One of the biggest challenges during wintertime is keeping one’s hands warm, especially while doing some activity or completing some chore. Warm feet and hands equal comfort. So here is detailed research into why hands get so cold in the first place and ways to keep them warm, no matter the temperatures.
Why Do Hands Get Cold?
It might be helpful to understand why hands get so cold during winters. This is because the hands are at the extremities of one’s body, and they are thus situated at the greatest distance from the core, which is essentially the part of the body that creates heat. Without the proper insulation to protect the core, the hands are bound to get cold because blood is taken away from the hands to warm the body’s core. With the understanding that the core’s temperature will impact the warmth of one’s hands, the first thing that one needs to do is make sure that the core has everything that it needs. The right amount of layering for the core will ensure that blood keeps flowing to the hands, and this way, it will keep the hands from getting cold.
How to Keep Your Hands Warm in Cold Weather?
There are two basic ways of insulating the hands and keeping them warm – the mitten or some glove.
● Wearing a Glove
The most significant advantage of the glove is to provide warmth while somewhat still allowing the wearer some dexterity to accomplish different tasks in the cold weather. A glove encases each finger individually, which gives the wearer a free range of motion. Thus, most tasks can be performed nearly as well with the glove on and off. They are ideal with activities where one needs to handle the gear. Unless the conditions are wet, it must be made sure that the gloves are made out of some breathable so that the perspiration from the hand will escape as a vapor to keep the fingers nice and dry and warm, so it does not cause any obstruction in work.
● Wearing Mittens
Mittens have a clear edge in offering heat. A typical glove loses heat rapidly because the material of the gloves divides each finger. A glove has more surface area than a mitten, which means a greater chance of the heat radiating away from the hand. Mittens allow the hand minus the thumb to accumulate heat because it separates them from each other. However, one drawback with a mitten would be moisture that accumulates over the day and could soak the mitten.
● Keeping the Hands Dry
The most crucial step at keeping one’s hand warm is to keep the hands as dry as possible. The moister the hands get, the higher the potential of the hands getting cold.
● Make Sure that the Glove Fits.
A common reason for the cold hands happens to be a poor-fitting glove. A glove or a mitten that’s too large for the hand may be the culprit for creating many cold fingers during the winter months. Remember that the heat of hands keeps the glove or mittens warm. A too-large glove has significant air space inside that needs to be warmed up by the heat from the fingertips, essentially resulting in cold hands.
● Keeping the Top and the Back of the Head Covered.
Some sources say that almost sixty to seventy percent of heat loss comes from the back of the neck and the top of the head. Decreasing the heat loss in that area would translate more heat retention for the hand. By putting on a warm hat and wearing protection around one’s neck, one could avoid cold hands.
● Keep Moving
Moving will induce blood circulation, which would, in turn, keep the hands warm.
● Drinking some Hot Fluid.
Drinking some hot fluid like hot chocolate, coffee, or broth helps warm the inside of the core, which warms up the extremities. Also, holding a warm cup or a bowl is a great way to warm up the hands.
● Using a Chemical Hand Warmer
When activated and put inside the glove or mitten, chemical hand warmers help warm up the hand. Trekkers have used chemical hand warmers to warm their hands for decades now.
Conclusion:
These are only some of the few methods that one could adopt to keep their hands warm in cold temperatures. Apart from this, they could always layer their hand clothing up or use an electric heater or a fireplace to warm their hands. These tips and tricks are bound to keep one warm and cozy in the dropping temperatures.
