Hand warmer

How do I keep my hands warm when it's cold?
Winter is just around the corner. Although the really harsh winters with lots of snow and ice on the ditches in the Netherlands have not happened for a while now, it can still get viciously cold. And what is more annoying than ice-cold hands? What actually happens to your body when it gets colder and how you can best arm yourself against cold hands, for instance, is explained below.

Your body in survival mode
When your body registers cold, it automatically starts sending warm blood to the vital parts of the body. Blood is drawn from the less vital parts of the body such as the feet and hands. This blood is sent to the organs. This causes the hands and feet to feel cold and stiff. This is a natural process and a way in which the body itself ensures that you stay alive. Cold hands feel very uncomfortable and can prevent certain tasks from being performed. For example, it is difficult to grasp things. When it is really cold, there is even a risk of frostbite. It is therefore important to keep your hands nice and warm. There are several ways to do this!

Improve blood circulation
The best way to keep your hands warm without aids is to move around. This will get the blood flowing to your muscles and skin and this will properly warm your body and with it your hands.

Action
When you feel your hands getting cold you can do the following;

Hand massage
Massaging the hands and wrists is a good way to get the blood flowing to the hands again. You may want to use hand cream or oil for this. Also think about the fingertips and the areas between the fingers.

Hand exercises
If you can't quite move yourself, make sure only your hands move by doing exercises with your hands. Tightening and relaxing again, wiggling your fingers a little can already help.

Protect your body
As long as your body feels that your organs are not in danger, blood will not be drawn from your hands and feet, for example.

Layer by layer
In cold weather, it is better to have several layers on rather than one thick jumper. Make sure you have a base layer, an insulating layer and an outer layer that protects against wind and rain. For the real outdoor enthusiasts, there are several jackets available that consist of two layers. When it gets colder, you can add the extra layer which provides good protection.

Loose clothing
Wearing loose clothing when cold is better than tight clothing. Tight clothing can pinch off blood vessels, making it harder for blood to circulate.

Protect your hands
Wearing gloves or mittens that also protect your wrists is a logical step to ward off cold. Because with gloves the fingers are separated, you can sometimes get cold hands in them. This is less the case with mittens. With this in mind, we designed The.Wrap. A soft heat pad made of Teddy fleece that can be rolled up and secured with a zip. This creates a roll where you insert your hands, which are delightfully warmed by the heat elements within the pillow. So you not only have a heat cushion to sit on, but also a perfect hand warmer to use during walks or along the sports field line. A top hand warmer!

Know what you eat (and drink)
Ginger tea is not only good for sore throats but it warms up your whole body. Just holding the tea will warm your hands, but you will also be warmed from the inside due to the action of the ginger.

Cigarettes and caffeine cause your blood vessels to constrict in the long run. Not good for blood circulation and thus better not to do (too much).

With alcohol, your body seems to be heated. A dash of rum in tea therefore gives a warming effect. However, alcohol causes the overall body temperature to be lowered.

Provide an external heat source
You can think of plenty of external heat sources that can warm hands. You may not always have them to hand but we'll mention them here;