How is national “Take a Walk Outside Day” going to be in the middle of January? It is so darn COLD outside! Who really wants to take a stroll on a typically cold day? I have to wear so many layers during the winter, I look like I’m 20 pounds heavier than I really am.

Some Basics About Body Heat

When we make the brave decision to venture outside for this January stroll, our bodies constrict the blood flow to our skin and extremities. It is instead preserving all that heat to keep or vital organs toasty. This results in our skin feeling cold to the touch, our noses turning red and runny, ears, fingers and toes turning to ice cubes. If outside long enough, we begin shivering; our muscles’ way of generating more body heat. theconversation.com

Body temperature regulation is a balancing act between heat production and heat loss. “…you lose heat from any part of your body that comes in contact with a cold environment. And the part of your body that is most often exposed to the elements during the winter is your poor defenseless head!” – The Washington Post. Ugh! so true. I choose vanity over a warm head and ears all the time.

According to Andrew Maynard, a professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan, “The amount of body heat lost is determined by skin exposure. The head only makes up about 10% of the body’s total area, so it accounts for 10% of total body heat lost” (thehealthy.com). That 10% feels like a whole lot more on cold, windy winter days.

To Celebrate or Not to Celebrate

Ok, so if I’m committing to this January walk outside, I need to bundle up! Living in Virginia I won’t be worried about frostbite, but it’s still cold. Maybe not below zero, but enough that I need to wear some cold weather gear. Multiple layers of shirts/sweaters, leggings with jeans over the top, cabin socks, gloves, scarf and hat. Check, check, and check. Luckily, I have recently made a whole bunch of beanies that I can choose from to celebrate this (in my opinion) frigid day. There’s a rainbow beanie that would be particularly festive.

Get Your Own!

There are several colors and a couple different styles of hats available for purchase for the next couple of months on the website.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, a cozy hat is just the ticket to warm up your significant other. Or treat yourself, it’s for medical reasons, don’t want to get frostbite on those delicate ears!