Keeping Warm
Aside from first aid, the most important demand your body has is to keep your core body temperature at 98.6°F. Since winter is coming on, maybe it’s a good time to talk about keeping warm.
As I sit here writing this story, I’m wearing long undies, a warm leather jacket, and a wool cap. I’ve got a portable electric heater by my feet that clicks on every once in a while. Outside, it’s 51°F., rainy, and 100% humid. Indoors, it’s 64°F. I could turn up the heat, but I decided to heat me instead of the house.
In Cool School in Alaska, I learned the human body puts priority on keeping its core temperature up. It’s not that your body doesn’t care if you get frostbitten earlobes, fingers, and toes. They just aren’t priority items when it’s frigid outside; you can live without them. One reason I can still count to ten with both hands is that I learned to keep warm.
We’ve always been taught to “dress in layers” when it’s cold out. What does that mean? It starts with underwear bottoms and tops, then winter underwear bottoms and tops, then warm pants (not jeans!) and a warm shirt. Add a wool shirt or sweater. Going outside, add a warm Gortex parka and a wool cap that covers the ears. On the feet, add thick socks or wool socks, and sturdy shoes or boots that don’t leak. On the hands, put wool gloves inside leather mittens; I’ve also had good luck with Thinsulate inside leather gloves.
We bundled our son up this way when he was about three. Just before we went out the door, he said, “Daddy, I have to go potty.” So we stripped him to skivvies, he went potty, and we started all over. Consider a potty stop before bundling up.
The purpose of dressing in layers is that you can open or remove an outer layer if you get too warm. What you can’t do is add an outer layer you neglected to wear. About the worst thing I can think of is going out in cold, rainy weather wearing a cotton shirt, cotton jeans, and sneakers. Wet cotton won’t keep you warm. Then what do you do?
The first thing I’d do is put more on my head, such as putting up the hood on my parka. Anything that keeps your head warm is a good thing. Next, when I sat down, I’d cross my legs. Leg contact lets each leg warm the other instead of allowing that heat to escape. After that, I’d take my gloves off, put them in my pocket, and take my outer jacket off. I’d pull the sleeves into the jacket, then put the jacket on with my arms inside it. It’s hard to zip up, but I’d be warmer because my arms warm my chest and abdomen instead of using up body heat.
I carry a Space Blanket made of aluminized plastic. It’s about 4 feet by 6 feet and initially comes folded up in a 2 by 3-inch packet about ½ inch thick. Wal-Mart or outdoor stores like Academy Sports sell them for a couple dollars. I can unfold the Space Blanket, sit on the middle, and wrap the rest around my front and back, if I’m sitting with my knees up. It reflects 80 to 90% of my body heat, so I am using body heat to heat myself.
Another way to stay warm outdoors is to eat. My skinny sister-in-law carries several plastic bags of food in her suitcase – oops, I meant purse. If she gets cold, she breaks out the junk food: nuts, M&Ms, sugary candy, chocolate chips, etc. These snack items are quickly digested to give your body more fuel to make more heat.
Let’s talk about sleeping warm. The reason to mention sleeping is that when you sleep, your metabolism slows up, and your body produces less heat. My wife’s attitude is to pile on every blanket or quilt in the house, add a warm spread, and that should keep her warm. I think that’s called sleeping in layers. However, once you do get warm, you just don’t want get out of bed and roll back a layer or two, so you sleep too hot all night. Give me a sheet, thin blanket, Space Blanket, and quilt, and I’m perfectly comfortable, thank you. The plastic Space Blanket makes crinkly noises if I move, but that’s okay. Boy, do I sleep warm!
