When temperatures drop in winter, we often struggle with cold hands, cold feet or a cold nose. This is because the cold causes the vessels in our extremities to contract and they receive less blood flow. However, if you have cold hands all the time, you could also have a disease behind it. We give practical tips on what you can do against cold hands and clarify possible causes.
Cold hands in winter: What are the causes?
Our hands are permeated by a particularly large number of blood vessels. These constrict first in the extremities in cold temperatures. In addition to the hands, the feet, ears, nose and chin are also affected. Due to the reduced blood flow in the extremities, the core of the body and thus vital organs can still be supplied with sufficient warming blood. However, the hands, nose and feet cool more quickly. In addition, the skin on our hands is particularly thin and has hardly any protective fat. Since our hands and feet also have a relatively large surface area, a particularly large amount of heat is lost here. Incidentally, women are particularly likely to suffer from cold hands and feet in winter, as they generally have fewer warming muscles than men. In addition, however, other factors such as hormonal balance and the fact that women are significantly more likely than men to have low blood pressure also play a role.
Always cold hands? Diseases as a cause
However, cold hands can also be a sign of a serious illness. This is the case in about five percent of people who always have cold hands. Then connective tissue diseases, circulatory disorders or hormonal imbalances can be the cause of cold hands. In addition to physical causes, psychological problems can also be behind cold hands, because our psyche can also influence blood circulation. For example, when we are stressed or anxious, the blood vessels contract and our hands freeze, even though it is not cold outside. If you frequently suffer from cold hands not only in winter but also in warmer temperatures, you should definitely consult a doctor and have the cause of your complaints clarified. A visit to the doctor is particularly advisable if other symptoms appear in addition to cold hands. These include, for example:
- Whitish, bluish or reddish discolored hands.
- Tingling in the fingers
- Numbness in the fingers
- Swollen, aching fingers
4 tips against cold hands
If you have cold hands more often, the main thing you should do is to dress warmly. Not only your hands need to be wrapped thickly, but also the rest of the body. A warm coat and thick socks are a must! However, in addition to warm clothing, there are many other tips you can use to get your hands warm quickly:
- Move your fingers: make gripping movements or knead a small foam ball. Alternatively, you can gently massage your fingers. The movement or massage will stimulate blood circulation and your fingers will quickly warm up again. However, massages may only be performed as long as there is no frostbite.
- Blood circulation can also be boosted by spicy food: red pepper, Tabasco, chili or paprika powder get the blood pumping. But be careful: The stomach must also tolerate the hot spices!
- Warm up your hands from the outside: Put a warm cherry pit cushion on your hands.
- Have your hands become wet? Dry your hands as soon as possible, because the moisture causes evaporative cooling, which ensures that the blood vessels contract.
If their cold hands have a disease-related cause, the treatment is always based on the underlying disease.
Prevent cold hands
To prevent cold hands, you should exercise your blood vessels. You can do this, for example, by taking more frequent alternating showers: First take a warm shower for one minute, which dilates the blood vessels. Then take a cold shower for five to ten seconds, which causes the blood vessels to contract again. Alternatively, you can dip just the forearms alternately in a warm or cold arm bath. You can also prevent cold hands with a little circulatory training: go swimming, jogging or for a brisk walk to boost circulation.By the way, a visit to the sauna also has a positive effect on blood circulation. You can also avoid cold hands by adopting a healthy lifestyle. Avoid cigarettes, because smoking can damage the blood vessels. In addition, you should pay attention to a healthy diet and sufficient exercise. It is also important to ensure sufficient relaxation in everyday life. Because in stressful situations, adrenaline and noradrenaline are increasingly released, which can cause constriction of the vessels.
Cold hands at the PC
Many people who work mainly at the PC complain about cold hands during work. The mouse hand is usually particularly affected. If you constantly get cold hands when working on the PC, you should first think about whether your hands do not freeze more often in other situations. If you get cold hands especially when working at the PC, the first thing you should do is check the room temperature: Is it warm enough in your office? A room temperature of around 21 degrees is ideal. If you feel the temperature in the office is comfortable, but your hands still freeze, the following tips can help you:
- Pay attention to your sitting posture while working: Are you perhaps bending your wrists too much? This can disrupt blood flow to your hands. Position your hands a little higher, for example, by using a wrist rest.
- Wear pulse warmers when working at the PC to prevent cold hands.
- And if nothing else helps: buy a heated keyboard and mouse.
Cold nose – what to do?
Incidentally, cold hands and cold feet also affect our nose: if you are not dressed warm enough and freeze hands and feet, you usually get a cold nose. Because if your hands and feet are cold, the vessels in the nasal mucosa also constrict. As a result, blood circulation decreases and the nose freezes. Incidentally, this reaction of our body makes us particularly susceptible to pathogens. Because when the nasal mucosa suffers from poorer blood circulation, its ability to function also suffers. The inhaled air is no longer cleaned as thoroughly as usual and pathogens can therefore penetrate the body more easily. So the best protection against a cold nose is warm clothing, because then you also do not freeze hands and feet. A hot tea, a warm blanket or gently massaging the nose can also help with a cold nose.
