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Thinking warm thoughts in the cool season can help. But it doesn't have to. We girls still get cold. And we like to do so on our arms and legs. And more than men because they usually have more muscle mass, which has a more regular blood circulation and thus heat production.

But why do we generally freeze?

Because when it gets colder (i.e., in autumn and winter), the body first puts its energy into the vital parts of the body or organs such as the head, i.e., the brain, heart, and lungs, in order to protect them from the impending cold.

Since the extremities, i.e. legs or feet and arms or hands, are far away from this, they lose out in terms of energy. They are deprived of and redistribute the heat that is needed for the organs: a purely protective mechanism that the body performs on its own. The vessels in the direction of the arms or hands and legs or feet are constricted and supplied less with warm blood. As a result, our hands and feet freeze.

In principle, freezing is considered to be an indication of restricted blood circulation. But we can and should do a lot to keep our feet warm. And by that, we don't just mean wrapping up thick. Here are our favorite ways to keep warm:

Tips to keep your feet warm

Warm on top = warm on the bottom:
The body loses most of its heat through the head and neck. But if a scarf and hat protect them, the body can save its energy for other body parts. You guessed it, the feet!

Move:
Moving your toes while walking cranks up circulation and, thus, energy flow. This also brings warmth to the feet.

Choose proper materials:
Reach for appropriate textures to keep your feet warm. And we don't mean making them sweat by wearing socks with synthetic fibers. Wool socks are much better: a natural material that protects and still lets your skin breathe. After all, the sheepskin under the coat must be able to breathe.

Good to know: Wool socks are said to be able to absorb up to 30 percent of their own weight in moisture without feeling damp. In addition, they even give off heat in the process, the so-called absorption heat. Important: Don't put them on until just before you go out, so you don't sweat in them beforehand and give off unnecessary moisture to them.

Let the air in:
Make sure your shoes have a slightly thicker sole. It creates in this way distance to mud, wetness, snow, and ice on the road. If the shoes also do not sit too tightly, they benefit from the warming air cushion between themselves and the shoe material, which insulates the heat.

You know this from the Zwiebellook; between the loose-fitting layers of clothing also, air and, thus, heat is stored. So it's better to choose shoes that are comfortable and possibly one size larger. Tip: You should be able to move your toes well in them.

Put on two pairs of socks:
You can also put two pairs of socks on top of each other. A pair of thin socks directly on foot, a slightly thicker pair on top. This has three advantages: Any moisture can be absorbed or wicked away. At the same time, air and, thus, heat is insulated between the layers. And third, it prevents blisters because the socks rub against each other and not against the foot.

Drying:
Sweaty feet or feet wet from leaky shoes literally pre-program freezing. This is because water is an ideal heat conductor. Evaporative cooling occurs because the moisture on the skin conducts heat away from the body to the outside. The body also reacts here with constricted blood vessels, a poorer supply of warm blood, and freezing.

Therefore, dry the feet well after showering, bathing, or sweating, especially the spaces between the toes. Good care is just as important: However, you should not use any water-based creams, as the water in them could freeze and thus harm your feet.

Boost circulation:
This works great with foot massages - ask your loved one right now ... Or with foot baths as well as sauna visits, they get the circulation going. Make sure that your socks and shoes are not too tight or constricting. You should avoid a circulatory disorder here and wear loose-fitting socks and shoes.

Eat hot:
This does not mean warm dishes per se, but hot spices that heat up the body from the inside. These include chili, pepper, curry, cinnamon, and ginger. They go well with fiery autumn/winter dishes and spicy hot drinks.

For the hardy:
And if you're really tough, you can also walk barefoot through the snow to boost circulation and give your tootsies the full Kneipp treatment. Until then, you can follow the other tips ... they're a little more relaxed.

Oh, and if you want to find out if your body temperature is already too low, do the Eskimo test. The polar inhabitants put their thumbs and little finger together. If this works well, your body temperature and physique are intact.