Keeping the thermostat off as long as possible is a small action that positively impacts the environment. Making this sacrifice doesn’t mean you need to suffer.

Here are our top 20 tips for staying warm in your home when the weather gets chilly.

Dress Up

1. Dress in layers to easily regulate your body temperature, especially on days with brisk mornings and warm afternoons. 2. It may be time to put away the shorts and switch to pants or leggings. It’s also probably a good time for cozy socks, sweaters, boots, scarves, and fall jackets.

3. Consider wearing a hat or hood, when you are inside and outside, to keep your head insulated.

4. Choose pyjamas that will keep you warm while you sleep. Fall is for flannels and wool.

Make your bedtime cozy

5. Change your bedding. Swap thin sheets for fleece and pile on some extra blankets.

6. Pull your bed a couple of inches away from exterior walls.

7. Put a hot water bottle under the blankets for 10–30 minutes before bedtime. Place it in the lower down in the centre of the bed, around your knee and thigh area.

8. Have some tea or a warm shower before bed.

Hot drinks and warm food

9. Consider changing your go-to meals and drinks.

• Instead of smoothies, try fresh fruit and heating some oatmeal.

• Instead of cold water, drink tea throughout the day.

10. Start cooking more with your oven. The residual heat will warm up parts of your home.

Warm your body

11. Snuggle up.

• Have cozy blankets around your home.

• Cuddle up next to the people you live with or your fuzzy pets.

12. Get active.

• Walk around the house or do any exercise that gets your heart rate up and blood flowing a bit more.

• Even something like doing jumping jacks or push-ups while watching TV.

Around your home

13. Lock your windows, so you know they are tightly closed.

14. Check windows and doors for cracks that let in outside air. Cover any gaps with insulation, tape, or cloth.

15. Cover windows with thicker curtains, or blankets, to help insulate the inside from the outside air.

16. Open curtains when the sun is brightly shining.

17. Get area rugs to keep your toes warm and to make sure you aren’t losing heat through an uninsulated floor.

18. Choose one room to spend most of your time in and close all other doors so the heat won’t spread out to fill as much space.

19. Change your ceiling fan settings.

• When you want warmth, adjust the fan to low speed and blowing up, usually clockwise, which redistributes the heat across the room, since warm air rises. In the summer, you want it at high speed and blowing down, usually counterclockwise.

When it gets too cold, and you need to turn the heat on

20. Program your thermostat or remember to turn it off when you are leaving. Though many of us are working or studying from home, giving your thermostat a break while you pick up your groceries reduces your use of energy.

Visit lakefriendly.ca to learn more environmentally friendly tips.