Generating Body Heat

[BigBill]

One of the tricks my Dad used to pull on me when I was a kid to avoid turning up the thermostat, was for him to tell me about "research" that had been done concerning cold tolerance. He claimed that they had people sleep naked in cold conditions with only a sheet and that after the research period they had gotten used to it and couldn't sleep in warm air.

Well I had pajamas and blankets but in that poorly heated attic it wasn't enough. The attic was cold, I was cold but Dad wasn't gonna turn up the heat any.
The long and the short of it was that I did get used to it and to this day I prefer cold air though I cozy up in a nice blanket or quilt. In the winter I can walk around the house all day with the heat down and I feel the cold but it doesn't bother me.

I agree that a certain amount of mental preparation and the right attitude can go a long way in making something either an enjoyable experience or a misery.

Dad used to tell me a lot of things like that to get me to eat everything on my plate, go to bed, get up early etc. I guess most of the time he was right too.

[jellyfish]

Thinking "hot" can only take me so far. I have real physical limitations to my ability to generate heat. Cold sleepers need to cuddle. Especially with our dogs!

[IRONFISH45]

Thinking "hot" can only take me so far. I have real physical limitations to my ability to generate heat. Cold sleepers need to cuddle. Especially with our dogs!

My semiferal cat is a furnace when she snuggles. My dog is just so so to snuggle, however, under my hammock she is like heater.

As to limitations for what we are able to control, I am not sure exactly what the human mind is capeable of. I am sure a lot of scientists are trying to make that determination.
My interest in this subject is how we are capeable of LEARNING control of our mind to enable our body to deal with changes to our environment. The ability to decide to learn something as controlling our bodies reaction to its environment by using our brain power I find interesting. I spent time learning to control fear instead of thermal power. Fear might kill you if not controlled. Often a chilly period is just not to be desired.

[Theosus]

Any in-hammock exercises you can recommend? (That won't get you fellow campers wondering!)
I was thinking sit-ups/crunchies, alternate leg raises...

--
Gadget

I find that laying in my hammock and changing clothes (or just stripping off clothes), sorting my stuff, getting my liner and top quilt arranged, then getting up to pee and doing it all over again, generates plenty of heat.

Of of my camping partners said they hear me "beating the hammock into submission" each night.

[GadgetUK437]

laying in my hammock and changing clothes

That's some advanced skills there! I think I will stick to sitting on the edge whilst I change.

[dakotaross]

Thinking "hot" can only take me so far. I have real physical limitations to my ability to generate heat. Cold sleepers need to cuddle. Especially with our dogs!

That is just an excuse... albeit, a good one!

[Secondmouse]

cold adaptation is real. I always have a window open at home when, except when it's too hot and I'm usually the guy at the campfire still wearing shorts, t-shirt and sandals when others have jackets on.

however, some of it is mental outlook. some days I'll catch a chill and play off that and go put some warmer clothes on.

one thing I've noticed makes a pretty big difference staying warm outdoors, is if I have something around my neck. once the meal is over or the sun is down, I tie my bandana around my neck. just having it there helps my body stay 10* more comfortable...

[OneClick]

YES!! Nice post and feedback from others. I always enjoyed the cold and found it so much easier to deal with that heat. In the summer you can jump in a lake...fine until you get out and dry off 10 minutes later. You can't hike in a lake.

Some things I never really paid enough attention to, but are CRUCIAL to keeping warm, are things others just said:

1. Eating high calories
2. Doing some physical activity before getting into bed
3. Wearing something around your neck. This is HUGE!! I had a fleece neck gaiter for years but never really wore it. Then recently I got a merino wool Buff...amazing. So thin you don't know you're wearing it, but it makes a world of difference. I stay so much warmer with that than my usual "just zip up my jacket".

[dakotaross]

Agreed, my regular buff makes a world of difference on my neck and over my nose/mouth.

I think the real point here is to proactively think about how to be and stay warm. Too often I think there is a reliance on the gear to keep somebody warm because of the rating, but there are various physiological factors that go into being warm to begin with which allows the insulation to "keep" you warm. And proactive action requires the different mindset.

The lack of awareness of one's own mindset going in I think is the culprit in many bad decisions regarding hammock camping and gear decisions. There are naysayers out there for whom hammock camping is not only not for them, but is something to warn others about, even though there are so many out there doing just fine in their hammock setups. Perhaps these folks never thought to engage their brain regarding how they could help themselves be warm as opposed to blaming the gear/setup.

[Theosus]

YES!! Nice post and feedback from others. I always enjoyed the cold and found it so much easier to deal with that heat. In the summer you can jump in a lake...fine until you get out and dry off 10 minutes later. You can't hike in a lake.

Some things I never really paid enough attention to, but are CRUCIAL to keeping warm, are things others just said:

1. Eating high calories
2. Doing some physical activity before getting into bed
3. Wearing something around your neck. This is HUGE!! I had a fleece neck gaiter for years but never really wore it. Then recently I got a merino wool Buff...amazing. So thin you don't know you're wearing it, but it makes a world of difference. I stay so much warmer with that than my usual "just zip up my jacket".

I have an insulated Buff (one of the official ones) and its pretty good. My favorite piece of gear though is a $10 walmart fleece hood, like a balaclava. It has a pull cord around the face area. I can wear it as a full face mask, just around the neck, or pull it off without having to take the pack off. I got it on clearance like 3 years ago and havent seen them since. I need to make a few copies in case it gets lost. In really cold weather I put on my Underarmor hat (like a little beanie cap) and pull that fleece thing over my head and cinch down the face hole. The lowest i've been so far was 7 degrees.