How to protect yourself from the cold in winter?

When the winter season arrives and it brings with it a drop in temperatures, it becomes important to properly protect yourself from the cold .

In this article, we will discuss the different tips to prevent the dangers involved in the cold and we will end by seeing the symptoms that you can observe to know if you have caught a cold.

1. How to protect yourself from the cold outdoors?

When temperatures drop, it is important to take the right steps to effectively protect yourself from cold or even very cold weather.

For young people, adults and the elderly, whether you are healthy or at risk, you need to take precautions. Often overlooked, the drop in temperature affects the immune system, which is put to the test, leading to various diseases. Serious or not, they remain troublesome and can be disabling.

In fact, when you're outside, that's when you have to be careful, because you're most exposed to the elements.

The first thing to do is therefore to limit your outdoor activities, especially if you are considered a person at risk. In addition, as temperatures drop in the evening and at night, avoid going out at these times of the day.

Next, you need to dress appropriately for the outside climate.

• You must then protect your head and neck with a hat, scarf or jacket with a protective collar.
• Protect your hands and feet by covering them with quality clothing. To prevent frostbite, opt for heated gloves or mittens for your hands and thick socks for your feet. Make sure they are not too tight so as not to hinder blood circulation. These will be paired with a pair of waterproof shoes, like boots. They will protect you from frostbite and frostbite while preventing you from slipping and falling in snowy and frozen areas.
• Next, cover your chest with warm clothes . Being the part of the body where the most body heat loss occurs, it is necessary to protect it well. To do this select one of our heated jackets . Designed with waterproof, windproof and comfortable materials, they will effectively protect you by avoiding the need to encumber you with several layers of clothing that will hinder your movements.
• Finally, before going outside, do not drink alcohol . Vasodilator, it dilates the blood vessels, which means that it accelerates heat loss from the body.

When you are outside, stay vigilant by limiting prolonged exposure to wind and cold.

In order to avoid problems caused by low temperatures, you will also need to pay attention to thermal shocks. Responsible for many winter illnesses such as colds or coughs, they are caused by a sudden difference between the temperature of your home and that of the outside. To limit its impact, heated clothes are ideal because they allow you to promulgate heat even when you are outside. Unlike an ordinary garment that will only limit your heat loss, this one will also provide you with additional heat. Appreciated by winter sports enthusiasts and mountaineers, there are now clothes designed for everyday use. With elegant cuts and styles, you will find various models on our store that will meet your needs.

To limit the impact of the cold on your health, keep up a regular level of exercise, such as walking, while taking care not to make too sudden efforts.

2. How to protect yourself from the cold indoors?

When you are indoors, it is just as important to take precautions to effectively protect yourself from the cold.

To do this, follow these few recommendations to adapt your home to the cold.

• First, be sure to close off the rooms you're not using to maximize heat.
• Try to maintain an indoor temperature of around 20°C, taking care not to overheat your home.
• Make sure your heaters are working properly. Have them serviced regularly to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning . Neglected, this invisible, odorless and non-irritating gas is responsible for a hundred deaths each year during the winter season.
• Finally, ventilate your rooms. A few minutes a day will change the indoor air which is polluted by different gases that we release when breathing.

In order to avoid going out in cold weather, stock up on water and food. Eat properly, stay hydrated and drink hot drinks while avoiding alcoholic beverages. As we have seen previously, alcohol does not warm. On the contrary, it dilates the blood vessels and can numb the limbs, which will blur the warning signals of cold.

From now on, you know the different gestures to protect yourself from the dangers of the cold. We will now discuss the symptoms to look out for when you catch a cold.

3. Symptoms of catching a cold

Here are the different symptoms to know to deal with a cold snap and prevent it to enjoy your winter without getting sick.

The term cold snap does not exist in medicine. It is true that it is easier to get sick in winter, but this is not because of the low temperatures, but simply because they weaken the organism. This allows various viruses to penetrate more easily.

Symptoms

In most cases, the symptoms of a cold snap are sore throat , runny nose , cough and sometimes hyperthermia (fever).

Subsequently, these can lead to different viral infections.

viral infections

• So-called "viral" infections generally begin with a "cold snap", which is characterized by a cold, sore throat or a flu-like state. These will first manifest themselves as a sore throat, a runny nose, a cough or a fever.
• For digestive disorders, the best known being gastroenteritis for example, are caused by rotaviruses or noroviruses. These same diseases are very present during the months of December and January. Their manifestation takes the form of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea as well as a rise in body heat, resulting in a rise in fever.

Prevention

Viruses are known to be very contagious. This is one of the reasons why it is important to respect barrier gestures , such as wearing a mask in closed places. Indeed, to fall ill, it is necessary that there is contact with a contagious person. Cold air in general does not contain viruses, it is brought by others.

It is also essential to use single-use tissues , to wash your hands frequently and to ventilate the rooms in your home on a regular basis .

Having a complete sufficient sleep and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is likewise necessary to strengthen our immune system.

In addition, in order not to weaken your immune system when the outside temperature drops, do not hesitate to opt for one of our heated down jackets . Designed for this purpose, they will effectively protect you while keeping you away from the discomfort of the cold.

How long does a cold snap last?

During the winter, viral diseases have an average healing time of around 4 to 14 days . Nevertheless, it happens that these evolve into sinusitis or bronchitis which can take longer to heal.

In case of gastroenteritis, these can heal within a few days. If the lifestyle and dietary measures are not enough, you will need to seek advice from your doctor or pharmacist.

We are coming to the end of this article, if you have any questions, communicate them in the comment space so that we can answer them.