During the fall and winter, cold hands are a part of everyday life for many, but there is something you can do about it. With simple tips and home remedies, blood circulation is promoted, which increases the feeling of warmth even in cold weather.
However, if frostbite is caused by a disease, you should of course take precautions against it. In this case, cold fingers are only a symptom, not the source of the problem.
1. Keep your body warm
Of course, the easiest way to prevent hands from getting cold is to use gloves. If you have forgotten these and the jacket pockets do not provide much protection against the cold, you should take care to keep the rest of your body as warm as possible. Warm clothes and a hat or hoodie will help keep you cooler. This keeps your hands at a pleasant temperature for longer, even without gloves.
2. Healthy lifestyle
A balanced diet rich in vitamins and adequate fluids are essential requirements for a healthy body that can better cope with cold weather.
Getting enough sleep and low stress is just as important as exercise. This is good for the whole body and keeps circulation going. The more regularly you exercise, the better it affects blood circulation. In this way, you can protect yourself from cold hands and at the same time do something for your health.
3. Reduce stimulants
If you’re cooling down quickly, it’s better to avoid some luxury foods. For example, the caffeine in coffee can cause blood vessels to constrict and fingers to become cold. It is better to drink tea or hot water with lemon and honey instead.
You should also avoid alcohol if your hands are cold. Although a so-called feeling of warmth occurs after consumption, as blood vessels expand temporarily, important organs cool and body temperature drops. The situation is similar with cigarettes – they cool your fingers more easily by damaging blood vessels and circulation.
4. Foods for good blood circulation
Fennel, garlic, ginger and hot pepper can warm you from the inside, accelerate blood circulation and can be used in various dishes. For example, fennel and ginger are also suitable as hot tea in the cold season and therefore provide twice the comforting warmth.
5. Contrast showers
An effective method that also helps against cold feet is contrast showers. You start with a warm shower and after about 60 seconds you switch to cold water. So you continue with a contrast shower for a few minutes. The shower should end with cold water. Then wrap yourself in a warm towel.
Strong temperature fluctuations stimulate and promote blood circulation, which prevents cold hands and feet in the long run – a simple preventive measure.
6. Hand gymnastics and massages
Gymnastic exercises for the hands also help maintain blood circulation. For example, you can make a fist and hold it for a few seconds and then open your fingers again. Repeating this a few times should warm your hands. Massages can also provide warmth.
7. Cream your hands thoroughly
Poor circulation and cold often damage the top layer of skin and make it brittle. It provides intense moisture if you rub your hands with nourishing creams that are called protective against weather conditions.
It is also important to always drink enough water so that the skin can get enough moisture from the inside. This also protects your hands from low temperatures.