These past two weeks were spent working on this YouTube video- “What Makes You Warm?” My friend and I went to Manhattan and asked a variety people what makes them warm. We got a lot of surprising answers! Some were obvious, others were plain funny. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl750vw43jE&feature=youtu.be (If this doesn’t work when you click on it, copy and paste it into your browser, or click “Open in new tab”)

Tips on Keeping Warm in Winter:

1) Wear lots of layers! Wearing a huge fluffy coat will work- but you’ll be surprised to know that wearing many thin layers works even better. Bundle up if you’re stepping into Snowland.

2) Exercise and run around! It may be cold with the wind in your face and all, but you’ll warm up after a few minutes of running around outside. A simple game of tag or soccer will do the trick. You can always take a shortcut and run on the treadmill :) “When we are hot we increase the blood flow to the skin. That is why people get red when they exercise – because we are trying to release heat – so the blood flow to the skin increases and your skin feels warmer,” Professor Taylor says.

3) Brew that coffee! Tea, coffee, and hot cocoa, will all do well to warm you up in winter. See http://jewishgirlsunite.com/read/blogs/cozy-combinations/ for a yummy recipe for hot cocoa.

4) Socialize! With chilly, longer nights in winter, the last thing you’d want to do is talk with friends, but research shows that it really works!  Scientists from the University of Toronto discovered that not socializing  with people actually makes you colder than if you were talking with friends.

5) Get cozy! Pile up those blankets and turn down the heater to save electricity and get warm at the same time. And while you’re all rugged up, knowing you are saving money and helping the environment can make you feel warm too!