These days I live in mild San Francisco, but I spent the first 23 years of my life in Chicago, a city where a windchill of -20ºF (that's -29ºC) turns waiting for the bus into an extreme sport. I've learned a few things over the years..
1. Start the day off right. I like to keep my apartment as cold as possible while I'm sleeping, but even if you don't, the transition from under-the-covers to real world can be a brutal one. To remedy this, when I get undressed for bed, I fold up my pyjamas and robe or leggings and sweatshirt and tuck them under the covers with me, off to the side or at the foot of the bed. They're never in the way, but when it's time to get up in the morning, they're nice and toasty, warmed by my body heat. Yes, I get dressed and make the bed while I'm still in bed.
2. Trap that heat. I've been a swimmer for many years, and walking two miles home from the pool during my college winters taught me a few tips. Mainly, you have to trap your heat. Be your own Hot Pocket! Take a hot shower, dry off as quickly and thoroughly as possible, and dress as quickly as possible. In this way, all of your precious body heat will be kept close to your body. You're holding in heat, rather than letting yourself chill and then trying to warm up again.
3. Let yourself be cold, for at least the first 5 minutes. Psychologically, this is the hardest one. When it's truly cold outside, your body can make very convincing arguments for staying indoors: it's warm! It's cozy! It's where the cheese is! But outside is where the fresh air, exercise, errands, and jobs are, and those are good things. Even if you've bundled yourself properly for the weather, chances are good you'll still feel cold the first five minutes — and this is how it should be. If you step out into serious winter and feel comfortably warm, once you start moving and acclimating, you'll be sweating buckets! And that works against you in so many ways. It's much better to feel a bit of a chill at first, then get moving, get your heart rate up — and maybe even unbutton a button or two..
Please note: I am not a doctor! I'm just a Midwestern girl who loves getting out of the house but hates being cold. Please add your tips!
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"To remedy this, when I get undressed for bed, I fold up my pyjamas and robe or leggings and sweatshirt and tuck them under the covers with me, off to the side or at the foot of the bed."
You sleep naked? I mean, this sentence just doesn't make sense otherwise.
Or they sleep in their underwear, both of which are a lot more common than sleeping in pajamas.
But why wouldn't you sleep in pajamas when it's cold? I'm from Canada and the coldest weather I've ever experienced was -38 C and I would ALWAYS sleep in flannel pjs in winter.
Anyone who wants their home to be as cold as possible while asleep can't have a pet. It's below freezing in DC and I've had to keep the heat on. albeit at a lower temperature than when I'm awake.
Invest in A Nest Thermostat. Best $200 I ever spent. I set it to go on automatically 20 minutes before I get up when its cold out. House is toasty when I get up.
Best way to get warm in the morning is to have sex and then convince your partner that he must get up first and turn on the heat for you. Wait 10 minutes. Get up happy and warm. This sometimes means you have to wake up a bit early, but this strategy is the best one when you can manage it.
"Hot pocket" = good back-up strategy. Love the terminology.
Keep your feet warm! On the coldest night I keep my socks on. Also, Homemade rice or corn heat packs to snuggle with (big ones) or carry in your pockets (small ones) are so nice.
Pi, I wonder if you could find a nice blanket for your pet if their fur doesn't keep them warm enough?
Two things: I also make my bed while I'm still in it! And to Pi, I think they probably don't actually mean outside-temperature cold (because that's nuts), but my puppy and I snuggle up with the thermostat around 60*, and he's pretty happy about it. He likes to burrow down under his covers, too. :)
Great tips! I make the bed whilst still in it, but hadn't thought of storing my robe there :)
Facing the cold is a biggie. When I skip my lake jogging routine I become a huge wuss. It's hard to motivate but I always come back exhilarated and in ten times better mood then when I left the house. Step two: fleece pajamas, polar buff and hot shower first thing.
You get warmer sleeping sans clothes... but our awesome heated mattress pad really helps too. Turn it on about an hour before bed and you are toasty warm. Knocked down our heating bill a ton.
I use fleece sheets and I have to sleep w/ no jammies or tshirt cuz when you roll over the whole bed comes with you. BUT>> they are super warm
We set our programmable thermastat to go from 67 down to 62 at 10pm (bedtime) and to go up to 68 at 5 am (30 min before we get up) and then back down by 7am when we leave the house. I makes getting up far more comfortable. We live in a tiny house in Atlanta and we are about as wussy as you can get when it comes to being cold.
Also: down filled everything and fuzzy slippers and hot coffee
Yep, you beat me to it. :) The programmable thermostat has saved us a ton of money, and there's something really nice about NOT having to get up while it's freezing cold. I actually set it several degrees above normal early in the morning, so it's toasty when we awake, and a little later it goes back down to normal. I've also discovered that chilly temperatures early in the morning make the little kids wake up earlier...UGH! Oh, and I'm in Chicago, where it's been in the single digits lately.
Oh... my secret is Down-filled slippers.
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A modern bed warmer: when I go to bed, I shut my laptop and toss it between my covers while I brush my teeth.
#3 is the inverse of what I tell everyone when it's July in NC and everyone is dying: you have to just accept that you're going to be hot. Drink plenty of water, stop turning down your AC, and look forward to your next swim.
... I guess the laptop trick is more of "how do you stay warm at night" ... sorry, following directions isn't my strong suit sometimes ;)
I love my foot duvets! They really are the best thing ever!
Programmable thermostat, I agree. For winter, ours is set for the low 60's at night, low-to-mid 70's in the morning while we get ready for work, 60's again during the work day, then low 70's during the home-and-awake hours. (We modify that when our schedules change, and can adjust for comfort as needed in the moment.) Our house is "excessively" insulated, so the heat isn't running as much as those temperatures might suggest....
The thermostat cost around $50, as I recall, was easy for my electronically minded partner to install, and we have saved WAY more money in heating and cooling costs than that...
(In summer we do something similar only using more cooling for sleeping and less for daytime activities.)
All of the above suggestions are GREAT! When I'm cold at night/bedtime I sleep in old beat-up cashmere. I have even scored cashmere sweaters at thrift shops that were WAY too big and sleep cozy in them. I lived 12 years in Chicago and it would get crazy COLD and I had to come up with creative ways to stay warm.
also don't be afraid to look ridiculous, ie your warmest outerwear reagardless of fashion. you know who looks the craziest? people without hats waiting outside.
Seriously? Just turn the heat on, people.
For what it's worth I live in Chicago and I am never colder than when I'm in San Francisco. The city, anyway. Just can't get warm there no matter what! But I digress.
Definitely a programmable thermostat, if for no other reason than it keeps your utility bills down. Doesn't have to be a fancy one, I got mine at Home Depot. I use an electric blanket which keeps me nice and toasty at night. Old school, although the newer ones have things like control for each side so you and your partner don't have to fight about it. And socks. You can sleep in nothing but if you have on socks you'll sleep better. My doctor told me this and it's worked for me. There are those fuzzy slipper socks that are a bit like fleece on steroids. I got some for Christmas and they are heaven.
For going outside, hats are essential, even if you look silly. I've even worn a hat to bed to keep myself warm and it worked really well (our power had gone out). And scarves are not meant to be thrown over your shoulder like you're in a Gap ad. Wrap that thing around your ears and face!
I hike (and used to run) and I concur the first 5 min chill tip.
It happens every time. If I dress for the temp, 5 minutes into a hike I'd start getting sweaty. It's NEVER good to hike heating up. Running is the same way.
That's why the perfect hiking/running temp is almost always in the low 50's with very little wind.
Wool! Wool socks keep your feet much warmer than cotton. Add a wool or alpaca scarf and hat to your outdoor gear. I even wear a wool or alpaca scarf or cowl indoors sometimes because I keep the thermostat at 60*. Don't underestimate the comfort of a hot water bottle - portable coziness.
Electric blanket, remote-controlled space heater (forced air... not the crappy dish kind), foot duvets, big fleece robe and bathroom lamp heater... it's all you need (in any city that doesn't often dip below freezing).
Pi,
I have two cats and a turtle and I keep my heat at 50F downstairs and 60F upstairs. The pets are fine, they are hardier than I am in the cold. Besides if you have your heat low enough to freeze your pets you will freeze your pipes!
I have multiple reptiles and can't let the temperature go below 65 at night, so I set it at 65 and microwave a rice-filled heating pad before bed every night. In the morning I rush out of bed to turn the thermostat up to low 70s, then hop in the shower. By the time I'm out of the shower, the house is much more comfortable.
@ Pi: Depending on the type of pet, one can buy a heated bed or blanket, microwavable pad, heat lamp, tank heat mat, etc to keep the pet warm. Some people even share the bed with the dog or cat. I imagine a large dog has a lot of body heat to share :)
A programmable thermostat works great to get the house warm before you get out of bed.
Classic Uggs. (I only wear them indoors and on below zero nights I've been known to sleep in them.) A Polar fleece ankle-length bathrobe, over Polar fleece pjs. A Breville programmable tea maker to convince me to get out of bed and into the kitchen.
Not the most sanitary thing to do. Then again, many people sleep with their pets. Not sanitary at all.
Frankly, I enjoy sleeping naked or wearing as little clothing as possible. As for sanitary I find that washing your sheets weekly will suffice. I can't imagine having to worry too much about sanitation, people drool, sit on their bed with street clothes, sleep with products on their face or hair, and some even have mind-blowing sex….all this in a bed? The horror. Anyway sleeping alfresco is divine.
Seriously just dress for the weather. Buy a good hat, wear a scarf, get a coat that's actually warm. No one cares what you look like when it's freaking cold outside. Pea coats may look nice, but they're certainly nothing on fluffy down coats when it's actually cold.
My 3: programmable thermostat set to come on 30min before I get up, warm slippers beside the bed (no carpets or rugs in my house as I hate them!), and cats that want to be fed. The warmest bed isn't as comfy if you have hungry cats scratching and meowing at you.
By the way, I too am a midwestern gal. I layer clothes and accessories rather than be deliberately cold at any point. I might eventually shed my coat and count on my fleece jacket to keep me warm when shoveling snow, but I would never start out that way. It's easy enough to unwrap a scarf or take off a hat or gloves or unbuttoning clothes if you're too warm.
Hot Water Bottle. Oldie but goodie.
We bought a king size feather duvet and put it into a queen sized cover. So warm and fluffy. My husband complains that it's a bit too hot for his liking but I love it!
Flannel sheets, flannel jammies, down and a Hudson Bay blanket (light as a feather but warm, both of them).
A wool rug on the floor next to the bed, so whether bare or stocking feet hit it first thing in the a.m. it isn't freezing.
Slippers ready and waiting. Bathrobe (or my preferred morning wrap, a light down sweater) ready and waiting. Put the hot water on for coffee on the way to the bathroom. Turn on lights as you walk through the house to warm up the look of the place.
Put on a warm robe & slippers as soon as you get out of bed & drink some strong hot coffee.