How to keep your hands and feet warm

Keeping warm in winter is especially important as we get older because the cold affects us more than it used to. Keeping your extremities warm, like your hands and feet, helps to keep your whole body warm.

Keep your body warm

Keeping our body warm helps to keep our hands and feet warm, so below we've outlined our tips to help you stay warm when it gets cold.

Wear multiple layers

Wearing several thin layers of clothing will keep you warmer than one thick layer, as the layers trap warm air between them.

Wear a hat

Most of your body heat is lost through your head so it's a good idea to always wear a hat when you're out and about.

Make sure your bed is warm

Use a hot-water bottle or a wheat bag when you're in bed. Alternatively, you can use an electric blanket to warm the bed – but make sure to never use a hot-water bottle and an electric blanket together, because this is dangerous.

Keep moving and stay active

Moving around generates heat to help keep your body, hands and feet warm. If you're indoors, try standing up and walking around the room a few times. It's important you find something that works for you. For example, if you have limited mobility, you might be able to stay seated and move your arms around to get warm.

Wrap up warm while you're sitting down

If you’re sitting down, a shawl or blanket will provide a lot of warmth.

Keep your hands warm

There's lots you can do to keep your hands warm during the winter months. We've listed some of our top tips below.

Wear gloves

Gloves made of wool, leather or synthetic material with insulating properties are best for keeping your hands warm. But it can get quite wet over winter and when your gloves get wet they transfer heat from your hands to the air, so it's very important to have a pair of waterproof gloves as well.

Pull your sleeves down

Minimise any gaps between your gloves and your clothing so that cold air can’t get in and you trap as much heat as possible.

Get the right fit

Warm air needs to be able to circulate round your fingers so it’s important to make sure your gloves aren’t too tight. You should be able to comfortably move your fingers around. Wiggling your fingers also stimulates blood flow to keep your hands warm. 

Keep your feet warm

No one likes having cold feet, but it's not good for you either. We've outlined some top tips to help you keep your feet warm over winter. 

Avoid having bare feet

Make sure to always wear socks, slippers or shoes around the house. If your feet get cold at night, then go to bed wearing socks.

Keep your socks and feet dry

If your socks or feet get wet, heat is transferred away from them, so make sure to wear dry waterproof shoes when you go out.

Put your feet up or keep moving

If you're sat down, keep your feet up on a stool – hot air rises, so floor level is likely to be the coldest part of a room. If you're at home, try and move your legs around to keep blood circulating to your feet.

Opt for woolly socks

Wear woolly socks or socks containing an insulating material in the winter to keep your feet warm.

The development of this information was supported by an educational grant from Seqirus.