Tips against freezing in the office

Exercise

• You can counteract freezing by moving around: for example, stand up when you are on the phone or talking to colleagues, or simply walk to the next floor and back. A walk during your lunch break can also help.
• If you notice that your hands become more immobile due to low room temperature, a few exercises can help:
  • Let your arms or shoulders circle back and forth and move your toes in your shoes to stimulate circulation.
  • Briefly tensing individual muscles also helps. For example, you can clench your hands into fists and release them again to stimulate circulation.
  • Stretching the body also promotes blood circulation.

Massages

• Short "self-massages" of the legs, arms, hands or feet also help to stimulate circulation and thus provide more warmth. (Technical) aids can also be used, e.g. a neck massager.

Sitting position

• When sitting at a desk, the feet should be placed side by side. Crossing your legs impedes blood circulation and causes your legs to "cool down".  Changing your sitting position frequently also helps to promote blood circulation.

Clothing and shoes

• The "onion principle" has proven itself: put on several pieces of clothing on top of each other. Thinner, combined with "warm" garments made of wool or fleece keep the body warm. Wearing heating waistcoats - like those used by motorcyclists - is also conceivable. If you come by bike or on foot, you should change wet clothes. The same applies to shoes. Heat-insulating insoles and wearing thermal socks also keep the feet warm.
• Those who suffer from cold hands should wear fingerless gloves (finger cots) or pulse warmers.

Drinks

• You can warm your hands with a hot cup of tea or cocoa. The hot drink also warms you from the inside. Some types of tea are particularly warming because of their ingredients, e.g. ginger tea. Coffee, on the other hand, tends to worsen the circulation in your hands and feet.
• Cold reduces the natural feeling of thirst. Drink enough fluids during the cold season to compensate for the loss of fluids due to low humidity. Too little fluid intake leads to reduced blood circulation in the arms and legs and you will get cold hands and feet more quickly.