Do you get used to being cold?

[Woeismethischristmas]

Stopped using the boiler (oil and can’t afford to refill the tank) the cold just seems to settle in my bones and toes. Am wearing layers, scavenging for wood to light the wood stove a few hours a day. How do you get used to the cold. Im just mooching around between heat sources. Electric bathroom radiator and oil radiator in the hall. Wearing layers and moving around but Still freezing even with endless hot drinks.

Do you just eventually adjust to being cold? Super warm at work so I spend the other half of the week boiling.

I never put the heating on once I moved out, I'd visit my parents or go into the office and be roasting when other people had hot water bottles. You defo do acclimatise.

We have got used, not to being cold as we aren't cold, but to lower temperatures. I was sometimes cold with heating at 17 and occasionally put it at 18 when I was cold. I put the heating down to 16, then 15, then off a few weeks ago. With the recent drop in temperatures it was 10 degrees this morning so I put the heating on for an hour. Right now it's 13 in my sitting room, I am sitting in the sun coming in through the window but I was warm earlier before the sun was coming in too.

You do get used to it. Hot food helps, porridge fir breakfast (and supper) Hot water bottles. If you're sitting,have a hot water bottle, and a blanket. Keep your feet off the floor. I've found DS Beanbag great to use as a foot stool, it really helps keep my feet warm.

Thank you for the advice I’ve been out gathering wood and am now boiling in my coat and gloves but I’ve managed to get enough wood for the next few days. Sun is out here so I’ve opened the door to the conservatory to let the heat funnel upstairs.

I’m going to buy an electric blanket I feel the cold at night despite loads of blankets. I’ve been sleeping with a hat on!

It is just not good enough for people to have to experience this level of discomfort and cold. It is so depressing and sad to read of people freezing and unable to afford to have heat. Disgraceful. I am disgusted with a Government that has allowed people's dignity to be lowered like this.

Rise up everyone. Do not let them away with it.

One benefit (we were told) of Brexit was Government's ability to set their own VAT rates, well are they zero on energy yet? Have they deferred the NI rate rise yet? I could go on. We are far too passive, and the more we try methods of staying warm we will not be listened to.
The remnants of the War mentality will never go away, and that is stupid now.

Don't let your feet and hands get cold, so thick socks and gloves whenever outside and inside if it is practical.

If you can, invest in a electric heated throw, they are amazing.

Long hot shower at work, before and/or after your shift, if they have the facilities, their gas bill not yours.

You do get used to it. Not overnight though. I have had periods where I have worked outside all day in sub zero temperatures. You need to eat more to compensate. I do, anyway.

No I never did. Grew up in a permanently cold house (mum and stepdad claimed 17c was hot) and even now at age 52 I feel the cold easily and am constantly under a blanket in winter months

@etulosba

You do get used to it. Not overnight though. I have had periods where I have worked outside all day in sub zero temperatures. You need to eat more to compensate. I do, anyway.

When my heating broke I found nights the easy bit. I had a 13.5 tog feather down duvet with another down duvet (not quite as thick) and massive faux fur throw on top. I love sleeping in a cold room with loads of weight on top of me.

Getting up on the morning, however, was brutal. Fortunately I had an electric shower, so could dive straight in there, until Christmas Eve (2010) when the drainpipe from the bathroom froze solid (old Edwardian house, so big metal pipe fixed to the outside of the house). It was a definite low point having to go in to work early on Christmas morning (7am start anyway) to have a hot shower.

Do wear a woolly hat, it makes a huge difference!

l' m fortunate to have a treadmil and rowing machine so its a win/ win, keep warm if l get abit chilly, to be honest l' m always rushing around so dont feel thst cold, but it also helps keep me fit and toned and good for mental health.

I think it’s really difficult when work is so different. I am the same, where I work the thermostats are 23deg, so in school hours I’m sweating away in 23deg heat in a short sleeved top. However at home the kids are hot blooded so the thermostat is set to 16, it’s been off for weeks, only had it on yesterday and today due to cold snap. I find that my extremities are freezing at home if I sit down and stop moving. It’s definitely been worse since starting to work in a hot environment, my body prob doesn’t know if it’s coming or going with a 7deg difference!

I think you just get used to it. My heating has been off for ages. The family moaned last night as dh and Dd2 actually put their puffer jackets on to watch TV in the living room as it seemed particularly cold last night.

The heating is staying off until next November.

A good tip is wear a hat and also a big dressing gown over your clothes. I look very attractive in the evening . I am toasty and warm though....

60s child here. As the above 50s kids posted, no central heating. Hot water bottles in bed. Layers of blankets. Never felt cold. One coal fire we all gathered round watching our one household TV.
A lot of folk these days seem to want tropical heat in their homes. Turn your boiler down a few degrees and get some thermal socks!! Surprising how much you can save!!

It's heartbreaking so many people are on this situation. Madness that people are living like this on 2022.

Reusable hand warmers - click the metal thing inside them and it will heat up immediately - Primark and Amazon

Snuggie or slanket- Primark and Amazon

Fan heater - put it in for 10 mins - b&m they have reduced theirs to £6

Fleece bedding - use your bedding as a blanket on the sofa so will be nice and warm when you go to bed - Primark\Aldi/amazon

Draft stoppers for the doors - Amazon / Primark

Open the curtains on sunny days and closed on non sunny days

Layer up - fleece leggings and fluffy socks - Primark

Excessive while sitting down - free

Under desk cycles - exercise and keep warm anywhere from £20 and up

Soak feet in a bowl of warm water

Make sure all windows are sealed and if not use old material from clothes if you have to to block any gaps

Put blanket on you and put the hairdryer quickly for a few seconds for instant warmth

Invite loads of people over for body heat or get a lap dog .... joke

Oodies! And electric heated throws or electric blankets. I moved to Northern Ireland and it took me at least two years to adjust to how cold it can get, would imagine scotland’s the same.

Doors closed, light a fire and keep it blazing, lots of tight layers, snood around your neck and hot water bottles!

Oh, also… a plumber once said to me that a ‘cold room is a thief of heat’. Anyone thinking of switching rads off in particular rooms to save on the work, seemingly, it can entice/draw the heat away from the warmer rooms… unless its basically hermetically sealed shut!

@makingmiracles

I think it’s really difficult when work is so different. I am the same, where I work the thermostats are 23deg, so in school hours I’m sweating away in 23deg heat in a short sleeved top. However at home the kids are hot blooded so the thermostat is set to 16, it’s been off for weeks, only had it on yesterday and today due to cold snap. I find that my extremities are freezing at home if I sit down and stop moving. It’s definitely been worse since starting to work in a hot environment, my body prob doesn’t know if it’s coming or going with a 7deg difference!

My workplace is far too hot too, we are moving about so 20 should be plenty for anyone! I don't know why they like wasting money. Post office was boiling when I went in there today as well.

Just to add (I was first poster who had cold childhood home) - I have always been a "cold person" (or "chilly mortal" as one of my friends once described it) and I never got to the stage where I didn't notice the cold unlike some of the other old posters. We didn't have thermal underwear as such (not sure you could get it then) but we did wear warm underwear (I was also forced to wear a "liberty bodice" for my first 6 years - vile thing) and when we were a bit older electric blankets came in and made a huge improvement to a warm night's sleep (hot water bottles OK but cold halfway through night and lumpy). I would also recommend a warm dog or two. My current dog is usually toasty warm and I haven't needed an electric blanket since I first got her.

I'm lucky enough to have a warm enough house, but my studio definitely isn't, and I often sit painting for hours. This winter Lidl were selling thermal leggings and base layer tops for a fiver each, and teamed with thermal socks and a Thinsulate hat that really helps.

I find the key thing for me is having warm feet, if my feet feel cold nothing else feels warm

I think so to an extent.

Try an electric blanket for when you do want to relax

@OnceuponaRainbow18

I find the key thing for me is having warm feet, if my feet feel cold nothing else feels warm

I've got a few pairs of cashmere socks and now never have cold feet in the house

When I grew up we only had a coal fire and radiators that were powered by the back boiler, so it was either all or nothing. It was ice on the insides of the windows, frozen toilet bowl cold at times.

I don't like being cold now but we only heat the room we're in, when we're in it. Bedroom electric heater is on for 2 hours before bed in the winter and 2 hours before we get up. This is what we always do, not a response to increasing costs.

I am too hot in the office and a bit too cold at home. But I get used to the cold better than the heat. I would maybe top up the oil though, rather than using electric heaters, they are much more expensive to run.