. I can turn the heating pad on low and either sit on it or place it on my lap. I’ve also found that cranking it on the HIGH setting works perfect for warming up cold feet.

Flax seed is the best for making a microwaveable heating pad, but it needs to be whole flax seeds and not flax meal. If you are looking for a cheaper alternative, then rice works well also. I’ve heard of some people using dried corn kernels too, but they don’t hold the heat for very long. It’s the oil in the flax seed that retains the heat. I have a piece of fleece material that is sewn into a tube shape and filled with flax seeds. This long narrow pillow is placed in the microwave for 4 minutes, which heats it up quite nicely.

I learned this tip when I was in college. Synthetic fabrics are actually better for layering than cotton clothing. It seems like a couple of layers of fleece or synthetic long underwear and a wool sweater keep me a lot warmer than 4 or 5 layers of cotton. The synthetic clothing tends to wick moisture away from the body and cotton holds the moisture right next to the skin. Water sucks heat from the body 25 times faster, so damp cotton clothing is going to make you much colder.

If you are feeling a little bit chilly, try putting on a pair of wool socks. A thick pair of socks will also be better than nothing at all, in case you don’t own a wool pair. It’s amazing at how much warmer your entire body becomes just by warming up your feet a little bit. To speed up the warming process, heat up your feet before putting on the wool socks. Run some warm water and place your feet in them, dry them off really well, and then put on clean socks.

Making sure to eat a proper diet and regularly scheduled meals will provide your body with plenty of fuel to keep warm. The body needs a certain amount of fats and sugars to maintain you body heat. By skipping meals or eating foods containing calories that are quickly burned, your body won’t have the right amount of energy it needs to keep you warm.

There’s nothing like a big mug of hot cocoa or herbal tea to get your insides warm. I think hot cocoa warms me up a lot quicker than herbal tea does, but both are tasty. Drinking flavored gelatin that is warm is yummy as well. I’ve even mixed lemonade, Tang, and black tea with warm water for a wintery drink that has a lot of flavor.

Taking a walk, doing some sit-ups, or performing some jumping jacks are all great ways to get the blood pumping a bit faster. Sometimes you just need to move around a little to warm up. Whatever you can do to get your heart beating faster will help you warm up, at least a tad bit.

I hope these 7 tips on keeping warm help you during the cooler months. These are the common ones I use regularly. Of course having cuddly cats to snuggle with on the couch is also a great way to warm up too, but only if you are planning on not getting any work done. What tips do you have for staying warm that you’d like to share?

Top Photo Credit: Microwavable Heating Pad