The following was originally aired by National Public Radio during a December segment of "Morning Edition" by Nina Kravinsky.
Adventurer Blair Braverman says just because it's getting cold in much of the country doesn't mean the outdoors can't still be a pandemic refuge. Braverman — who wrote Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube: Chasing Fear and Finding Home in the Great White North — grew up in California, but she and her husband are now dogsled mushers in northern Wisconsin. She's completed the Iditarod and frequently goes out with the dogs for days at a time.
Even if you're not about to dogsled across Alaska, Braverman has some tips for staying warm during lower-stakes outdoor fun.
1. Create an air bubble: The point of layering is to insulate yourself from the outside air, so Braverman says the bigger and warmer your bubble, the better. That means don't shy away from a long puffy coat and plenty of thick layers underneath. The outermost layer should also be wind resistant. It also helps to have layers you can unzip or take off if you start to get too warm, Braverman says.
2. Wear good shoes: Insulating yourself from the ground is important, too, since "you lose heat much more quickly through contact with solids/liquids than through contact with air. You should be looking for shoes or boots that create distance between yourself and the ground.” Braverman says she also likes to size up to add a wool insole, which further insulates her feet.
3. Take snacks as well as bathroom and movement breaks: Now that you're well outfitted, it's time to venture out. Braverman says it's important to keep your heart rate up and move around to stay warm — she recommends activities that don't make you too sweaty in the process, like walking, jogging or knee bends. It's also important not to get hungry. Braverman says a big meal will make you feel colder, but snacks throughout the day will keep you warm. It might not sound like hardcore trail fuel, but Braverman likes to snack on pieces of frozen cheesecake and red licorice when she's out dogsledding for days at a time.
Staying hydrated and taking frequent bathroom breaks is also key, Braverman says. "You gotta pee a lot," Braverman says. "A lot of people try to not drink water because they don't want to have to go to the bathroom while they're out. But if you have a full bladder, it's going to make you so much colder, because your body is wasting energy keeping that extra liquid warm."
4. Get cozy: If you're back inside and you're still cold, it might seem intuitive to keep your boots or coat on until you warm up. Braverman says that's the wrong instinct. "You want to take off as much as possible. Like, be barefoot, strip down to your base layer, because all your clothes are holding on to the cold air from outside. "Now that you're back in and warm, enjoy it! Heat up that cup of cocoa and snuggle under some blankets.
"Just embrace winter, go for the whole thing," Braverman says. "There's a reason that the places with the coldest climates also have real cultures of coziness. It's the balance of being outside in winter, you really enjoy this coziness all the more."
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