How to live without heating - save £000s

HertsLad

Some time ago, I mentioned I never wear gloves in my house, whatever the temperature. But, recently, my hands started to feel cold, just early in the morning, after I get dressed, for around 1 hour. So I put on mittens, and my hands warm up in seconds. I also said that if my hands get cold, like in the middle of the day, I take it as a signal, I need to put on further layers, especially on my legs. I guess my hands don't have enough 'reserve' heat to repel the cold air. Otherwise, why would putting on mittens solve the problem. Any ideas?

I put on mittens at 5am this morning when I got up. Then warmed my hands over the gas hob, while boiling water for a cup of tea. This is while wearing three base layers and three down jackets on my top, with three base layers, insulated trousers and ski trousers on my legs. My assumption is that the layers need to warm up. The clothes are cold when I get dressed, of course. Next, I went outside and used a foot pump to add air to my car tyres, ahead of my journey back to the airport. It's only light exercise but warmed me up so much, that I am now on the verge of starting to sweat, back inside my house at around 1C. I am tempted to remove one down jacket but I won't because I know the feeling of being too warm will quite soon go away, to leave me feeling just 'toasty warm'. I haven't worn the mittens since I came back indoors.

zxzxzx

Blood moving to core to maintain heat, so reduced blood flow to extremities = colder hands as they are less well insulated than your feet?

kimwp

Maybe vaso-constriction? Where the blood supply to your extremities is reduced to reduce heat loss? I'm not sure what triggers the body to do it- sensing that it is cold or body temperature reduction.

But also if the air is cold, your naked hand will feel cold - same as if you dunk it in cold water.

wrf12345

You could try recalibrating your body with an ice-cold shower first thing in the morning (also less money to the energy companies), loads on the benefits on YouTube (though the Iceman looks well worn, probably from his near naked treks into the arctic regions) - I like a really strong stream of water from the shower, head first, then soap up and then repeat (the second blast is easier to withstand). So far this winter have not used my wall mounted halogen heater at all, used to have it on for ten minutes so it would warm me after the shower but does not seem necessary now (but good for beginners) so seem to be toughening up despite aging a year.

Must admit that a recent indulgence is using the freebie electric fleece from Octopus on the bottom of the bed for ten minutes prior to getting in, lovely warm feet and legs (it is not huge so slung across the bottom of the bed), room temperature is about 9 degrees C unless I use some CH  in the evening, which I don't much. I can live without it but it is usually cheap electric from Agile when I switch it on and a nice treat that costs very little (100W for ten minutes).

Ildhund

I've often noticed that cold feet don't get warmer even though I put on extra socks or even sheepskin bootees. It has me wondering whether insulating them, far from getting them warmer, actually keeps them cold even though the surrounding air gets warmer, because vasoconstriction is still in operation until the core temperature rises enough. Any physiologists around?

Swipe

I bought another pair of top and bottom thermal base layers at Lidl this morning.

pseudodox

Ildhund said:

I've often noticed that cold feet don't get warmer even though I put on extra socks or even sheepskin bootees. It has me wondering whether insulating them, far from getting them warmer, actually keeps them cold even though the surrounding air gets warmer, because vasoconstriction is still in operation until the core temperature rises enough. Any physiologists around?

I have always had cold feet, even though the rest of me is very cosy & tolerant of low temperatures.  Best remedy is a hot water bottle to warm them up before adding extra thick socks, then they are fine for hours.  I agree that just putting on extra socks or slippers when cold does not work.

HertsLad

Swipe said:

I bought another pair of top and bottom thermal base layers at Lidl this morning.

I hope they weren't the ones made of cotton - not a very good insulator.

HertsLad

I am currently in the middle of a ski holiday. Temperatures are around -7C on the slopes with glorious clear blue skies. I suspect I am wearing far more than almost anyone, based on experience from home. I am no longer cold, like years' ago. Neither am I too warm. So I think I have it about right. I see a few other people using electrically heated gloves.

 I am wearing two layers of merino wool base garments on my top, followed by a merino wool zipped top, an 800 fill down jacket branded North Face, and a Thinsulate lined top jacket. On my legs I am wearing two pairs of merino wool long John's, down filled trousers, and Thinsulate lined ski trousers.

masonic

Good to hear you made it safe and sound in the end, happy skiing!