Sometimes, the hands and feet feel cold because of the natural physiological mechanisms to regulate body temperature and maintain survival. When there is a decrease in body temperature (even if you don't feel cold), blood flow is prioritized to vital internal organs, while blood volume to other parts of the body, such as the hands and feet, is reduced so that the limbs feel cold and stiff. Cold hands usually feel uncomfortable and hinder daily activities. You can develop hypothermia if your body or hand temperature is very low. To prevent this, learn different ways to warm your hands when needed!
Step
Part 1 of 3: Speed up Blood Circulation
Step 1. Move the body
The most effective way to warm your hands is to exercise to pump blood to your muscles and skin so your whole body is warm.
- When walking, speed up your steps if your hands feel cold.
- Fix the house or wash the car to move the body.
- Do squats, star jumps, or other aerobic exercises.
Step 2. Move your palms
Sometimes, you don't have time to exercise because you are very busy at work. If your hands feel cold, but you can't do aerobics to get your heart rate up, move your hands and feet, for example by:
- Massaging your fingers and toes
- Turning palms
- Bend and straighten fingers and toes repeatedly
Step 3. Massage your palms and arms
Another way to speed up blood flow to your hands is to massage your hands and arms. If the weather is very cold or your skin is dry, use a moisturizing oil or skin cream when massaging your arms, wrists, and palms.
Do not forget to massage the tips and between the fingers
Step 4. Avoid cigarettes and caffeine
This step does not directly warm the hands. Remember that cigarettes and caffeine cause stiffness or constriction of blood vessels. Blockage of blood flow to the hands makes the hands feel cold.
If you want to drink a warm drink, choose decaffeinated tea instead of coffee
Part 2 of 3: Protecting Yourself from the Cold
Step 1. Try to keep the body warm
Once there is a decrease in temperature, the body will react by flowing blood to the internal organs. To keep your hands from getting cold and keeping them warm, wear clothes that keep your stomach and lower back warm. The body does not reduce blood flow to the hands if the internal organs are in normal condition.
If it's very cold, wear several layers of clothing. For example, wear an undershirt, woolen shirt or blouse, jacket or raincoat to protect yourself from the wind and rain
Step 2. Don't wear tight clothes
Slowed blood flow due to constriction of blood vessels from wearing tight clothes, socks, or underwear makes your hands feel cold. To prevent this, wear clothes that are comfortable and allow you to move freely.
If your hands feel cold when wearing tight clothes, change to something that is not too tight
Step 3. Wear gloves that serve to warm hands
When exposed to cold air, it is natural for hands to feel cold. So, wrap your hands in gloves (which are not tight) to keep them warm.
- Wear gloves up to the wrists to prevent body heat from escaping through the wrists.
- If you don't have gloves, put your hands in your pants or jacket pockets to protect them from the cold.
Step 4. Consume ginger
As a thermogenic food ingredient, ginger produces heat when undergoing metabolic processes. A cup of warm ginger tea can warm the body, including the hands. In addition, your palms are warm again when you hold the warm cup.
Step 5. Use body heat
Even though the weather is very cold, some parts of the body are still warm, such as the armpits and inner thighs.
Place your palms on your armpits or inner thighs and wait a while until your hands feel warm
Part 3 of 3: Using the Heater
Step 1. Purchase a ready-made heater
If you want to travel in winter, at night, or to a cold location, bring a reusable or disposable heating device to keep your hands and body warm, for example:
- ClickHeat
- Hand Warmers
- Charcoal hand warmers
- UniHeat
- Heat Pax
Step 2. Soak in warm water
In addition to warming your hands and body, you can do relaxation to recover after activities in cold places.
- Make sure the water temperature does not exceed 43°C to prevent skin blisters, dizziness, low blood pressure, nausea and vomiting.
- Also, you can warm your hands and wrists using warm running water or holding a bottle of warm water.
Step 3. Blow both palms and rub each other
Hot air from the lungs can warm the hands. After blowing, cup your palms as long as possible and rub each other to warm the backs of your hands.
Step 4. Warm your hands over a fire or hot object
Fires, heaters, a hot car engine, and a computer that is turned on are all sources of heat that can be used to warm hands. Make sure your hands don't touch or get too close to fire or hot objects.
If you are wearing gloves, remove them and place your hands near the heat source. Turn the glove over and bring it closer to the heat source so that it feels warm and comfortable when you turn it over and put it on
Step 5. Don't drink alcohol
Although it can warm the skin, alcohol consumption will lower body temperature. Alcohol makes the blood vessels of the skin dilate so that blood flow to vital internal organs is reduced because it is directed towards the limbs.
Step 6. Know whether or not you need to consult a doctor
Cold hands and feet are common, but if the cold is followed by numbness, skin discoloration, hardening or stiffness of the skin, pain and blisters, hair loss, or memory loss, see a doctor immediately. The following health problems make hands feel cold:
- Anemia
- Raynaud's disease
- Diabetes
- Nerve tissue damage
- Hypothyroid
- Vitamin B12 deficiency
