Brrrr! Cold weather tips

As I type this article, I am wearing two sweaters and a pair of fingerless gloves. And I am still cold. And yet I am in my office and the heat is on. Winter weather really gets to me, and once the temperature drops below about 5 degrees (as it did last week), I don’t fully recover until roughly mid-July.I believe it was the humorist Gahan Wilson who did a cartoon many years ago with the caption, “Just because you’re paranoid, that doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you.” In the same vein, just because I’m unnaturally cold that doesn’t mean it isn’t really chilly outside.Therefore, and because many readers of The Lakeville Journal work outdoors and/or enjoy outdoor activities in winter, I am going to share with you some tips from the United States government on how to stay warm in wintry weather.First and most obviously, it’s important to wear proper protective clothing. More specifically, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) suggests that you wear several layers of loose clothing; layering provides better insulation.The CDC further warns that “Tight clothing reduces blood circulation. Warm blood needs to be circulated to the extremities.”Mothers who are tempted to swaddle their youngsters (or a spouse) in suffocating snowsuits should keep in mind this CDC warning: “When choosing clothing, be aware that some clothing may restrict movement resulting in a hazardous situation.” (Help, I’ve fallen while sledding, and I can’t get up!)The second important thing to keep in mind when following all that advice is that nothing chills you faster than moisture. If you feel like all those layers are making you perspire, strip some layers away.This seems obvious and yet so many people ignore this bit of winter wisdom: “Boots should be waterproof and insulated.” I’m amazed at how many people don’t even wear boots in winter (although I confess that sometimes I wear winter boots in September). Anyone who has visited a high school campus in winter will know that teens are especially illogical on this front and prefer if they can to wear either rubber sandals or backless Birkenstocks. Hats are important. I personally feel that warmth is more important in this area than fashion but any hat is better than no hat. The CDC confirms what my mother used to say: “Hats reduce the amount of body heat that escapes from your head.”The CDC also offers these sartorial suggestions:• The outer layers you wear should be made of tightly woven (preferably wind resistant) fabric, so the wind chill doesn’t actually chill you. • For your inner layers, wear wool, silk or polypropylene, which the CDC says hold more body heat than cotton. Since the top brass at Cotton Inc., the cotton lobbying group, are no doubt firing off on their Blackberries indignant responses to that last line, let me provide this bit of winter warmth information from the Cotton Inc. website: “Smart layering is key for keeping your children warm,” says Linda DeFranco, director of Product Trend Analysis for Cotton Incorporated. “Cotton layers are both breathable and comfortable, and because cotton is a natural fiber, it’s perfect for children with sensitive skin.”“Cotton layers are ideal for keeping your children warm when the temperature drops, but also ensures that they don’t become overheated,” DeFranco said. The National Institutes of Health has these tips specifically for children:• They need to keep their ears covered at all times so they don’t get frostbite. • They should wear warm, waterproof boots that allow them to wiggle their toes around.• They should wear mittens instead of gloves. (The reason for this, according to the Mayo Clinic website, is that in mittens, your fingers touch each other and keep each other warm. Gloves separate the fingers from each other.)Those are all practical suggestions. If you, like me, really want to pamper yourself, you can do it somewhat inexpensively by tossing your clothes in the dryer for a couple minutes before getting dressed in the morning (especially nice if your dryer is upstairs near the bedroom). Or, join a gym such as NorthEast Fitness and Wellness in Millerton that has a sauna. You can warm yourself up, and then warm your clothing up before you step out into the chill air.