9 Things You Can Do to Survive in Extreme Cold Weather

“The winter season comes with more pains than it does with pleasure. You cannot halt your life, you cannot stop going out of your homes to work, you cannot avoid getting out of the warm blanket, and neither can you circumvent the extremity of the cold that the winter season brings along with it. The cold winds that lash against your face making your nose go numb while your hands struggle hard to move and grab something are just few of the many inconvenient things that are enough to make you crave your sweet bed and the thick blankets that are all set to warm you up. There are also many amongst us, the adventurers, whose spirit remains undeterred by the seasons. Be it the dreaded cold of the winter, burning heat of the summer or the flowing rainwater on the streets, motivation keeps churning inside them. But the winter is cruel and no matter what spirit you face it with, it is going to strike you as hard. The only difference is that the adventurers with their positive spirit will be off to a better start because being an adventurer comes with the innate ability to realize the essence of preparation. They know that preparing for anything can reduce the intensity with which it affects us. With preparation and knowledge, you can make the harshest of thing have the mildest of effects on you. We are not implying that this will in any way reduce the intensity of winters but in every possible way the right preparation and having the knowledge about what to do when will increase your resilience and your body’s ability to face it.

To help you with the preparation, here we are with a list of top 9 things that you can do to meet the winter season efficiently.

Get yourself the warmest winter clothes just when you feel the time is right

Our clothes hug us all the time we are in them, why not hug something snug and cozy? If you live in a place that experiences harsh winters, there is no reason not to invest in a coat of superior quality that doesn’t just look like it will warm you up but does warm you up just when you need it. There is no precise definition of a good coat; it may be the one that closes with buttons for some or the one that can be zipped right up for others. What is important to consider when buying a coat is that it should keep you warm and should have enough room to allow you to wear other clothes before you put it on yourself.

Dress in layers

Dressed in a single thick sweater will not make you feel as warm as wearing two pullovers that combine to be as thick as the former sweater. The reason for this is that the layer adds to an insulating boundary around the body. A single sweater has no guard above it and is, therefore, more likely to let the heat of the body out and cold of the atmosphere in which makes you feel cold. But if you add another layer of sweater then the space between the two sweaters will act as a protective boundary that will trap the body heat. It will not only prevent the heat from escaping our periphery but will also avoid the cold of the environment from hitting us. So, when you buy clothes, do not think that if a sweater is thick, it will be a great defense against the winters. For lowers, go with a tight inside and then wear a pant or jeans or a pajama. Layering is a must follow tip when going out anywhere during the winters to prevent it from getting to you. Next time your blanket is not enough to keep the cold out, try loading yourself with another blanket over it. Works the same we tell you!

Keep your feet warm

You are lucky if your feet remain warm irrespective of the season. For those whose feet turn cold now and then, winter season comes with a unique set of problems. You must have noticed that it is impossible to sleep in the winter months if your feet are cold. You just cannot feel warm no matter how many layers you cover yourself with when your cold feet just refuse to turn warm. How to trick them into turning warm? Go ahead and buy a good pair of winter boots. What is a good pair? Well, it should be water resistant, must have a non-slip tread and must be well lined. When it comes to socks, remember what we said about layering. It will work wonders for your feet. To keep your feet warm when going to bed, warm them up a little using the heat blower and put them immediately inside the warm covers.

Have a stock of food

The biggest inconvenience of the winter season is that at times it becomes so cold that the snow just doesn’t stop falling. It chokes the roads, blocks the highways and you cannot practically go out anywhere. It is in these times that the stocked up food comes in use and you bless yourself for actually going ahead and saving it. You can consider the option of MRE or Meals, Ready to Eat. These meals, in a nutshell, can be eaten right out of the packet, warm and fresh without actually going ahead and heating them on the stove or the microwave. The MREs are manufactured in a hermetically sealed environment that preserves the nutritional value of the food inside without letting any foreign elements enter the packet. The MREs have a long shelf life that ranges from 3 days to 5 years making them the perfect food for storage. The MREs also come with eating utensils which may include plate, fork or spoon. This way you don’t even have to worry about washing the utensils after consumption. The MREs come in a lot of variety, and the big packs contain meals of the entire day. Since they are as rich in calories (1500 calories in a full day pack) as they are in taste and variety, they make the perfect winter food that you can eat right in your bed.

Stay Hydrated

You may not realize the need of drinking water in the winter season, but the cold makes your mouth feel dry, and you feel thirsty quickly. Add to that the constant heaters running in your homes. To keep yourself energetic and healthy it is important that you drink ample amount of water and stay hydrated. Yo could also rotate water with other hot drinks such as coffee, tea, soups or even alcohol spiked with a hot chocolate.

Your home needs as much preparation as you

If you want to keep warm, then it is important that you first warm up your home. There should be a noticeable difference between the atmosphere outside and the atmosphere of your home when you step inside. The body warms up faster in a snug and warm environment. There will be power outages so you cannot solely rely on the heaters and thermostats. So here is what you should do:

• Get a generator for the house. In the case of power outage, you can use it occasionally to warm the house up when it gets too cold.
• Have battery operated and portable chargers for your mobile phone and laptops. A landline is the most reliable way of communication in case of a power outage.
• Arrange for some form of entertainment such as novels, movies and games to keep yourself from getting bored during the time you spend at home.
• Close the vents and the doors of the rooms that you do not use on a frequent basis as they are the primary source of a cold wave inside the house.
• Get a battery powered radio to keep yourself updated with the latest news in the case of power outage.

Prepare your car for the winters as well

You never know when you may need to go somewhere and the unpredictability that comes with the season, you cannot go unprepared no matter how short the distance is. Have the following in your car:

• A snow shovel to scrap off the extra snow that deposits on the windshield.
• Packets of food (preferably MREs) and water (MREs have water packs too).
• Spare coat and blanket in the truck of your car.
• A full tank of gas. As soon as the level of gas hits low, rush to the nearest gas station and fill it up. The maximum low that it can hit is half a tank. Don’t let it go beyond that and don’t procrastinate going to the station as you might regret it later.
• Have a fully supplied box of first aid which will include band aids, antiseptic creams, and gauges.
• If you are not already wearing a warm cap, mitten, or boots, you must have them in your car.

These tips might seem trivial but prove to be quite helpful when the time comes.

Take good care of yourself

Taking care of yourself involves a combination of things. You have to make sure that you are active. Work out for a bit no matter how much your body may resist it and no matter how much you crave the warmth of your blankets. If you catch a cold, seek immediate medical attention before it will get worse, and you will take more time to recover from it which means you will go through more trouble. Take zinc and iron tablets to keep up the nutrient level of your body. You can also consume foods that are rich in these minerals such as beef for iron.

Learn how to use fireplaces and get adequate supplies

Lighting up your fireplace is an amazing way to keep your home and yourself warm. But you cannot go ahead and burn just anything you get your hands on. You need to have the right kind of firewood that you can safely burn in closed places. If it is an electrical fireplace, then you don’t have to worry about anything.

There are people who spend their winters in the most comfortable way they can, but this is possible only because they are adequately prepared for it. Without the right preparation, you cannot expect a warm encounter with the cruel winter season.”