The benefits of a cooler home

[ktgrok]

I had to convert from celsius and then shivered in reaction to what I saw. Nope...this Florida girl says no thank you. I'll be sick and warm, lol. 

That said, I've read that heat stress also has positive effects (hence saunas) and I pretty much LIVE in a sauna most of the year, so maybe it all balances out, lol. 

(DH says I'm like some exotic reptile that requires a terrarium with VERY precise temperature and humidity controls. He feels he should have been warned about this before marrying me. This is usually muttered when I'm complaining that my outside is hot and my inside is cold...at the same time.)

[Jean in Newcastle]

They are on the expensive side but REI has excellent warm clothing options- most designed for layering. I really like my thin “SmartWool”(TM) base layer. It’s Merino wool and is not itchy. 
 

I also like my fingerless compression gloves (not from REI). They aren’t that warm but the compression part is what helps me. 

[Lady Florida.]

The article and even this thread is mostly considering that living in a cooler house saves energy. In order for me to experience the supposed health benefits of a cooler home, it costs more money and uses more energy. For me it would mean running my A/C full blast nearly year round. Plus, like @ktgrok, I'd freeze.

[bluemongoose]

18 hours ago, gardenmom5 said:

 

I really think men are babies about temperatures.   

My husband is better about high temps than I am. I am a baby (well actually an irritable crank) if it is too hot. I have a medical reason why, but still. I can do really well in cold. We keep our house rather warmer than most during the summer to not overuse the AC. And we keep it cooler in winter too. I would so much rather layer up in the cold than have an overheated house. I like to sleep in a cold room too. I remember as a child sleeping in my great grandmother's Victorian home on a very very old spring bed. The underside of you would be very cold at first from the draft through the bottom of the thin mattress over the springs. It had lovely warm quilts though, so you actually would warm up and sleep well.

[Jean in Newcastle]

17 minutes ago, Lady Florida. said:

The article and even this thread is mostly considering that living in a cooler house saves energy. In order for me to experience the supposed health benefits of a cooler home, it costs more money and uses more energy. For me it would mean running my A/C full blast nearly year round. Plus, like @ktgrok, I'd freeze.

The article clearly has an agenda to prepare people in the UK (a much damper cool climate than Florida) to get through the winter in the midst of huge fuel prices. And it’s a valid enough agenda for their subscribers. But it doesn’t translate to all cultures and climates all over the world. 
 

I think that this probably overlaps some other current threads but if I had any spare money at all I would be getting triple pane windows, making sure that the R value of my house insulation was appropriate for my area and would take the gas/electric company up on their free energy assessment. We have done that over the years and it’s saved us money even after paying for itself in addition to making our house more comfortable. We were shocked to find that our outer walls had zero insulation which apparently isn’t that uncommon in older homes in this area. 

[Faith-manor]

27 minutes ago, Lady Florida. said:

The article and even this thread is mostly considering that living in a cooler house saves energy. In order for me to experience the supposed health benefits of a cooler home, it costs more money and uses more energy. For me it would mean running my A/C full blast nearly year round. Plus, like @ktgrok, I'd freeze.

Yes, one size fits all really never fits!

Something to consider for some who need to cool their houses 8 degrees, but want to conserve energy is to see if your home would be the right fit for geo tubes. There are YouTube videos about this, and to see it done in a kind of quick and dirty homestead hack, there is an episode of Homestead Rescue where Marty Randy puts them in. We will be putting them in at the mountain house so less are AC is used during the sultry Bama summers.

[heartlikealion]

I did my time in my last home. No insulation. 2 gas heaters and 3 window units for a 3 bed/1.5 bath. I was usually freezing or melting. And it was soooo hard to focus (I work from home). I'd be wearing a hooded robe next to a space heater trying to do work. 

I'm using my a/c and heater. Sorry not sorry LOL. But I tend to get colder easily so majority of the year when we'd need a/c I probably don't keep it as low as some people. 

[Laura Corin]

1 hour ago, ktgrok said:

I had to convert from celsius and then shivered in reaction to what I saw. Nope...this Florida girl says no thank you. I'll be sick and warm, lol. 

That said, I've read that heat stress also has positive effects (hence saunas) and I pretty much LIVE in a sauna most of the year, so maybe it all balances out, lol. 

(DH says I'm like some exotic reptile that requires a terrarium with VERY precise temperature and humidity controls. He feels he should have been warned about this before marrying me. This is usually muttered when I'm complaining that my outside is hot and my inside is cold...at the same time.)

I did poorly in Hong Kong.  I hate air conditioning and hate humid heat. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

28 minutes ago, Laura Corin said:

I did poorly in Hong Kong.  I hate air conditioning and hate humid heat. 

We never had air conditioning in Japan.  (Now most people do.)  You would get out of a shower, towel off and five minutes later would be drenched in sweat.  I know that I had heat stroke a couple of times there.  I think that contributes to my temperature issues now. 

[Faith-manor]

47 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

We never had air conditioning in Japan.  (Now most people do.)  You would get out of a shower, towel off and five minutes later would be drenched in sweat.  I know that I had heat stroke a couple of times there.  I think that contributes to my temperature issues now. 

Yes, I can imagine. That is so hard on the body. My personal theory, with no evidence whatsoever, is that heat stroke, hypothermia, and other forms of extreme body temp events damages the hypothalamus, and then self regulation becomes much more difficult.

[SKL]

I used to "run cold" for most of my life (thanks Menopause for spicing that up).  I also used to have to be out in the snow for hours daily in the midst of winter.  (There were times I thought I'd lose my extremities.)  When I worked in an office, I used to wear thin gloves all day so I could work.  I don't know that I ever got used to being "cold," or ever would.

I suspect this might be at least partly genetic.

I do like to sleep with the window open (but under blankets) when it's cool / cold out, and I much prefer layering up to turning up the thermostat.  Unfortunately, it isn't really up to me - that's one of the few drawbacks of sharing a home with people I don't control.  😛  When I have my window open, that increases the amount of heating energy that goes out the window on cold days.  So it's a balance.  (And I'm usually the energy police around here, so who am I to cause waste?)

To complicate matters, I believe wood burners and space heaters are illegal under many circumstances in the US.

I feel for those who will suffer from unmanageable heating costs.  Where I live, even if you could layer up enough to stay warm, your water pipes would freeze / burst, so a heated home really is a need.

[Harriet Vane]

 

Now that I've extolled the virtues of cold fresh air, I feel badly for rising fuel costs amid cold winters. 

One thing my son has done to generate more warmth in his room is to set up a tabletop heating system with candles, a loaf pan, and flower pots. If you google you'll see all kinds of options with bricks or baking pans and various types/sizes of clay pots and candles. Originally my ds stumbled across it on Youtube and did it for fun as a young teen. Turns out it actually does pretty well heating just one room. He kept his setup on his desk for a couple years.

I got used to keeping myself wrapped up when we lived in a ramshackle old Victorian fixer upper in Chicago. High ceilings and ancient single-pane windows make for a drafty house. My at-home warmth system for many years has been to keep a light throw blanket wrapped around my waist like a sarong and to wear a light, windproof jacket. The jacket has to be so light as to be unnoticeable--a heavier jacket with any "crinkle" to it drives me crazy in the house. And of course proper slippers--for me that means either down or wool. 

There have been years that instead of the blanket, I used light windproof pants over my regular pants. Though it's warm, I prefer the blanket as being easier and simpler to toss on and off at will. The one I use is a thin Mexican blanket that I love--it's light and thin and big enough for how tall I am.

Silk long underwear is very light and soft and hardly noticeable, but wonderfully warm.

And I've also learned the value of hydrated skin for warmth. In the winter I go a little nuts staying lotioned up specifically because it really does make a difference in staying warm enough.

I've also embraced my grandmother's love of hot water bottles. So lovely at my feet at night. A similar option is a clean sock filled with raw rice and microwaved to warm but not fiery.

[ktgrok]

2 hours ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

We never had air conditioning in Japan.  (Now most people do.)  You would get out of a shower, towel off and five minutes later would be drenched in sweat.  I know that I had heat stroke a couple of times there.  I think that contributes to my temperature issues now. 

Yes. It also means more using energy to wash clothes because you are sweating through things and can't rewear them. It is not unreasonable to shower twice a day, with a change of clothes, at the height of summer here in florida. Days I work out it might be 3 times!

[madteaparty]

On 10/5/2022 at 6:23 PM, cjzimmer1 said:

My grandma was a big believer in fresh air (especially while sleeping) and kept the window in her bedroom open year round.  Even in the most bitter of cold it was cracked at least a little bit.

I on the other hand absolute detest air blowing on me at all.  I despise fans and would never be able to sleep with a breeze blowing on me.  

I also open windows every day I can, year round. I can’t stand AC.

but also love warmth and light. I used to have a wood stove in prior two houses and it was on October to…April one year. Now I have a fireplace instead and it doesn’t quite get as warm as the wood stove but the light is still there and the sound is an added bonus. 

[Roadrunner]

I lived several cold winters without heat. Wore my winter jacket to bed. Used lots of wool blankets. I lived. 

[Arcadia]

On 10/6/2022 at 6:06 AM, cjzimmer1 said:

I struggle to find thicker clothes period.  I can't wear wool as it makes me itch but even cotton shirts are so thin these days.  I have a few t shirts that are 20 years old and despite the years of usage, they are still thicker than what I can readily find in the store.  I'm always cold so even my summer wear needs some substance.  I hate the trend of these see through things meant to layer.  By the time I get enough layers to be warm, I won't be able to move. 

The men and boys department have thicker shirts. That makes my husband and my teens very happy as they prefer thick clothing. The jeans are thicker as well.  I wear a down vest in summer anyway since I can’t take cold well. Temperature would have to reach 35degC/95degF for me to start feeling warm.
 

On 10/6/2022 at 7:56 AM, Innisfree said:

Same goes for cashmere. Dd20 has found a remarkable number of nice cashmere sweaters at the thrift shop. Idk what people were thinking, but their loss, her gain.

Cashmere and wool can make me itch as well. However, they are fine as cardigans and coats since they aren’t touching my skin directly. I have to wash my cashmere scarves and berets several times before they are gently used enough to not cause issues. 

[cjzimmer1]

30 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

The men and boys department have thicker shirts. That makes my husband and my teens very happy as they prefer thick clothing. The jeans are thicker as well.  I wear a down vest in summer anyway since I can’t take cold well. Temperature would have to reach 35degC/95degF for me to start feeling warm.
 

About 95% of my top are from the men's department for just that reason. I recently found some fleece lined waffle knit shirts that are probably meant for hunting but work great as an inside shirt for me.  But mens clothes are such boring and drab colors.  I would love to have some warm clothes that are pink, purple, aqua, teal, coral, bright green, magenta, royal blue etc, anything that's not black, navy, gray, or hunter green.  But clearly I'm asking for too much (at least according to the "fashion designers").

[Arcadia]

3 minutes ago, cjzimmer1 said:

 But mens clothes are such boring and drab colors.  I would love to have some warm clothes that are pink, purple, aqua, teal, coral, bright green, magenta, royal blue etc, anything that's not black, navy, gray, or hunter green.  But clearly I'm asking for too much (at least according to the "fashion designers").

Those colors appear nearer to Christmas. However, majority in those colors would be for the thinner dress shirts which are still thicker than the ladies equivalent. 

[Arcadia]

I do place a huge priority on good air circulation when buying a home because I get sick easily if air circulation is bad. Its also good for feng shui if you believe in that. My husband is not as susceptible to poor air circulation but he  became much more aware of “musty” smell after being college study buddies for years. 
My dad and his brother can take cold baths and not fall sick. His sisters would end up with colds. 

[KungFuPanda]

I live with a clan of people who cannot take the heat at all. Even my daughter who was always a tiny thing carries the Overheater gene. These people produce heat in their sleep! They never let the inside of out home go above 68; usually cooler in the winter.  When it’s cold outside Dh claims it makes financial sense. In the summer, apparently, we don’t have a utility budget. Seriously, I warn guests that we keep a cold home and to dress in layers like they’re going to be outside all day in 50 degree (F) weather. This is doable, and even comfortable if you are prepared for it. 
 

I bought THIS last winter. If you get one, read the reviews and do not get the oversized one unless you are a linebacker. I know you think you want the oversized one, but the “adult” size is oversized enough. I’m an adult medium and I think the teen one would’ve been a better fit. It’s huge but it is so heavy and toasty. 

Edited October 8, 2022 by KungFuPanda

[Laura Corin]

6 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

 

I bought THIS last winter. If you get one, read the reviews and do not get the oversized one unless you are a linebacker. I know you think you want the oversized one, but the “adult” size is oversized enough. I’m an adult medium and I think the teen one would’ve been a better fit. It’s huge but it is so heavy and toasty. 

Husband has a Lands End Sherpa-fleece-lined dressing gown/robe that he sometimes wears over his clothes at home.

[kristin0713]

I can do low 60s at night but definitely not into the 50s. No way. During the winter days I really prefer 67/68. If my hands are too cold, I’m not happy. We had friends that keep the heat in the low 60s all the time and I was always freezing at their house. During the summer we keep the AC around 75 during the day and 72 at night. Otherwise I wake up sweating which is miserable. My brother keeps his AC at 78 and I was pretty uncomfortable sleeping there.
 

We did a dual zone HVAC system in our new house and that helps with efficiency. I always felt like we were wasting so much heating/cooling in our last house when we had to heat/cool the first floor at night even though we were all on the second floor. And the opposite during the day. We’ve only been here since June but the dual zone made a huge difference in keeping our AC costs lower the past three months. 

[Laura Corin]

42 minutes ago, kristin0713 said:

We did a dual zone HVAC system in our new house and that helps with efficiency. I always felt like we were wasting so much heating/cooling in our last house when we had to heat/cool the first floor at night even though we were all on the second floor. And the opposite during the day. We’ve only been here since June but the dual zone made a huge difference in keeping our AC costs lower the past three months. 

We have a central heating system based on connected water-filled radiators,  which is the most common form of heating here. With our modern system, I can control the temperature room-by-room, which should make a big difference. My study is currently sitting at 14.3 degrees C. 

[Mrs Tiggywinkle Again]

On 10/6/2022 at 2:12 PM, Faith-manor said:

Yes, I can imagine. That is so hard on the body. My personal theory, with no evidence whatsoever, is that heat stroke, hypothermia, and other forms of extreme body temp events damages the hypothalamus, and then self regulation becomes much more difficult.

Just anecdotal here. Even as a kid, I hated the cold but could tolerate it. I was in a car accident in my mid 20s that left me trapped in a creek, in an ice storm, in ice water up to my chest for close to an hour.  I was severely hypothermic by the time I could be extricated.

Since then, I cannot selfregulate when it comes to the cold, at all.  I’m talking I’ve been known to wear a hoodie in Orlando in July.  I am never fully warm. Had I known that was going to be an issue, I would have moved south then. Now I’m married to a man who can’t tolerate heat. It literally gives him horrible migraines that put him to bed. I expect that we will wind up living separately some months out of the year as we grow older just because neither of us can physically tolerate the climate the other needs.

[Wheres Toto]

On 10/6/2022 at 7:58 AM, Scarlett said:

Houses used to be designed better to take advantage of cross breezes because no one had AC.  And those big windows which allowed the breeze to go through the house or the attic fan to be effective also provided sunshine.  I am mildly obsessed with building a house that takes advantage of natural sunlight and also has proper cross ventilation. Lack of windows in my current house really contribute to depression for me.

We sleep at 73/74 with ceiling fans and it feels much cooler than that to me.  During the day it stays at 77 unkess I am cleaning house or we are cooking a big meal. 

I'd be sweating bullets at those temperatures, even before my recent tendency towards hot flashes.  

We have our house around 69/70 most of the time.   We have mini split systems that work really well, and we just recently redid insulation in the walls and ceiling, and got new windows so our house is much more energy efficient than it used to be.  The mini splits only upped our electricity by about $40 a month.  All our rooms are small and we have four splits so none of them are having to work particularly hard.  

[Wheres Toto]

Before we upgraded our old summer bungalow, it was constantly cold.   Generally low to mid 60's when it was really cold out.  I have a ton of hoodies that I would wear inside all the time (even in summer, dh likes his ac), fleece pants, tons of blankets/quilts/comforters.  Dh also used to fish year round out on the bays around Atlantic City so he has a ton of really warm, waterproof clothing that would fit anyone in the family at least well enough to get by.  

Although, I'd be surprised if we had much cold weather this year.  The past few years it seems like we get one or two days below the 20's and only a dozen or so below freezing.  

[Wheres Toto]

I grew up in an apartment with centrally controlled heat.  We were the last unit on the row away from the furnace so our heat was dismal.   We used to wake up to ice in the toilets.    I've run cold the vast majority of my life.   I'm 53 and it's only been the past year or less that I'm suddenly hot all the time.  Should be great for the winter, but truly sucks when summer temperatures are in the 90/100 range. 

[ktgrok]

My issue with the cold is that I have SPD, and cannot tolerate long sleeves or most long pants, or anything on my feet. But..I also hate the cold. Thankfully in Florida this is only an issue for a short time, but I'm miserable having to choose between being cold (and with raynauds that means numb or painful toes) or being miserable from sensory issues by covering up. Blankets are okay as long as they are not heavy (I'm the only person on the planet that HATES weighted blankets!). So I go around in my lightweight super soft sensory friendly leggings, sports bra, and a tank top or a shirt with loose short sleeves, bare feet all year, but have blankets stashed in all rooms of the house, and a space heater for upstairs and one for downstairs that I can aim at myself without heating up the whole house. 

I also grew up in south florida with no AC for until I was in middle school, so I think I'm just wired for heat, not cold. But now with the raynauds it is worse - and sadly my sensory issues didn't get the memo. 

[Catwoman]

On 10/6/2022 at 1:44 AM, Laura Corin said:

Yes. Winter kit at home will be long wool socks, merino base layer, flannel shirt, fleece-lined trousers, fleece top, merino buff and down vest, with optional fingerless gloves. It's cosy. I have a heated mattress pad. And I often use a throw when seated.

The temperature hasn't dropped very low yet though - most rooms are sitting at about 15 degrees C.

 

 

Honestly, I would freeze in your house.

15 degrees C = 59 degrees F. That's chilly! And you said you set your house temperature at the Fahrenheit equivalent of 53.6 degrees, which would make me absolutely miserable -- and if I had to shower in a bathroom with the temperature set at 62 degrees, I might decide it was worth just staying dirty, because I would dread getting out from under the hot water into such a cold room. We have two houses we don't even live in, and they are heated to 65 degrees F. It never even occurred to me to keep them cooler than that, because that already sounds freezing to me.

Your indoor clothes are more layers than I would want to wear outdoors -- to me, it would be cumbersome, not cozy. I would be so incredibly uncomfortable to have to wear layers of clothing inside my house -- and the idea of wearing a down vest and fingerless gloves indoors is completely foreign to me. I don't know anyone who wears the equivalent of 3 layers plus a vest for anything but outdoor hiking, and they can't wait to peel off all those layers as soon as they get home. 

I need lots of heat in the house in the summer and lots of air conditioning in the winter or I'm not happy! Right now, my heat is set at 74 degrees and it's just perfect for me. I turn it up higher in the bathroom when I'm going to take a bath or shower. I hate being too cold!

Honestly, I don't even care if there are health benefits to keeping the house cold. My fingers and toes would be in pain in a cold house. I can deal with the cold outdoors, but when I come inside, I want to be comfortable.

I realize that not everyone can afford to heat and cool their homes to an optimal temperature, and I also realize that there are people like you who prefer a cold house, but I'm definitely not one of those people -- I want to be toasty warm in the winter and cool in the summer!

[AmandaVT]

DH is always cold, and DS and I are basically human heaters, which makes setting temps inside the house interesting! I like a cooler bedroom and would keep a window cracked even in Vermont in January, but I will close them to keep DH from freezing. Our old house was terribly insulated (built in the 80s), and our new house was built in 1920 and holds the heat so well. We have old-fashioned radiators that usually run a couple of times a day. Setting the heat to about 62-64 will keep us pretty warm all winter  -the actual temp is closer to 68-70 in here. 

I keep hearing quiet murmurs of electricity black outs in new england this winter due to shortages and that scares me. -20 degrees and no way to heat the house will be a bad combo.

[pinball]

1 hour ago, Catwoman said:

 

Your indoor clothes are more layers than I would want to wear outdoors -- to me, it would be cumbersome, not cozy. I would be so incredibly uncomfortable to have to wear layers of clothing inside my house -- and the idea of wearing a down vest and fingerless gloves indoors is completely foreign to me. I don't know anyone who wears the equivalent of 3 layers plus a vest for anything but outdoor hiking, and they can't wait to peel off all those layers as soon as they get home. 

 

i find too many layers restricting

[ktgrok]

I'm reading this and right now my fingers and toes are cold - and it is 84degrees outside and we have the AC on!!!! DH is doing projects and moving a lot and runs hot - so I'm sure he kicked the thermostat down lower. I keep finding it set at 73 instead of the 75 compromise (I'd do 77 if it was just me, with maybe down to 76 at night and when cleaning a lot). I'm FREEZING! Like, my fingers are literally SO cold!and my toes are turning funny colors from Reynauds. Sigh. When DH goes out of town tomorrow the thermostat will be set back up again! 

[Pawz4me]

All I can say is . . people are different, and individuals change. I was always very cold natured until my mid-40's. I'd get goosebumps on a 90 degree, high humidity day just from standing under a gently rotating ceiling fan. Then comes peri-menopause and two AI diseases and I lost my ability to easily tolerate anything above 72. Anything more than that and I feel physically ill--dizzy and woozy headed, slightly nauseous, etc. During the winter we keep our thermostat set on 65 (night) and 69 (day). 69 is too hot for me, but 65 is comfortable enough I'm able to sleep fairly well (unlike the rest of the year). I don't think I'd have any problem with keeping it several degrees lower.

ETA: Since I've been both cold natured and hot natured, I feel qualified to say that for me life was MUCH easier when I was cold natured. It was always possible to put on more clothes, use a heated throw, etc. You really can't do much about being too hot, and it's utterly miserable.

Edited October 8, 2022 by Pawz4me

[Laura Corin]

57 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

I'm reading this and right now my fingers and toes are cold - and it is 84degrees outside and we have the AC on!!!! DH is doing projects and moving a lot and runs hot - so I'm sure he kicked the thermostat down lower. I keep finding it set at 73 instead of the 75 compromise (I'd do 77 if it was just me, with maybe down to 76 at night and when cleaning a lot). I'm FREEZING! Like, my fingers are literally SO cold!and my toes are turning funny colors from Reynauds. Sigh. When DH goes out of town tomorrow the thermostat will be set back up again! 

Raynauds is a cow.  Two of us have it, but they don't have sensory issues,  so they can bundle up.

It's 13.7 degrees C in the sitting room and I'm cosy, but it takes some layers.

Edited October 8, 2022 by Laura Corin

[Laura Corin]

2 hours ago, pinball said:

i find too many layers restricting

Yeah - lots of light layers are the way to go.  That traps a lot of warmth without being bulky. I grew up in a drafty Georgian house, so we all wore layers. Husband is from Texas, but has learned to love layers too. 

But it's not for everyone.

[Scarlett]

5 hours ago, Wheres Toto said:

I'd be sweating bullets at those temperatures, even before my recent tendency towards hot flashes.  

We have our house around 69/70 most of the time.   We have mini split systems that work really well, and we just recently redid insulation in the walls and ceiling, and got new windows so our house is much more energy efficient than it used to be.  The mini splits only upped our electricity by about $40 a month.  All our rooms are small and we have four splits so none of them are having to work particularly hard.  

I agree sleeping at 73/74 sounds hot! Before this  new thermostat I think we had it at 68-70. My parents house at 72 seems FREEZING to me. It is so weird . 

[Jaybee]

This summer and last, we kept our summer thermostat at 75 day and 72 night. And that was pretty expensive where we live. But I am hot-natured and so miserable when it is hot. Add to that I use a cpap at night and the mask makes me hotter. I think the last couple of years our winter thermostat has been 68 day and 65 night. That ends up about perfect. We sleep better when it is cold, and we have throws around everywhere if we get chilly during the day. Our former house had gas logs, and most of the time they kept the living areas nice and cozy, and then the sleeping areas were colder and perfect for sleep. We had/have bathroom heaters we can use while showering. My mom used to keep her house on 75 all the time, and there was little circulation of air (no fans in the bedroom). It felt so stuffy to me, both winter and summer. I felt cooler in our overseas homes that we could cool down to around 82 (!!) because we had heavy-duty ceiling fans that made a real difference.

[prairiewindmomma]

On 10/8/2022 at 12:13 PM, ktgrok said:

my toes are turning funny colors from Reynauds.

They have calcium channel medications for that…inexpensive, and some can double as a mild blood pressure med…..just wanted to FYI if you didn’t know because Reynauds can be painful!

[prairiewindmomma]

I thought of this thread this morning. I had to help a kid with late night stuff so I slept in the guest room. I walked into the primary bedroom this morning, and it was 47F. Dh had thrown the windows open so he could sleep cold. 
 

—We still have the HVAC on. We are still getting a ton of smoke from the wildfires. Apparently the smoke shifted in the night to 20 miles east of us so Dh decided to take advantage of the cool air off of the Pacific.