Life Kit - Tricks To Stay Warm During Outdoor Winter Hangouts

Episode Date: December 19, 2020

Socializing in the great outdoors is safer during the pandemic, but lower temperatures can make it tough. NPR's Sam Gringlas got some tips to stay toasty.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

This is NPR's Life Kit. I'm Sam Greenglass. The first snowflakes have fallen, temperatures are dipping, and the days of pandemic-friendly park hangouts and dining outside feel like they're fading quickly. But it doesn't have to be that way. This episode, how to bundle up and enjoy socializing outdoors even in the winter. I live by myself, so I am constantly thinking about how to meet up with friends, how to meet up with my family without, you know, putting them or myself in danger. So, and I'm someone who hates the cold. Linda Poon is a reporter for CityLab here in Washington, D.C.

As a nation, we're also facing a loneliness epidemic, a mental health crisis that the pandemic has only accelerated. There needs to be ways for people to interact with others outside because it's hard. It's not something we can easily ride out. Of course, mask wearing, social distancing, small groups, they're still important no matter where you get together. But public health experts say that during this pandemic, gathering outdoors is safer than indoors. And Poon says with a little know-how, you can keep socializing outside no matter the weather.

A big part of staying warm is retaining the heat you've already got. You wanna bring something warm to sit on. We don't wanna plant your butt on like a cold metal bench. You don't wanna plant your butt on the frozen ground. Grab blankets, a sleeping bag, or a foam pad. Even toting along a piece of cardboard to stand on can make a difference. Very luxurious, I know, but keeping warm can be a chance to splurge too. Poon says don't feel guilty about scarfing down a few extra

calories. They help generate the metabolic energy you need to stay toasty. So you want something that's high in fat and protein, high in calories. So if you want a Snickers bar, this is your chance to eat a Snicker bar. So think s'mores and hot cocoa, but also hunks of cheese, nuts, or PB&J. Hydrating is good too. It helps digest all those calories, but steer clear of too much alcohol. That spiked cider may give you a warm boost, but it won't last long. Yes, you get that warm, tingling sensation, and you get that buzz. I'm not saying you can't drink, but it's not something you should be chugging to keep yourself warm.

Alcohol actually ends up cooling the body's temperature, not warming it. Okay, so get some separation between your tush and the ground, stock up on fats, sweets, and proteins, and leave the booze at home. Now, let's talk about what to wear. Like, I know it sounds very like duh, like, you know, obvious, but there is an art to dressing.

You can't just layer on whatever. Dress like an onion. So it's all about layers. We're going to get some help from two experts. Claire Aronson is an Appalachian Mountain Club guide in New Hampshire's White Mountains. So it's very snowy, very cold. And Paul Santacandro.

Owner and master Maine guide of Moosewood Guide Service in Millinocket, Maine. In northern Maine, you can expect to have ambient air temperatures around 20 below for the first two weeks in January. A layering pro tip, avoid cotton for that first layer. It loses the insulating properties when you sweat. People are putting themselves in a disservice by wearing such garments. Instead, go for wool or a synthetic fabric. Something that's close fitting, that's going to wick moisture away from your body. Next, add insulating layers like fleece or a down coat. And finally,

You want to have a shell. You want pants and a jacket with a hood that's going to block the wind. A windbreaker or a raincoat works well. And one more thing. While you might want to throw on all those layers before you leave the house, put them in a backpack if you can. You're going to warm up once you start moving around on your hike or your jog. And remember, sweating will cool you down. It's like the old commercial from the 80s, air it extra dry, never let them see you sweat. So you really want to prevent sweating from the get-go. So better to add layers than subtract.

Dress right, Aronson and Santacandro say, and winter can be magical. You see animal tracks in the snow. You can see evidence of like the red squirrels chewing on the the spruce cones or the moose how they've been scraping bark off of maple trees. Winter is one of those seasons where it's kind of intimidating but this is the perfect winter to try something new. Getting outdoors gives people the chance to reset, to reflect, to think about what's important, and to share that time of reflection and experience with others that are close to them. Even if you don't have access to an idyllic, snowy wilderness, that's okay. Cities and suburbs can be great spots for winter fun too. And that brings us

to Norway. In Norway we have a saying, There is no such thing as a bad weather, it's only if you have bad clothes. Benteler runs the outdoor group Norsk Friluftsliv. It means free outdoor life. Friluftsliv is a very, very long tradition in Norway. So the snow is something that we always welcome when it comes. Norwegians, we are born with skis on our feet. So when restaurants shut down in Oslo recently due to the pandemic, Ler didn't cancel plans with a friend.

And we lit the bonfire and then we made food out in the open air. And that made it probably even more cozy than the original plan. In Norway, embracing winter is a way of life. In Edmonton, Canada, well, they've been working on it. In 2012, city planners launched an effort to reinvent how people think about winter. We realized all of our favorite memories as kids were winter memories. They weren't summer memories. And somehow as adults, we lose that, especially when we hibernate away from it. City Councilman Ben Henderson is with Edmonton's Winter City Initiative. The city now invests in making winter just as vibrant as summer. Edmonton keeps playgrounds open, plows trails, and builds warming huts in public parks. In a normal year, there'd be all kinds of winter festivals and programming.

And the parents just love it because all of a sudden the kids are not going squarely at home. Families have taken to these things like ducks to water. Even amid the pandemic, there's a lot that still applies. Like how restaurants in town keep outdoor dining open all year long. One tip for thinking like a winter-friendly city planner, don't put away all your outdoor furniture for the year. Instead, keep it ready to go. It's not about being out there on a patio on the really, really cold days.

But if you put the patio away, you can't enjoy them on the days when it really is pleasant to be out there. You wouldn't sit on a patio in the summertime if it was pouring rain. But nobody puts away the patios because it might rain. Henderson says this stuff is starting to feel even more critical this year. So we were strapped for money and there were things certainly in the summer that we cut back on. We realized that we could not cut back on the winter stuff, that it was going to be really, really important, even more important than ever to allow people to recreate, to spend time together, to do those kind of things outside.

It was important for outside. It was important for health, it was important for mental health. The lesson here? Cold temperatures don't have to mean a lonely few months inside. Instead, embrace what winter has to offer. Look to the outdoors for fresh air, exercise, and connection. We just need to look at winter in a different kind of way and not try to hide from it but take joy in it. And with a long winter ahead we could all use a little joy. So let's recap. Takeaway number one, bring along the right stuff. Blankets to sit on help you retain the heat you've got.

Number two, think about what you put inside your body. Indulge on fats, sugar, and protein. Drink lots of water, but skip the alcohol. And three, try a new winter mindset. Just because it's cold and snowy doesn't mean you have to coop up inside. For more Life Kit, check out our other episodes. There's one about how to prepare for your pandemic winter and another on how to make a really good playlist. You can find those at npr.org slash life kit. And if you love Life Kit and want more, subscribe to our newsletter at npr.org slash life kit newsletter.

If you've got a good tip about staying warm this winter or whatever is on your mind, leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823 or email us a voice memo at lifekit at npr.org. Megan Cain is the managing producer and Beth Donovan is our senior editor. I'm Sam Greenglass. Thanks for listening.