There are some obvious do’s and don’ts when it comes to being smart about winter, like wrapping up warm and drinking more hot drinks, but there’s a lot more you can do to help stay extra toasty this winter.
- Eat at least one hot meal per day – that’s’ on top of all your hot drinks. Hot meals will warm you up from the inside out. Casseroles, stews and soups are excellent winter warmers and are an easy way to get your vegetables in for that extra nutritional support. Sure, stock up on your cold and flu tablets, but don’t forget to work on your body’s natural immune system too. Hot vegetables and lots of fruit will do wonders!
- Leave the door open – not the main door, we mean your oven door. When you’ve cooked a meal, proper the oven door open a bit to let the heat out. It will instantly warm up your kitchen and the surrounding rooms. Of course, be safe. If you have children or pets (or if you’re prone to accidents), don’t do this.
- Layer up – did you know your body can warm up faster than your home? Well, it can, so keep those layers on! There’s a myth that you lose a lot of body heat from your head, but any exposed bit of skin is likely to release heat, so wear thick socks and hats indoors (they’re not just for outdoors).
- Invest in proper insulation – energy bills can be expensive, but proper insulation is a single investment that can drastically reduce how much you spend on heating your home each year. If your house isn’t properly insulated, the boiler has to work harder to keep it warm which pushes the bills up. Loft insulation could make all the difference, and it’s a one-off cost of around £250 depending on the material you opt for, making it accessible for most people.
- Ad hoc insulation – aside from professionally installed insulation, there are ways you can equip your house to retain heat better. Block any gaps where you feel a draught with a draught excluder, buy thicker curtains, put tinfoil behind your radiators to reflect the heat back in the room, and move your sofa away from the radiators to avoid blocking the heat output.
- Turn the fan on – if you have a ceiling fan, turn it on low and in a clockwise direction to stop the heat from rising too far when you’re downstairs. If you don’t have one, stay upstairs when possible and allow the heat from lower levels to make its way up to you.
- Move around – this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Movement creates body heat, so get moving. Clean the house or do some exercise. We know the last thing anyone wants to do is go out in the freezing cold, but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.
- Always be prepared – check the weather often so you can get your groceries beforehand or order your prescription ahead of time just to be safe, we all know how unpredictable British weather can be.
Winter can be dangerous. Over 28,000 deaths occurred in England and Wales in winter 2019 to 2020, excluding COVID-19, which was 19% higher than the year before. So, stay warm and stick it through.
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