How to keep warm in Winter

It’s the holiday season again and we all can’t wait to get away from sunny Singapore and play on the streets as snow flakes fall across our face! To celebrate a white Christmas abroad with your family and loved ones is what you have been looking forward to all year round, so don’t let the cold get in the way of your long awaited trip and learn how to keep warm in winter with our Singapore Travel Blog‘s 11 simple tips that we have learnt over the years.

1. It’s easier to stay warm than to get warm

This is by far the biggest mistake we realize most people make in winter and to be honest, we don’t really blame them cause we do that too sometimes.

You underestimate the cold and considering you pack your nicest clothes for this holiday, you don’t want to hide them under your thick winter jacket and look the same in all your photos. So you just wear what you want to and wait till the weather gets the better of you before you decide to put on your layers.

That’s one of the biggest mistake you can make. Layers are not meant to make you warm, it was built to retain heat and prevent the cold from getting in. By the time you start feeling cold, it is probably too late and putting on layers then wont make you feel much better thereafter.

So make it a mantra if you must, but always remember “It’s always easier to stay warm than to get warm!”

2. Don’t just focus on the outside, keep warm on the inside as well!

We spend hundreds of dollars on our jackets and suits just to keep the cold from getting in just to have it all come crashing down on us when we decide to take a sip of an ice cold soda. When you take cold drinks, it drops your core temperature and restricts your body’s ability to generate heat.

In a cold country, always choose a hot drink over a cold one even if the restaurant you are in seems warm. The restaurant has a radiator, the streets doesn’t.

3. Don’t underestimate Under layers

Under layers are extremely useful in winter! They may not feel like much when you touch them, but their abilty to stick to your skin prevents wind from getting in and traps your body heat on the inside. Under layers act like an extra layer of skin to protect your body. You can get them at sports brands such as Under Armour, Nike, Adidas etc, or you can even get it from places such as Uniqlo that go for as low as 9.90. Worth every cent!

4.Tuck in your shirt

And no we don’t mean your winter jacket, we mean your inner shirts and layers, tuck them in. The rationale is the same as having an inner shirt, to prevent wind from getting in. The more you avoid direct contact of the cold air with your skin, the better.

5. Protect your smaller body parts

When we think of protecting ourselves from the cold, we often think about jackets, pants, boots etc. But when it comes down to it, its your smaller body parts such as your ears, nose, hands and toes etc that get cold first.

Blood keeps your body warm. When your body temperature drops, your heart’s natural instinct kick in and naturally chooses to circulate the blood around your core region to ensure all your key organs are safe and warm, this leaves lesser blood for non critical for survival parts such as your hands, ears and feet which also happens to be the furthest from the heart and that’s why these parts usually get cold first.

Always keep these parts protected with the use of gloves, socks, ear muffs etc as these parts do at times get so cold that it physically hurts. In the absence of gloves, always keep your hands in your pocket and fill it with heat warmers if necessary. Y10. ou can always hold your gf’s hand later.

6. Always get a good pair of socks

Always always keep your feet warm with the use of socks! Wear two pairs if necessary! Read about the importance of socks in cold weather!

7. Eat, a lot!

When you are in a winter country, always eat when a food source is available, and a lot! Even though you are not physically perspiring, your body is in fact in overdrive as your heart pumps twice as fast trying to supply your body with blood and keep it warm and alive. To do that, your body needs energy. So supply it with an abundance of food. After all, a layer of fat does help protect you from the cold as well 😉

8. Drink, a lot!

Your body is working very hard even thou you are unaware of it. Drink up to prevent dehydration and your lips from getting too dry .

9. Use lip balm

And yes, that includes the guys out there. The cold dries out your lips faster than a flower in winter. So use a lip balm and protect yourself from the pain when your lips start to crack. If it helps, get a girl to apply it for you if that makes you feel that much more manly.

10. Use layers wisely

Use your layers wisely by keeping the thinner layers closer to your body and thicker layers on the outside, this will help you regulate your body temperature as you move in and out of shopping malls etc where it’s much warmer and you dont have to have your winter jacket on.

11. Waterproof your boots and avoid your clothes from getting wet at all cost

I actually learn this from Survival expert, Bear Grylls from Man vs Wild when I watched Discovery channel one day a very long time ago. He had to swim across this ice cold lake, but before he did, he took off all his clothes and held them all in one hand above the water as he paddled with his other hand across the lake. He highlighted the importance of dry clothes and how wet clothes would do so much more damage than being totally naked. I can’t find the exact episode so if anyone has any clue or a link, that would be great as well. Here’s a video of him doing something similar in Siberia

Thats our 11 tips on how to keep warm in winter countries. We hope you have found our travel blog useful and don’t forget to share it with your friends and family if you guys are heading to a cold place this Christmas!

May you guys have a lovely white Christmas 🙂

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