Do you tend to “run cold” in wintertime? Me too.
Cold hands and feet, especially in the colder months, are so common. Many of my patients experience chilly extremities, and some also feel chilled throughout their body.
While we always work on individualized whole-person health, below are a few tips that can help you stay a touch warmer.
- Work out for 15+ minutes daily
- Exercise moves your circulation – plain and simple. Exercise increases your heart rate, which moves your blood around your body more, in turn warming you up.
- Choose what you want to do, or mix it up on different days – a walk, job, rowing, HIIT workout, dance, zumba, etc.
- The effects of this can last throughout the day – so exercise in the morning for more warmth benefits, especially this time of year.
- Layer up.
- I don’t like being told to put on another sweater when I’m cold, but it honestly helps – and you probably already know this too.
- Wear a long-sleeved shirt underneath your sweater/blouse/button-down (or even invest in some good long underwear). I’ll often wear a shawl too.
- Keep your ears and neck warm, especially outside.
- This will go a long way towards keeping you feeling warmer – your neck and ears can be more sensitive to the cold and cold breeze/wind outdoors.
- Wear a scarf or higher-necked clothing (like a hoodie, sweater or puffy vest) to cover your neck.
- Wear ear muffs, a hat or an ear warmer – even just to go for a quick walk to your car or into the store. A little prevention makes a big difference here.
- Skip the cold drinks.
- If you’re already feeling cold, how do you think adding a cold (or – shiver – iced) drink is going to make you feel? It’s going to feel much better to have a room temperature or warm drink.
- For everyone, your body is around 98 degrees internally – so when you ingest a drink that’s much colder, it’s, in a sense, a shock to your system – cold causes your muscles to constrict, which can impact your digestive function too. So it makes sense that it’s physiologically much nicer to have room temperature or warmer drinks.
These tips definitely help me to feel warmer, and I hope they serve you too.
May you be well.
This blog and website do not provide medical advice. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be relied on to make decisions about your health. Always check with your own healthcare provider before taking a new supplement and before making any significant diet, lifestyle, exercise or other changes. Never ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment because of something you have read on this site. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor or dial 911.