Staying warm when the temperatures drop

As we are stepping into the 5th month of social distancing in September, the seasons have turned, and having spent most of our imaginary summer vacations within the 4 walls of a home, most of us would be desperately looking forward to venturing out in the winter months, considering the situation is improving slowly and steadily. 

While we are not completely immune to the threat of the virus, most of us can be hopeful of planning weekend getaways from October onwards, considering the resorts and restaurants are reopening with the same optimism.

In light of the above, we have some really cool tips for you to keep yourself warm when the Celsius drops and also some trendy suggestions for your winter wardrobe!

General tips to stay warm in cold

Whether you are trekking in the snow-clad mountains or visiting a very cold country, the following tips should prove to be useful to keep yourself warm and cozy. 

• Keep moving! 

It's important to remember that clothing only traps your body heat, your body movement is what keeps you warm. Anytime you get cold, the single best strategy for rewarming is to start moving or increase your pace while walking or doing an activity. Sitting in one corner or lying down won't help unless you are wrapped up in blankets/shawls! 

• Minimize perspiration

Although, this is hardly applicable if you are sitting in a hotel in a cold country/mountain and enjoying the weather, this is an important factor if you are trekking or engaged in any outdoor activities. Minimizing the amount you sweat is critical to keeping warm, because wet clothing conducts heat away from your body. Try to trek/walk at a pace that keeps you warm without causing you to overheat and perspire heavily. 

• Eat more

In colder temperatures, the body needs more fuel to keep the core body temperature up. Snacks like chocolate, cheese, and nuts which have high-fat content are generally recommended as fat is a slow-burning fuel that keeps your body going for the long haul, which becomes even more important in the cold. Feeling a chill or fatigue is often an indication that your body needs food. Also, have energy bars that are rich in proteins and calories. 

• Drink water, not booze

In cold, dry conditions, you become dehydrated more quickly than you realize, even if you’re not sweating much. It's recommended that you drink water frequently. You can also add sugar or fat in water for flavor. Also, avoid drinking excess booze as it can temporarily make you feel warm but actually decreases the core body temperature. 

• Embrace the sunshine

If you are staying in a hotel, make sure you go out to the balcony and sit under the warm sunshine. If you are out trekking, ideally find a spot that’s sheltered from the wind, or put your back to the wind. When temperatures fall to single digits, it's important that you enjoy the sunshine to keep yourself warm and comfortable in the cold. 

Sun hiding behind dark grey clouds in the small village of Meghma, en route to Sandakphu, West Bengal

• Check the weather report! 

Finally, the most sensible thing to do, every morning you wake up, is to read the weather forecast of the day and plan accordingly. There is no use staying outside on a day where there is heavy snowfall or icy winds, unless you want to end up becoming hypothermic or getting a frostbite! Similarly, you can go out on days that have pleasant weather conditions (no winds, warm sunshine) rather than staying at home, which in turn might make you feel colder due to inactivity. 

• Wear layers suitable for the temperature 

The most important aspect of keeping ourselves warm in winter is to trap body heat. The more the heat escapes, the colder we are bound to feel. This is the primary reason why we wear multiple clothes in freezing temperatures, to trap the air from escaping our body and to keep us comfortable. Thus winter layering forms an important aspect of our luggage if we are planning to hike or visit a place where the temperature is much lower than our present surroundings. The 2 key factors to choosing the best winter wear in India are the properties of the material we are using as the base, middle, or shell layer, and the average temperature of the place we are planning to wear it in. Apart from these, there are various other factors like the wind chill factor, rainfall, breathability, insulation properties to be considered while selecting the right clothes for the winter season. But before we go any further, it's important to note that winter layering is merely a guide and your body may adapt differently compared to your friends, so you should add/remove/choose layers based on your needs. 

Let us look at what type of clothing we should use for different temperature ranges:

• 0°C to -10°C

This range of temperature is generally encountered near the peak of the mountains all around the year(or in lower altitudes in peak winter seasons) and in extremely colder parts of India. Our hill stations like Shimla, Manali, Darjeeling, Gulmarg usually witness these temperatures in winter. We recommend wearing at least 4-6 winter layers(1 layer of thermal, a Merino Wool Pullover, a hoodie, an all-weather jacket ) along with all forms of accessories to stay warm. Your first layer or thermal is very important. Make sure you look for the temperature rating and choose thermals for extreme cold weather.

Half sleeves merino bamboo all-weather thermals

• 5°C to 0°C

The winter layering necessary for this range of temperature is similar to the one above, and you can wear from 4 to 6 layers of clothing depending on how your body adapts to the cold. However, you should also be mindful of the wind chill factor, (which is the effect of icy winds that tend to make you feel colder than you would normally feel at that temperature) while choosing your winter innerwear. If you are trekking in this weather, you are likely to encounter frequent hail/snowfall, so make sure you wear the best waterproof jacket possible to combat the cold.

Solid puffer jackets for both men and women

• 5°C to 10°C

This temperature is common in most Indian cities during winter and can sufficiently be dealt with 2-4 layers of clothing(thermal wear with hoodies and light jackets). However, if there are chances of rainfall, it's recommended that you wear a waterproof jacket over your sweater to prevent yourself from getting wet and feeling cold. A recent addition to winter wear is touch screen winter gloves, now available in India. You can use your phone while wearing gloves. Now we can take pictures and work without letting our fingers freeze! 

• 10°C to 15°C

This is usually our definition of a "pleasant winter" and 2 layers of clothing are enough for this temperature range(if you are the person who hates the cold weather, you can always wear this stylish pullover). 

Light pullovers for pleasant winter climates

• 15°C to 20°C

This is the average autumn temperature in the metro cities of India. Normal clothes usually work for this temperature range, however you can wear a windcheater/raincoat if you spot rain clouds in the sky! 

We hope that you follow the above tips to keep yourself warm, safe, and comfortable in the upcoming months!