As the winter season is about to swing, people will begin taking out their thick coats and sweaters from their drawers and making lots of hot chocolate drinks for the family. Some families may start spending more time lounging in front of the fireplace and less time outdoors. The winter season also signifies it’s time to get your holiday spirit rolling by decorating your home to welcome Christmas!
But sometimes, the harsh cold outside can make it harder for some people to enjoy, relax, and enjoy the holidays. To help you feel nice and toasty throughout the cold season, here are ten best practices for staying warm during the winter.
Your first defense against the harsh temperature is your clothes. So, don’t hesitate to dress with as many layers as you want. You can wear a sweater, jacket, coat, and other layers until you find the best thickness that warms you up. With enough layers, it’ll be easier for your body to regulate your temperature due to the clothes’ insulation.
Since you’ll be staying indoors more often, you must do the necessary preparations in your home to make it a suitable living environment for the cold season. Thus, even before the winter settles in, have your heating system regularly checked by a professional heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) company such as Elevation Mechanical or by technicians in your area. With a functional heating system, it’ll be easier for you to maintain the warmness of your home until the winter season is over.
Rugs are manufactured not only for styling or decoration purposes. They’re also helpful in keeping your feet warm, especially if you have hardwood or tile flooring. Ideally, you place rugs in places where you and your family often lounges, such as in the living room and bedroom.
Suppose you already have a heating system for your home. However, your HVAC system will have difficulty warming up your house if the filters are already clogged with dirt. Plus, filthy filters could cause your electric bills to soar higher as the heating system needs to work doubly hard due to the blocked filters. Thus, make sure to call in the experts like Elevation Mechanical | HVAC Specialists to clean or change your filters when necessary.
When your feet are warm, the rest of your body will feel warm, too. So, for an extra layer of warmth, consider wearing thick socks before putting on any footwear. Furthermore, make sure to keep those thick socks on even if you’re indoors to protect your feet from the cold floors.
Before climbing into bed, get yourself a hot compress bag filled with freshly boiled water, and place it underneath your blanket at the foot of your bed. This will keep your feet extra warm and help you get into a deep slumber easier.
When cooking or preparing food, consider using the stove or oven often. These kitchen appliances both generate heat that will keep your kitchen or the rest of the house warm. Once you’re done using the oven, leave the oven door open for a few minutes to an hour to utilize the extra heat in warming up the room. However, be careful not to do this if you have pets or kids in the house as they might play near the oven.
This option is only applicable if your oven is placed at an elevated area out of the reach of unattended pets or kids. An additional reminder, never use your oven as another source of heat, especially if you’re using natural gas. Doing so increases the carbon monoxide level in your home, thus putting your health at risk.
Besides keeping your home and your body warm, it’s also ideal that you keep yourself warm from the inside. To do this, you can prepare warm or hot meals more often for the family. Go for a warm cup of soup, stew, hot drinks, and pies. The more you consume warm foods and beverages, the more you’ll generate a lot of heat in the kitchen. Plus, holding warm cups of soup or hot mugs is a great way to keep your cold hands toasty.
If you have a two or three-story house, encourage the members of your household to spend more time on the upper levels of the house. The hot air often rises, which means it’s warmer upstairs than on the ground level. If you’re a remote worker and your home office setup is on the first level, consider temporarily moving your home office upstairs for a warmer and cozier setting throughout the winter season.
Many people move less during the winter season as they spend most of their days cuddling and curling up in their living room or bedroom. But the thing is, the more active you are, the more your body generates heat from the inside, hence boosting blood circulation. So, while you’re keeping yourself warm indoors, consider using this time to do activities that will keep you moving, such as cleaning, decluttering, exercising, or playing indoor games.
The winter season can be pretty harsh, especially if you don’t know how deal with the cold. But through these practices, you can easily keep yourself and your family warm and cozy throughout the cold months while still appreciating the winter season.