We've entered the time of year that my family calls the "three shirt days." These are the days when it feels so cold to us that we often wear 3 shirts or 3 layers during the day at home. For some reason a 55 degree F day in fall is so much harder to take than a 55 degree F day in spring.
Sitting around the dinner table, we have these discussions on which is the best way to layer, long underwear against the skin, or tank top first then long underwear, or a couple of flannels over a long-sleeved tee, or fleece over any two layers. Today I chose long underwear under a thin sweater hoodie, topped with a fleece zip up jacket.
According to REI, the outdoor adventure store and their gurus, there is a right way to layer. The first layer should be long undies in a fabric that will wick away moisture. Makes sense, cause when you feel sweaty in cold weather, you just feel chilly overall. The second layer should be insulating, like polyester fleece or something like down or synthetic puffy jackets or vests. The third layer should be a waterproof and windproof shell, like a windbreaker or jacket. Obviously, these are outdoor recommendations for dressing. But perhaps some of the same principles could be put in use for indoor dressing. While indoors I don't need anything water or wind proof. However, the wicking long underwear top does make a good base layer for the reasons they stated, to draw moisture off the skin. I do like the insulating effect of polyester fleece. Fleece has some breathability, too, which is welcome. So, I'm good for two layers according to REI.
I also consulted some emergency/survival websites on how to dress for indoor warmth in the event of a power outage. While a power outage is an extreme case, some of their tips could prove helpful for me, an always cold person. While our furnace is indeed working, we keep the house on the cool side compared to what I grew up with. Survival Frog recommends wearing layers that would include thermal and/or woolen garments. Wool is the traditional cold weather fabric. It was around long before polyester fleece or waffle-weave thermals ever existed. I think wool has fallen out of favor a bit for a couple of reasons. It can be itchy, it's more fussy to launder, it attracts moths when in storage, if it gets soaked in the rain, it takes a while to thoroughly dry, and it can smell when wet. Meanwhile, poly fleece goes into the washing machine and dryer, doesn't have a weird smell, doesn't shrink, and isn't itchy.
The Frog also suggests wearing usual outdoor accessories indoors when suffering a power outage, such as scarves, hats, mittens, thick socks, and always shoes. I always wear shoes indoors because my feet prefer it. And I occasionally wear a knit headband indoors. It's really, true, though, wearing a hat or knit headband must hold in some heat, as I actually get sweaty when wearing something on my head indoors for very long. Despite my anecdotal evidence for wearing a hat to hold in heat, it's not true that you lose 40% to 45% of your body's heat through your head. According to WedMD, you lose the amount of heat through your head at the same rate as any other exposed part of your body. Your head makes up about 10% of the surface area of your being. So if your head is uncovered, you would lose approximately 10% of your heat through your head. But still, if you're chilly, blocking 10% of your body's heat from escaping will be 10% saved heat. And that's something.
Here's an idea I may try this winter, making some pocket hand warmers from my 100% cotton flannel fabric scraps, rice, and some cotton thread. To warm them, pop them into the microwave for 20-30 seconds or more, then tuck them into hoodie pockets. Instructions and tips can be found at All Free Sewing.
I find I drink a lot of tea, hot cider, hot decaf, broth, and simply hot water this time of year. Warming up my insides goes a long way toward keeping me more comfortable as the weather turns chillier.
When we're sitting, we use blankets and throws to hold in heat. And I've been known to bring a fleece throw to the kitchen table in the early mornings. We call these "fleece napkins" in our house.
Did you know there's a "right" way to make your bed for chilly nights? According to Life Hacker, you'll stay warmer if you put a thin wicking layer (such as a flannel sheet) closest to your skin, then an insulating layer (such as a puffy comforter or knit/crochet blanket), followed by a topping of a densely woven blanket (such as wool or dense polyester). This follows REI's advice to start with a wicking layer, then an insulating layer, and finally the layer that blocks heat loss. In the bedding's case, putting the dense blanket on top prevents convective heat loss.
You know, in our house there is such a thing as a four shirt day, too. Those are the days when I wash my hair. Wet hair makes for a chilly day. And long hair takes a long time to dry. I try to choose to wash my hair on a day when I'm planning on being some place warm for part of the day, such as an appointment in a well-heated office or church. I pull my hair back neatly while still wet. By the time I get home, my hair is about half dry and I can bear the chilly indoor air for rest of the time needed.
I can feel it already. It's going to be a long time before the two shirt days return.
That's how we stay warm on these three shirt days. When the weather turns chilly, how do you stay warm? Are you an always cold person, too? Or do you run on the warm side?
https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/layering-basics.html
https://www.survivalfrog.com/blogs/survival/11-ways-to-stay-warm-during-a-winter-power-outage
https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/do-we-really-lose-most-of-our-heat-through-our-heads
https://www.allfreesewing.com/Winter-Projects/DIY-Hand-Warmers
https://lifehacker.com/how-to-feel-warmer-if-youre-always-cold-1848310457
I am pretty much a two shirt person most days. In the summer, you never know how cold a store or other place will be air conditioned, so I always have some kind of long sleeves with me. If I'm in the house and moving around, two layers are usually enough. If I'm not, I usually have a fleece throw. We try to be smart with the temperatures that we keep our house at, but it is often a discussion because my husband and I have different ideas of what is comfortable.
ReplyDeleteHi Live and Learn,
DeleteI agree on in summer never knowing if a store or office will be too chilly for short sleeves. It's nice to have something to layer with.
Live and Learn, and Lili -- I have the same issue with air conditioning, but I've been surprised how hard it is to know how to layer in cold-weather areas, too. We sent both DSs away to snowy universities, with lots of layers of long-sleeved shirts, jackets, sweaters, etc., as well as real snow gear. But both of them never wore more than a long-sleeved dress shirt, until they were out of the dorms and keeping their apartments cool, as they'd grown up used to. They said the lecture halls and all other venues were so hot, you couldn't wear them. They'd maybe throw a heavy jacket over a t-shirt to get between buildings, but that was all they could stand.
DeleteI didn't notice it the last cold place we lived, but here, they keep stores and offices super-hot, too. You have to bundle up to get from your house to your car, and your car to each business; but then you have to strip once you get inside! It's a real pain to go from 20s outside (or worse) to 70s inside. And we often lament having to haul our cold gear around with other shoppers/patients who agree. Very weird to me! Sara
This makes me think of a "three dog night". :) I'm assuming that everyone knows what that is, but for the uninitiated, it refers to a night so cold that you need 3 dogs to keep you warm in bed.
ReplyDeleteI'm a huge fan of wearing layers, and I do it year-round. I tend to get hot when I'm up and active with housework or when I'm at work, but when I slow down in the evening, I like extra layers to keep warm. We have throw blankets everywhere--sometimes I think I need to enter a 12-step program for my throw addiction. Ha.
I've been dipping my toes into merino wool recently. We do a lot of hiking and I dislike the sweaty feeling. Merino wool is a naturally wicking material and can keep you cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. The price tag is gasp-worthy, so I've added a few pieces slowly. I've tried 2 different brands of t-shirts, and the women's Metarino merino wool t-shirt (I tried to link it, but the link is insanely long) with the flower logo was both less expensive AND was more comfortable. The current cost is $27.99 and there is a 5%-off coupon, if anyone is interested.
I love your hand warmer idea! We use rice/corn bags to warm up when sitting down in the evening, and I often take one to bed to warm up the bed.
I have 2 lightweight tshirts I use under my sweaters and don't want to let them go...they are on their 3rd or 4th mend.
DeleteHi Kris,
DeleteI'd never heard of the meaning of a "three dog night." so thanks for enlightening me.
For merino wool, you might check eBay periodically. I think that's where Cat got a piece or two, if I recall correctly.
We have a pile of both small quilts and fleece blankets in the family room that anyone is welcome to grab when they need it. We use them both indoors and outdoors (chilly evenings sitting outside looking at stars).
I'll be making some hand warmers this week. I'll let you know how they turn out.
Ditto with me on the rice bags. I used to use a heating pad, but realized I was having EMF problems; so I made a rice bag, and used that for years. BTW, you can heat those in your oven, if you don't have/use a microwave, as long as the bag cover isn't synthetic. I made my bag out of a bath towel, and used to heat it 20 minutes at 225 degrees (it was really big.)
ReplyDeleteWe keep our home cooler than most people we know, and wear layers and love afghans. We heated passively with a wood stove only for 10 years, and found that the house was too hot to do anything (especially upstairs) if it was more than about 65 degrees; and except in extreme cold, we often let the fire die overnight for comfier sleeping. Then we moved into a house with furnace/ducting. I hate the hot air blowing on me, and have allergies from the dust. I dread letting it turn on, so, although it's been down below freezing more than a dozen times, already, we're just burning the fireplace insert to keep the living room comfortable (and dry out the guys' hunting gear). The heat doesn't make it anywhere near our bedroom, so sometimes it's in the 50s overnight. But we sleep in flannel sheets year-round (I find them less-hot in the summer, as well as less-cold in the winter -- maybe because of the nap?), and I like heavy blankets. We sure save a lot of money, too, because we can luckily get all "free" firewood off of downed trees on our property. Pretty soon, though, we'll have to let the furnace turn on, unfortunately. Sara
Did you put the rice bag on something in the oven or just on the rack?
DeleteI just put it on the rack. 225 degrees isn't super-hot. I've used it the most with an electric oven at our current home, but I did also heat it in our gas oven at the last one. I usually have one rack in the upper-third of the oven, so it wasn't very close to the element/flame. Sara
DeleteHi Sara,
DeleteThat's good to know about heating the rice bags in the oven.
We've talked about adding a wood stove to our house. We have the firewood on property, and it would sure keep us warmer in winter, with the bonus of putting a pot or kettle on top to heat for beverages or soups.
I hear you on allergies with forced air heating. Ugh, one of the down sides to heating a house with a furnace.
Thank you!
DeleteI worked for 4 years in an unheated (the only source of heat was kerosene heaters) warehouse. I wore a tank top, long sleeved tshirt, and hoodie most days. I wore regular jeans and had a polar fleece blanket to wrap around my lower half. I also had access to hot coffee and brought in a small crockpot with soup almost every day. But the one thing that really made it a game changer was 2 rice bags made from fleece scraps, about the size of a ziploc sandwich bag. I zapped each for 30 seconds and they stayed warm enough for over an hour. Then I would get up warm them up and do one of the other physical things I did. I was a bookkeeper so I checked the timeclock, made coffee, refreshed supplies, got the mail, set out log sheets, filed paperwork. I would go back to answering calls, paying bills, doing payroll reports, and entering information into QB. I really liked my boss and knew he was trying to go forward. But it was brutal and the water in the bathroom froze mulitple times. BUT I know I have the skills to do it again.
ReplyDeleteI usually pay 175 for natural gas in December and I am trying to cut that by 25% this year. Thank you for the inspiration.
Hi Amy,
DeleteThat's good to know how well your rice bags worked. It motivates me even more to make some for both my husband and I for when we're sitting. He gets so cold. I think these will help him while he works at his computer.
I laughed when you mentioned the water in the bathroom freezing because it reminded me of a house we rented when we were first married. This was in Utah. Once morning, there was ice in the toilet. We kind of knew we had to move out after that.
Good luck with your attempt to lower your December gas bill!
I too wrap my lower half in a fleece blanket when I am at home. I also use a hot water bottle or a heating pad if I get cold during the day. A hot water bottle in bed is great too.
ReplyDeleteThe feeling of layered long sleeves on my arms makes me feel panicky, so I can usually only wear a long sleeve t-shirt with a vest, or a short sleeve t-shirt with a fleece jacket. If it's really cold, I will wear a cotton tank top under my t-shirt. Any coat has to have sleeves that are rather loose. It's weird, I know. ;)
Hi Tina,
DeleteWe had a couple of hot water bottles for the foot of the bed for years. They both leaked eventually and I haven't replaced them. If I like the hand warmers enough made with flannel, I may try making a larger bed warmer for the foot of the bed. I miss having something warm where my toes are.
I totally understand how you feel about long sleeves on your arms. I feel similarly about my legs. I can't wear long underwear pants under regular pants without feeling really constrained and squirmy. It's just not a pleasant feeling.
I don't feel that I ever learned how to layer properly until I started hiking during all seasons. Growing up (in Ohio), we'd add a heavy coat when it got cold, and maybe mittens if playing outside. Of course, I also grew up in a skirt-wearing family so layers for the legs other than tights weren't a thing in our household. Hiking added a new dimension. At first I went with inexpensive synthetics, but soon learned how awful they smell after you've sweated in them a few times. Even once you wash them, within a brief time after putting them back on, they stink. Then I learned about merino wool, and haven't looked back. It's not itchy and not fussy to care for, thankfully. It is pricey. More and more of my wardrobe is merino these days (and some linen and silk for summer). After trying many brands, my favorite for durability is Woolx (also machine washable and mostly machine dryable on low). Now that I know my sizing and favorite styles, I look for pieces on ebay or natural fibers resale pages.
ReplyDeleteHaving lived in a hot climate for almost 3 decades now, I think I get chilly much easier at warmer temps than prior. Many cool mornings, I'll have a merino t-shirt topped by a light merino hoodie. On colder mornings, I have a few heavier merino shirts, or top a t-shirt with a sweater. For hiking with little wind, I'm good in just a t-shirt to the upper 40's/low 50's while moving, but need a layer when stopped. Cooler than that, I have a breathable alpha direct fleece hoodie. With wind, I layer my rain jacket/windbreaker over a t-shirt. In the 40's with high wind or any colder, I have a polartec fleece hoodie that works well. For 20's and below, I would have to wear my down puffy over a t-shirt, or else 3 thinner layers.
Interesting topic! Cool to see what others do.
I was hoping you would comment about merino wool! Good to know which brand you prefer.
DeleteHi Cat,
DeleteThanks for sharing your experience. I'll look into merino wool for future purchases.
I grew up in a warm climate. Still, I remember wearing wool coats in winter (daytime highs in the low 60s during December and January). I've since acclimated to a cooler climate. Now when we visit my old area, we're super warm, but see all of the locals bundled up. I do think one becomes used to temperatures and feels warmer or colder when transported to other climates.