Monday, October 19, 2009

Signs that you are not keeping warm enough?

When winter comes, keeping warm is a decision - do you want to spend that money to keep warm?

Like many people, we try not to turn on the heating until November.  Turning on the heating "on demand" would result in sky high bills. I have been putting on layers since the beginning of October, and going to bed early, before I really feel the chill.

Perhaps that is a bad idea. I am now beginning to recognise the symptoms of not keeping warm enough. These are so similar to my fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritris symptoms, that to be honest, it is difficult to distinguish.

These are the signs that I have not been keeping warm enough, I think:
  • Stiff shoulders - stiff neck. 
  • Headache related to the stiff shoulders and neck
  • Upper back (shoulder areas) cold to touch
  • Generalised stiffness, especially in the mornings. My elbow frequently gets out of my duvet when I sleep and that is the joint that takes the brunt of the cold.
  • Generalised tiredness from all those stiffness
  • Symptoms not improved by the usual medications/massage that help with stiffness
Keeping the whole room warm is really too expensive for us. I suspect that the "economical" storage heaters that we have in our old, rented flats that not that economical after all. Perhaps I should find a cheaper way to keep warm...

4 comments:

excentric said...

I have a very small portable fan/heater that I put nearby when I am sitting at the computer or watching tv. It warms me enough to be comfortable with a sweater and blanket, and can even make it too warm. It saves turning on the electric heat my apartment has. I can take it in the bedroom and aim it at the bed for a bit before I get into bed, too. Helps a lot. It's a Windmere, btw.

Woman said...

Hello there, always good to see you here :)

Great minds think alike! I just bought myself a heater fan and gave it a test today. When I saw your comment, I can't help giggling. I was working out the winter fuel expenses and thought "Oh my God, I can save a lot with that!"

I think the cats are nice "heaters" too LOL.

excentric said...

It's a little after 4am here, the temperature is 31 degrees. Thirty-One Degrees. It's only October. Anyway, the heat is off and my fan is on under the desk, and I am very comfortable.

Gertrude is too timid to sit on my lap much, but now and then she scrunches up next to me, and yes, cats are warm. LOL

Woman said...

Lol.. this "heater" needs to get used to her new function :) I guess she would do that more often when she is less shy?

I have also been keeping that slow cooker near me in the living room. It does make the room warmer! The terrible thing is I get tempted by the stew :P