Winter “officially” starts on December 21st for the Northern Hemisphere… but it’s cold right now here in the Pacific Northwest.
With the economy the way it is at the moment, it might be tempting to try to keep energy bills lower by keeping the house cooler than you might normally like it. Here are some tips to help you keep warm if you’ve got the thermostat set low.
Number one: Check doors for drafts. If you can see daylight around your door, then the cold air can get in. Think about weather stripping or a draft stopper to help keep the cold air outside. (You can make your own draft stopper by cutting the sleeves off an old shirt and filling them with dried beans or unpopped popcorn kernels.)
Number two: Dress in layers. Wearing several thin layers of clothing can help keep you warm — because air pockets between layers will help trap your body’s natural warmth. And if you get hot, you can unlayer without baring all!
Number three: Rearrange things. Move your favorite furniture away from drafts. Place a space heater near where you’ll be spending most of the day, rather than where you won’t be! And be sure to keep a blanket or shawl handy.
Number four: Try a ceramic space heater. These little heaters can warm a small area well without wasting energy to heat areas of the house you’re not using. Just be sure you turn it off/unplug the unit when you’re not using it.
Number five: Try temporary heat. A microwave heating pad is a safe way to warm up — no plugs or electricity to worry about, and the pad cools off on its own.
Prolonged exposure to cold and drafts can actually lower your body temperature. This can make it harder for the body to fight off germs — especially if your immune system is already compromised.
The cold can also make your fingers numb, stiff, and clumsy — making it difficult or dangerous to do even the simplest tasks. It can make some kinds of chronic pain feel worse — especially joint issues like arthritis.