QOTD 11/14: Brrrrrrr!

[Jules]

Heavy banket? Hot beverage? Snuggling? Spicy food? Exercise?

What's your go-to means of keeping warm in the Winter months? (Or are you more the "I'm never cold" type?)

[Kamidanshir]

I won't say I never get cold, but it's gotta be in the mid teens or below before I really feel it and reach for the extra blankets. Anything above that and I just enjoy the sensation of not being miserably hot.

[Jules]

Answering my own query, I am constantly cold. It has nothing to do with where I live and everything to do with my naturally low blood pressure ... combined with the prescription I take daily to lessen the occurrences, durations, and effects of my cluster migraines . I wear sweaters and jackets well into May, sleep under the heaviest blanket I can find throughout the year (which PF kindly tolerates), and it’s a rare occasion that I don’t have a very hot hot chocolate within reach. If I’m too warm, I can always cool down – but once I’m cold, I find it near impossible to get warm.

[Parrothead]

Sweatpants and socks around the house. My wife disagrees but I'm betting she's beginning 'the change'. She's always warm.

[Wanda Woman]

Like Jules, I feel chilly if the temp goes below 70 degrees. Once the frigid SoCal winter hits, I sleep in flannel PJs on flannel sheets with an electric blanket and comforter on me. I sleep with socks AND slippers on my feet and a pair of socks on my hands (no, not gloves, socks). The central heater is set to 70 degrees (I'd set it higher, but the Boy Wonder says he'll burst into flames). I wear a scarf and gloves almost all winter (gloves with the fingers cut off while computering at work). I wouldn't last a day in a Minneapolis winter.

[Chef Mongo]

It's 41 degrees outside and I'm naked.

(Seriously, I'm rarely cold. Tina likes that, because she can always lay cold hands on my neck to warm 'em up.)

[okbye]

With no insulation in my house and the doggie door in my room it gets cold in here. The other day it was 59 when I got up in the morning so the heat is on now at 63. I also put the electric mattress pad on the bed the other day. That works pretty well with a heavy blabket keeping the heat in but if it gets too cold I have an electric blanket too. Right now I'm wearing sweats but it will get hot in the afternoon, I hate this time of year.

[n8urebabe]

I do live in Texas so I don't have to deal with seriously cold weather most of the time. I do feel cold often anyway. Since I have borderline high blood pressure and plenty of insulation, I'm guessing not enough exercise is my problem. I have a "snuggie" shawl that I use regularly. It's the same basic material but it's a shawl with pockets. The material doesn't breathe very well so it keeps me quite warm. I have a comforter, blanket and jersey sheets on the bed year round. Hubby usually just flips the blanket & comforter over to my side of the bed. I keep the thermostat set at 68 during the day and wear the shawl. Just before it's time to get up, I have it set for 72 so I can stand to get out of my warm bed.

[tj]

Na8urebabe, maybe you should ask Santa for an automatic thermostat for Christmas. It is so nice to wake up to warm and not have to think about it.

For those of you who are often cold, have you tried the lightweight outdoor underwear? Actually there are several weights. You can find it at REI and such places. Pricey, but it would be worth it if you are always cold.

I have the house at 67 and add long sleeved t-shirts and flannel shirts and socks and blankets as needed. Am always glad when the spring comes, but I hate the hot summer.

[new cook]

Like Jules, I feel chilly if the temp goes below 70 degrees. Once the frigid SoCal winter hits, I sleep in flannel PJs on flannel sheets with an electric blanket and comforter on me. I sleep with socks AND slippers on my feet and a pair of socks on my hands (no, not gloves, socks). The central heater is set to 70 degrees (I'd set it higher, but the Boy Wonder says he'll burst into flames). I wear a scarf and gloves almost all winter (gloves with the fingers cut off while computering at work). I wouldn't last a day in a Minneapolis winter.

This is me.

If it's just a bit chilly and I'm hanging around the house, I wear a fleece or down vest. I can't stand being all bundled up when indoors and trying to get things done, it feels much too constricting, so a vest keeps the internal organs toasty and lets the blood flow to the extremities, making me feel less cold.

If it gets colder than that and I can't seem to warm up, I wear a knit cap. Actually, covering my head is one of the best ways for me to stay warm, whether inside or outdoors. There is a reason you saw pictures depicting people wearing night caps to bed in olden days before central heating was invented. For sleeping, a second pillow covering the top of my head will work, too.

When the weather really turns frigid I wear thermal underwear, especially if I'll be spending a lot of time outdoors. Also a must for outdoors: hat, scarf, and gloves.

And if I'm somewhere where it's below 30°? I <3 those hand and foot warmers you can get at sporting goods stores.

[new cook]

Na8urebabe, maybe you should ask Santa for an automatic thermostat for Christmas. It is so nice to wake up to warm and not have to think about it.

I hate a cold bathroom in the morning, so I plugged a small electric room heater into an automatic timer, the kind used for lamps. It goes off about 1/2 hour before I get up, so by the time I hit the bathroom to take a shower it's nice and toasty.

[Kamidanshir]

If it gets colder than that and I can't seem to warm up, I wear a knit cap. Actually, covering my head is one of the best ways for me to stay warm, whether inside or outdoors. There is a reason you saw pictures depicting people wearing night caps to bed in olden days before central heating was invented. For sleeping, a second pillow covering the top of my head will work, too.

I'm not accusing you of repeating the "45% of heat loss is through the head" myth here, but your comment jogged my memory of having read that that was debunked a few years ago.

[carla]

I sometimes turn the heat on to warm up the bedroom when it really gets cold, for S. CA. I have electric wall heaters; they are very rarely used. My energy costs are under $20 month; well under $40 when/if it gets cold. I also have a ceiling fan in the dining room, so the living room will warm up in 10-15 minutes. I wear sweaters and fuzzy boots and have lap blankets for tv watching. I put a second, light quilt on my bed a couple of nights ago, that did the trick. Sadly, my bedroom window is now jammed closed; I cannot muscle it open, dammit. Going to go try again. And I feel bad about my cat; I need to buy or make an igloo bed for her.
Yay, Yes! window is open. and I have knit caps too.

[todd]

WOODSTOVE!

[n8urebabe]

Na8urebabe, maybe you should ask Santa for an automatic thermostat for Christmas. It is so nice to wake up to warm and not have to think about it.

It's programmed into the thermostat. It's usually set for 68 but I have the program set to 72 just before I usually get up in the morning so it's warm when I need to get out of the bed.

[Butterbean]

Right now, my heater needs attention, & it got unusually chilly for November in DE (high in the 50's today). The bedroom is good, but the living room is drafty. Blankets in the bedroom solve the problem & I use a down throw on the couch when watching TV & using the 'puter. Only problem is if I get too cozy, I fall asleep.

[new cook]

If it gets colder than that and I can't seem to warm up, I wear a knit cap. Actually, covering my head is one of the best ways for me to stay warm, whether inside or outdoors. There is a reason you saw pictures depicting people wearing night caps to bed in olden days before central heating was invented. For sleeping, a second pillow covering the top of my head will work, too.

I'm not accusing you of repeating the "45% of heat loss is through the head" myth here, but your comment jogged my memory of having read that that was debunked a few years ago.

I know it's been debunked, but it does work for me. And I was doing it long before ever hearing about it before it was debunked.

ETA: Kam, I looked up that link and am thinking that perhaps the fact that, being as sensitive to cold weather as I am, perhaps when it's cold and everything else is covered, my exposed head is still cold.

On the other hand, my head is simply sensitive to temperature extremes. I've noticed that when others have no problem being out in the sun at high noon on a hot, sunny day, I need to look for shade because it feels like the sun's rays are boring right through my scalp and it can be quite painful. Wearing a loose or airy hat helps, but nothing too warm or my whole body will start to overheat.

I dunno, maybe I'm just weird.

[okbye]

Only problem is if I get too cozy, I fall asleep.

I sleep a lot more in the winter, especially in the morning. It is SO HARD to get out of that heated bed in the morning.

[nolafoodie]

My extremities get really cold, so when I'm home, it's usually thick socks on my feet and a warm cup of coffee in my hands. Outside, I usually wear closed shoes and socks, but my hands suffer a lot. If temps drop anywhere below 60, my hands freeze (sometimes it happens when I'm just passing by the freezer section at a supermarket, and no, I don't think it's Raynaud's, because my fingers don't turn white or blue, just really, really cold). Heck, it's 70 degrees in the house right now, and my hands and feet are positively icy. My solution is usually to keep my hands in my pockets whenever possible. It sure would be nice if "they" could bring back mid-century fashion, so that I could get away with wearing gloves all the time.