A Little Too Chill?

15 Ways to Stay Warm in the Winter

I am always cold. I am from Colorado, USA and my favourite season is winter so I am also a gigantic juxtaposition. I have learned, over the past few decades, that there are ways to stay warm without turning the heat up, and, with heating prices rising, this is a good time to share a few tricks I’ve learned from living in Colorado, and being a generally cold person, to keep warm.

Start with buying:

1. Flannel sheets. These are a legitimate lifesaver in the cold months. They are known for their softness and warmth and it is a clothing material of choice for a lot of active people around the world, too. You will never want to get out of bed because it will be the best place in your home. Invite a friend and have a sleepover.
2. Warm slippers. Your floors are likely to be the coldest part of your room since heat travels upward. By investing in some warm slippers, you slow down that chill. My slippers are super cheap and are completely falling apart, but they do the trick by keeping the floor away from my feet, and they will continue to warm my feet until the duct tape falls off them.
3. Use a heating pad. I personally do not recommend the type of electric blanket that I used to have because it caught fire while I was using it… So, to avoid unintentional fires, I recommend getting a hot water bottle or a more modern electric heating pad that won’t burst into flames when you use it.
4. Use candles! Pretend you are in a cheesy, romantic film and use candles to light up your home. They provide light, warmth, and ambiance. Enjoy a romantic dinner with your pets in the candlelight, or tell scary stories to your friends who want to come over to enjoy a crazy night in.
5. Buy a rug. This is an easy way to keep your feet warm and to warm up the room. It gives the room some pizzazz and makes you look like you have your life together, even if you just had your daily mental breakdown over the state of the world.

No-cost options for around your home:

1. Open your curtains when the sun hits your windows, and make sure your windows are clean so they let in the maximum amount of sunshine and warmth. Not only will this warm up your home, but seeing the sunlight during the winter also helps deal with seasonal depression. Win-win. If you prefer the vampire life with closed blinds, make sure you have some nice, thick curtains.
   a.  If your windows face north or east: open your curtains in the morning.
   b.  If your windows face south or west: open your curtains in the afternoon.
2. Keep your heater at the lowest comfortable setting and keep the windows shut. A short time of opening your windows throughout the day is necessary to freshen the air, so you don’t have to breathe in your morning breath all day. Try to open the windows quickly when you are about to leave the room for the bathroom or right after you wake up so that the cold air helps revive you from your winter hibernation.
3. Use the oven or stove. This is a great time of year to learn to cook soups and casseroles and, by using the stove or oven, you are heating up your kitchen without using the radiators. Make your parents proud by learning to make new foods and impress your dates with your cooking skills – even if it is just being able to use the stove for the first time since you moved into your apartment.
4. Clean your vents and radiators. This will make only a minute difference, but your energy bill will see the difference. Making sure no dust or dirt obstructs the airflow will help. Use some elbow grease and get to cleaning.
5. Move your furniture away from walls and windows. Those contact points are the coldest in the building, other than the floor. If you move your furniture away, the cold contact point that has been transferring to your furniture now has to stop at the wall or window and the warm air that is circulating the room has a chance to warm up the couch you’ve been sitting on all day.

For your own health:

1. Drink up your favorite warm beverage. Find your favorite non-denominational holiday cup and fill it with the beverage of your choice. Pro tip: Glüwein looks the same as coffee in a dark mug. Not only will the liquid warm you from the inside out, but it will also give your hands some warmth while you hold your scalding hot Glüwein in a mug throughout the meeting that should have been an email.
2. There is a saying for cold-weather activities that I have only heard said in Colorado but the statement still stands: cotton kills. If you are trying to stay warm, wear fabrics that are not cotton. Wearing wool, silk, velvet, fleece, or a plastic bag are great ways to stay warm in the winter.
3. Move around, but don’t get sweaty. The sweat, once you’ve stopped moving, will get cold. Try out other activities like reorganizing your home, repeatedly forgetting things across the room, or trying on all of your shoes.
4. Eat carbs. Find your favorite pasta or pizza recipe, eat cookies, or learn to make bread. While eating carbs, or meats, or beans, your body automatically heats up while digesting the food. Note: beer is liquid bread and, therefore, a carb.
5. Participate in cuffing season. Make sure you are both on the same page about being safe during COVID and find a special friend for the winter. You’ll both appreciate the warmth that comes with a cuddle buddy.

What are your top tips for staying warm in the winter?