2 Easy Brain Tricks That Keep Yourself Warm

We may be able to survive some mean, humid summers but us Floridians don’t handle low temperatures particularly well. So if you need some help braving this cold winter weather, we’ve got some useful brain hacks that can help you out.

We’ll show you how to master these tricks yourself and explain the science behind them that works to keep you warm.

What to do: Next time you start feeling chilly just think back to a positive past experience (such as your first love, a good time with loved ones, etc.).

Why it works: According to research from the University of Southampton, our bodies use nostalgia to fight feeling cold. You see, when we get cold, our minds automatically start thinking back to a past time when we were physically very warm and comfortable. Nostalgic memories inspire our brain to simulate that same level of comfort, tricking our bodies into thinking we’re warmer than we really are.

Researchers tested the effect that nostalgia has on our perceived warmness. They performed 5 different tests, all with different participants. The results from all 5 tests suggested that feeling nostalgic increases our tolerance to cold and makes us feel warmer.

What to do: When you’re cold, try watching a romantic comedy or read a book with warm, loving and loyal characters.

Why it works: According to the research published in “Warmer Hearts, Warmer Room”, when we think about warm, caring personality traits, we actually experience physical warmth. And we perceive our surrounding temperature to be warmer than it is.

Researchers tested this hypothesis by telling participants different stories. Participants reported feeling warmer after listening to stories that have warm, loyal and compassionate characters than they did after listening to stories with creative and efficient characters.

This apparently happens because the human brain responds to social warmth with an increase in temperature.

At the end of the day, all the brain tricks in the world can’t keep you warm if your heating system conks out on you.

Schedule your heating system maintenance today to keep it in tip-top shape and stay warm all winter long (with or without the brain hacks!).