Ways to keep warm

Be a sheep

There’s no need to pity sheep for having to spend winter out in the elements. Wool contains small pockets of air that circulate heat, making it far better for keeping warm than synthetic fibres such as polyester and even other natural fibres such as feather and down. Woollen clothing will help you withstand a chill during the day while a woollen duvet will keep you snug on bitter nights. ‘Natural, chemical-free and sustainable, wool is a miracle fibre that manages humidity and heat as you sleep,’ explains Chris Tattersall, owner ofWoolroom that specialises in wool bedding, throws and sleepwear.

For extra insurance against the cold, you might want to consider wool nightwear. ‘If you’re looking for pyjamas to keep you warm, invest in Merino wool garments,’ says Emma-Jane Adam, co-founder at Smalls Merino. ‘It’s much finer. This year we collaborated with Woolroom to provide a sleepwear range which uses 17.5-micron ultrafine wool yarn, making the products smooth and soft.’

Use the stairs

If your home has more than one floor, you might find that the upper level of your home is warmer since heat rises. For the same reason, it might help to put your feet up when sitting down as it is coldest on the ground. Our feet play a crucial role in regulating body temperature, so it is worth keeping them elevated (as well as clothed in thick socks and quality slippers, of course).

Get moving

Staying active will keep your body temperature up, and you don’t have to do anything strenuous or venture outside. Regularly moving around the house can help to keep the cold at bay, and if you have trouble standing, performing some gentlechair-based exercises should be enough to get your blood flowing.

Plug in your blanket

Heated blankets are surging in popularity and are tipped as a top Christmas present for this year. ‘Rapidly rising energy costs have led to truly unprecedented demand for heated textiles,’ says Wendy Miranda, Lakeland’s Customer Ambassador. ‘Costing just pennies to run, heated throws and blankets are proving the perfect solution to help customers heat just themselves rather than their whole home.’This heated throw from Lakeland costs around 6p an hour to run, based on the current price-capped unit cost of electricity at 34p per KWH.

Nurture your kidneys

Accupressure

One of the most important things we can do for our wellbeing as we approach the colder months is to nurture our kidneys, the dominant organs of winter according to Chinese medicine, says Katie Brindle, a Chinese medicine practitioner, healer and founder of Hayo'u Method.

Dress appropriately, avoid ice in drinks, eat warming and hearty soups and stews - adding a touch of spice for that welcome warming glow - and enjoy a relaxing evening foot soak and foot massage. Perhaps also stimulate the Kidney 1 acupoint on the sole of the foot by gently massaging it in a circular motion – this acupoint is located in the slight depression found when the toes are pointed downwards, about a third of the way between the toes and the heel. Consider investing in a Bian stone (£49) – an acupressure tool for self-massage. Or Katie would suggest using the rounded end of a chopstick or the end of a makeup brush as these will be more effective than fingers.

Katie adds, ‘Low slung trousers may be back in vogue but depleted kidney energy certainly isn't, so consider wearing a vest or camisole to give an added layer to the delicate kidney and abdomen area. A camisole, vest or scarf around the midriff helps us feel nourished and nurtured, almost like a warming hug! As does a hot water bottle if you are stationary – although this isn’t practical if you are moving around!’

Invest in a belly warmer

Belly warmer

The Japanese haramaki (literally translated as ‘belly wrap’) helps to restore and maintain warmth in your midriff. ‘A haramaki is effectively a scarf for your middle,’ says Catherine Brown, founder of NukuNuku, a family business which has brought these belly-warmers to the UK. The idea is that keeping your kidneys warm is the secret to feeling warm all over. It appears that when your internal organs and core are warm your body can afford to divert blood to your extremities. It’s also very good at creating comforting warm feelings should you have back ache for example.

Lightweight and stretchy, you can wear them under your clothes. Catherine says they have additional health benefits. ‘The warmth nourishes your core and pelvic floor too, which is especially valuable as most of us spend so much time sitting,’ she says.

NukuNuku stocks them in several materials. Catherine recommends cotton for everyday use, priced at £14 (a great cost-per-wear investment if you wear yours whenever it’s chilly), while the wool options offer ‘super-powered’ warmth (£36 for Angora, £34 for Merino).

Repurpose an old sock

If you’re looking to apply some extra warmth to a certain part of your body, you could try making your own heating pads. Fill some spare fabric – or even an old sock – with uncooked rice, barley or oatmeal, sew it up, then microwave it for one to two minutes.

Ditch salads and stock up on ginger

Consuming certain food and drinks might help you fend off the cold. ‘Thermogenesis is the process the body uses to create warmth, and certain foods are great at stimulating it,’ explains Laura Southern, nutritional therapist at London Food Therapy. Spices such as cinnamon and ginger are particularly effective. Laura suggests steeping slices of fresh ginger root in hot water – or just using a ready-made tea bag – and baking ground ginger into cakes and biscuits. Cinnamon could be added to stewed apples, which boost immunity as well as warming you up, or try a bowl of porridge (‘whole or rolled oats, not the quick kind, have also been shown to have thermogenesis properties’, says Laura).