I feel the cold. A LOT. I can often be found wearing a jumper in the middle of the summer. And everyone one in the room can be perfectly warm, and I’ll still have hands like ice blocks.
I’ve got ME/CFS and like many other with it, and many other ‘spoonies’ (a term those with some chronic illnesses use for ourselves), my internal thermostat is generally all over the place…
With autumn firmly upon us (least in the northern hemisphere) and with heating/energy prices being very expensive this winter (at least in Europe), I thought I’d do a little blog post about some things that are simple (and pretty cheap) that help keep me warm!
Tube Scarfs / Snoods / Neck Warmers / Balaclavas / Whatever you call them
These are often seen being warn by cyclists and runners when doing exercise outside. I wear them when I’m inside! For some odd reason, I’ve found that if my neck/shoulder area is warm, then other parts of my body also feel warmer…
I got my first tube scarf free with a cycling magazine (I’m a cycling fan on the TV not a cyclist!) and started to wear it as an ‘outdoor’ scarf. I noticed that when I came inside and forgot to take it off(!) it kept me warmer when I was inside too.
I’ve now got a selection in different colours and patterns and normally wear one, when inside or outside, from September to May…
You can get them on Ebay starting at a couple of pounds.
Hats (Normally Beanies for me)
Beanie type hats are another item of clothing that’s normally worn when outside – I wear when I’m inside!
I started wearing beanies indoor a few years ago, when I was in bed! I was watching The Muppet Christmas Carol one Christmas (it’s the best Xmas film ever made. You can have another option – but you’d be wrong…) and Scrooge was wearing a ‘bed cap’.
I thought “If it worked for Victorians who were cold in bed, why not me?” and it did! So I started wearing a beanie when I initially got into bed to warm up.
I’m also getting the age where I don’t have as much hair as I used to (sigh). So I tried wearing a hat during the day and it also worked then.
I’ve now got a selection of beanies too! You can get them on Ebay starting at £3-4. (I like Beechfield ones.)
Warm / Thermal Socks / Slipper Socks
If your head gets cold, what about the other end of your body?! Yep, my feet are normally cold too…
I wear thermal ‘slipper socks’, with the grippy bits on the bottom, from September to May and they help keep my feet warm. I prefer Insignia ones to Totes.
You can get two pairs for about £8 on Ebay. I find that a pair lasts about 3-4 months and then I wear through on the heel…
Blankets & Hot Water Bottles
I can be wearing a tube scarf, a beanie, thermal socks and STILL be very cold. So the next warming tool is a good blanket!
I’ve got a couple of blankets – I’ve featured a Christmas one in the photo – why not? I’ve even got a blanket with sleeves – it keeps all of you warm!
You can get a decent blanket for about £10-15.
If I’m still not warm – I know but it happens – it’s Hot Water Bottle Time! These are a great way of heating ‘you’ and not the space around you…
It’s also pretty cheap. To boil enough water in a kettle for a hot water bottle will cost between about 2p to 4p – depending on how full you like your bottle. That could be a lot cheaper than turning up the thermostat these days…
You can get a bottle and cover for about £8.
Hot Drinks (Tea. Strong. No Sugar. Thanks.)
Heating the inside of you can also really help. If you’ve boiled the kettle for a hot water bottle, why not use any excess water for a hot drink?
Tea, Coffee or even a mug of hot water can warm you up – and just holding it can help keep your hands warm!
So those are my tip and tricks for keeping warm. What about you? If you’ve got some ways of keeping warm, please share them by leaving a comment!