Ways to Stay Warm in Winter

Hey there, 

it's winter now in Melbourne and I am looking forward to Spring. 

Growing up in Malaysia, a 365days summer country, I have never lived in a cold country before. 

Even though I traveled, the vacation only last like 1 week to 10days. 

So I only have to bear the coldness for that short period.

It's quite challenging for me to live in a 4 seasons country for half a year. 

Especially it's winter now in Melbourne and I have no idea what to expect when I first landed.

The weather here is colder and windy than I have expected. 

Luckily I have met 2 lovely and caring landlords who gave me some tips on keeping myself warm in winter. It kind of helped me to stay warmer here. 

1. Layer up

It's easier to warm your body temperature than the room temperature. You might think that one big winter-jumper will keep you warmer than wearing layers of thin clothes. But the truth is, layers of thin clothes will keep you warmer as they trap body heat. 

Always wear a scarf, instead of a hat when you are out. A scarf always make me warmer than wearing any other accessories. When your neck is warm, your body will automatically feel warm.

2. Eat/ drink well

Eating regular meals, healthy food like soup/stew and porridge are great choices to warm you up. I always crave for a bowl of hot soup/ noodle soup when I am here <3 

It is common that people eat high calories food, like meat, chocolate to keep themselves warm. But a cup of hot tea or coffee may make you feel warmer, even without eating those high calories food. The caffeine can increase the blood flow to the skin, but it won't last long, so a cup of hot tea is always better.  

3. Switch between hot and cold water 

Hot showers immediately warm you up, but it makes your skin dry and decrease your immune system. Try to cool down your hot shower a little bit, as a cold showers improve blood circulation and make you feel less cold when your body is not touching the water. I always shiver when I am not in the hot shower, so this tips really helped me to shiver less.

4. Move around

Do some exercise! It helps to circulate your blood and release body heat. If you hate exercise like me, you can always go out and walk around. The first time I sweat during winter, is when I have a 15-20 min of walk from IKEA.

Or cook ! I always feel warm when I am cooking. Save money from not eating out and it makes me warm without needing a heater. 

5. Layer your cover. 

A warm and thick blanket always keep you warm in your sleep. Wear a thicker pajama and bed socks to keep your feet from getting cold overnight. A nice and long sleep always make you refresh the next day and get you ready for the up coming work.