Cold hands are commonplace for many of us in winter. Here are some tricks you can use to get your hands warm again quickly and mistakes you should avoid when warming up.
In winter, it’s often not just the cold that causes problems for your hands, but also the combination of low temperatures, wind and humidity. Once they’ve cooled down, it’s difficult to get your fingers and hands warm again. This is not only uncomfortable, but also often inconvenient when it comes to using a smartphone, driving a car or working outdoors.
But with a few measures you can warm up your ice fingers again. There are also some preventative measures to ensure that your hands don’t get completely cold in the first place. This will keep your hands pleasantly warm at the Christmas market or while walking in winter.
Ice fingers: Warm, do we have cold hands?
The cooling of your fingers at low temperatures is actually just your body’s attempt to keep the rest of you warm. Fingers and feet cool down particularly quickly because your body restricts blood flow to the extremities when it is cold so as not to allow vital organs to cool down. The result is not very pleasant.
Note: In some cases, cold hands can also be symptoms of illness. If you have any concerns, you should speak to a medical professional.
This way your hands will quickly warm up again
There are a few simple things you can do to help your cold hands warm up again as quickly as possible:
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Move: Exercise stimulates blood circulation. Even in your fingers. Even slight movements of the hands can help. Arm circles, hopping in place for a few minutes or taking a brisk walk can also be particularly effective.
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Breath and body heat: Breath is warm and as a breath it can help to warm up your hands a little. If your hands are not completely cool, this can be very useful. Another quick method: put your hands under your armpits. Your body is particularly warm there and essentially forms a natural hot water bottle for your hands.
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External heat sources: A hand warmer or a cup with a warm drink is a relief if your hands are cold. However, you should be careful if your hands are already numb from the cold. The cold reduces the sensation of pain and, in the worst case, direct heat from a hot cup, heater or oven can lead to burns.
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Dry your hands: Wet hands don’t get warm again quickly. So always dry as quickly as possible and it’s best to put on dry gloves after the snowball fight.
Preventive measures against ice fingers
Of course, it’s best if your hands don’t cool down completely. Here are a few tips to keep your hands warm:
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Use the “onion principle”: The onion look is not just something for your entire winter outfit. Your hands will also stay warmer better with multiple layers than with a single thick one. For example, try this: thin inner gloves (for example made of thin fleece) and on top of them a pair of thicker, insulating ski gloves or gloves made of thick wool.
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Pay attention to the materials: Not all materials for gloves provide reliable protection against the cold. Cotton, for example, stores moisture and allows your hands to cool down more quickly. Better: gloves made of wool or fleece. The latter dries quickly and both materials are more likely to keep you warm than cotton, even when wet. Water-repellent materials such as softshell are also suitable for the outer layer.
You can read tips on the right gloves here: Winter gloves: How to decide which ones you need
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Keep your hands dry: When your hands are wet, they cool down faster. So it’s best to always pack a pair of spare gloves so that you can swap them out if necessary. For example, if you sweat a lot or touch snow and other wet things outside and your gloves get wet.
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Support blood circulation: Good blood circulation ensures that your hands do not cool down so quickly. You can promote blood circulation with simple measures such as exercise and diet.
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Alcohol is not a good source of heat: after your first mulled wine, you may feel warmed up for a short time. However, alcohol is not suitable as a permanent heat source. Alcohol dilates blood vessels, making your extremities feel warmer for the moment. In the long run, your body tends to lose more heat and cool down even faster.
Read more on Techzle\.com:
- Cold hands on the PC: Not with these tips
- Cold feet in bed – even in summer? What you can do
- The most beautiful winter accessories from fair fashion labels
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