Keeping warm in winter

Updated: 15 January 2010

Winter Warm We are more likely to catch a cold or flu during winter. Cold weather can also cause other serious health problems like pneumonia.

It is essential to keep warm in winter and there are some simple things you can do to keep warm and stay healthy.

Keep warm at home

set your thermostat at around 21ºC (70ºF) and heat all the rooms you use in the day
if you can’t heat all your rooms make sure you keep your living room warm throughout the day and heat your bedroom before going to bed
set the timer on your heating to come on before you get up and switch off when you go to bed
in very cold weather, rather than turn the thermostat up, set the heating to come on earlier so you won’t be cold while you wait for your home to heat up

try to keep a temperature of above 18°C (65°F) in your bedroom overnight
if you use a fire or heater in your bedroom during winter, open the window or door a little at night for ventilation
an electric blanket or a hot water bottle will help you keep warm but never use them together as you could electrocute yourself
if you have an electric blanket, check what type it is – some are designed only to warm the bed before you get in and should not to be used throughout the night
if you use an electric blanket make sure it is safe to use by getting it tested every three years. The Fire Brigade, Trading Standards and Age Concern can test your electric blanket for safety.

wear plenty of thin layers, rather than one thick one
put on a coat, hat, scarf, gloves and warm shoes or boots when you go outside
wear clothes made of wool, cotton, or fleecy synthetic fibres
stay warm in bed with bed socks, thermal underwear and a nightcap or headscarf
Foundation Base Layer - This is the layer next to the skin. This layer should be soft and comfortable.
Insulating layers - Several lightweight layers of clothes are better than one thick heavy layer. This will enable flexibility. This is also good for insulating, as extra air gets trapped between the layers as well as within them.
The outer or shell layer - This is the layer that is directly exposed to the elements and so should at least be windproof. The outer layer could be simply that, a weather proof layer of natural or synthetic fibres with no extra insulation,
Head, fingers and toes (not forgetting ankles, wrists and neck) - The extremities can get very cold very quickly.
Fingers and toes lose heat easily and generate and retain heat poorly. Particular attention should be paid to keeping them warm.
In cold weather the head can lose up to 20% of the body's heat. The simplest thing that can be done to warm up is to put on a hat.

Keep the body adequately warm - particularly the fingers and toes
Allow for the free movement of perspiration
Be comfortable at all time - allowing for flexibility and movement
! Reduce your energy bills

By following some simple energy-saving tips, you can reduce your bills:

shut outside doors and close curtains at night
boil only the water you need rather than filling the kettle completely
let food cool to room temperature before you put it in the fridge or freezer
don’t leave appliances like televisions in stand-by mode as they still use electricity; instead, switch them off properly at the set’s ‘off’ switch