Cold intolerance is a common issue for people with POTS, ME, and many other chronic illnesses. Overall, we have been having a mild winter here in the Midwest, but it’s usually a miserable wasteland of frigidity. Whenever the temperature drops below 30 degrees I start sending my husband Indeed job searches in his field located in Hawaii. A girl can dream, right? In the meantime, here are a couple tips for dealing with the cold weather.
Space heater caution
This is the most valuable tip that I have: be careful with space heaters! I used to sit in front of a space heater all the time last winter until I realized it was making me feel worse. I hope you can learn from my mistake.
DO NOT sit with your legs directly in front of a space heater if you have dysautonomia. The intense heat at that proximity will dilate your blood vessels and increase your chances of becoming syncopal or pre-syncopal when you stand up. This same principal applies to electric blankets, fireplaces, heating pads, hot tubs, warm baths/showers, saunas, etc.
It may feel nice temporarily to crank up a space heater, but it makes everywhere else feel harsh by comparison. You may find that you are more miserable in the long run by allowing your body to become accustomed to that excessive level of warmth.
This doesn’t mean that you should never use a space heater, just be careful. I use mine every day to heat up the room I exercise in because there aren’t any vents and we have ancient windows. But, I keep the temperature set at modest 72 degrees Fahrenheit and point the space heater away from me.
Warm accessories
I hate to mention this because every article on the topic of cold weather says “dress in warm layers” to which I respond, “YOU DON’T SAY?”. However, I want to recommend some specifics because it can make a difference. Protecting my hands, feet, and face extra well makes me feel better in the cold.
Gloves
The warmest gloves I have owned have Columbia Omni Heat technology in them. I don’t know how it works, but it’s the bomb dot com. I currently have a pair of gloves from Theisen’s with knockoff Omni Heat, but I can’t find the link. Theisen’s is one of those weird all-in-one stores. If you are ever in the scenario in which you need to buy a weedwacker, a pair of jeans, and a children’s puzzle, but don’t want to go to three different stores, Theisen’s has you covered.
Boots
I have had these boots by Columbia (an older version) for years. They have an Omni Heat lining for extra warmth. They are also semi-minimalist, which I appreciate. For men, it looks like the Fairbanks boot is pretty similar.
You can find warm boots anywhere, though. Look for the temperature rating on the label and if it says it is meant for negative temps, it will most likely work well for you.
Socks
I recommend these Columbia socks (they are lined in fleece) or Smartwool socks.
Balaclava
When my face is cold and getting blown by icy wind, I just feel colder overall and less tolerant of the weather. Balaclavas are a great solution for this. I don’t have any specific brand recommendation for this, I have had a variety over the years and they are all the same to me. Alternatively, neck gaiters also work well as does just wrapping a scarf around your lower face.
I wish I had more advice, but unfortunately there’s only so much we can do beyond becoming a mad scientist and creating a device that alters the weather. Elon Musk, help a sister out.
What are your best tips for dealing with cold weather? Please share!
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. Statements on this site are not meant to be taken as medical advice. These statements reflect my personal experiences having mild-ish post-viral POTS and ME. Due to the wide spectrum of these diseases, comorbidities, and everyone being different, your experiences may be very different than mine.
Note: If you post a comment, this site does NOT have a feature to notify you of responses to your comment. I have not found a good solution for that yet. However, I usually respond to every comment in a timely manner, so be sure to check back.
3 Comments
Drinking warm liquids to make you warmer is actually a myth. I was surprised about to too, but when you drink warm drinks your brain triggers mechanisms to cool your body down.
Get out! You’re totally right! Thank you for bringing that to my attention, I’m going to get rid of that part.
The tips I would give would probably make you faint, now that I understand better the mechanics of POTS. I remember when I was wanting to get you an electric blanket until you explained to me how that would be a bad idea. 😆 I wonder if one of those thin, shiny blankets you see people use in wilderness movies would work? Or if there’d be ideas looking on a mountain climbing expedition website where they sell supplies?