​How to Stay Safe and Comfortable in Shanghai’s Fickle Winter!

Gone are the days of short sleeves and loose tees. Over a week of heavy clouds have brought Shanghai’s winter back to its best: grey, damp and biting cold (wet or not!). And with that most people have gone back to gloves, pullovers and warmers. 

As most of us familiar with this city know, Shanghai has 3 main pain points across winter:

1. It is easy to catch cold as the weather often bounces off between warm and extreme cold

2. Electricity bills are high as hell as air conditioners kick-in

3. Energy (personal) and spirits are often dampened by the rains and the greys

So how exactly can we prepare to live through this winter in a more environmentally-friendly,pocket-friendly and comfortable manner, you ask? 

Seeds of Change has gathered a number of tips of change are intended to bring you into a healthy and happy winter in four key aspects: staying at home, going out, eating, and emotional wellbeing.

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(A) Things You Can Do At Home 

There’s nothing worse than a cold draught keeping you company while you are relaxing at home. Here are some effective ways to warm your home.

1. Keeping Warm– Conserve and Preserve

• Insulate. Block the air gaps. Securing windows and doors should be your priority. Sealing tapes, and “door sweeps” can be easily purchased on Taobao and installed - will save quite a bit of cost. Old towels or cushions can also be used at the door to block the gaps.

• Close the curtains whenever possible. This will retain much of heat indoors.

2. Air Conditioners vs Oil Heaters

Air conditioners are guilty of high electricity bills and constant noise. They also make the air dry and do not warm the space uniformly. Try using a combination of aircon (for quick, initial heating) and oil heaters (nuan qi pian) for slow, even and longer duration heating. 

• Here's a list of pros and cons of oil heaters versus electric ones.

• If you want to understand more details about the above types and their effectiveness for your space type click here.
  

3. Dehumidifiers

One of the main reasons why summers feel hotter than they are and winters cooler than they are is because of Shanghai’s high humidity. Thus, solving the problem of humidity is key to seasonal happiness (and comfort).

• A dehumidifier can be a huge help in winter, and a great friend during the rains.

• Believe it or not, plants do a great job at maintaining humidity as well. A quick web-search will give you plenty of information but here’s one link to begin with.

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4. Heating Blanket, Heating Carpet

If you haven't yet tried one of these you might have missed a great deal of comfort in the past. Fortunately, this winter has only just begun. 

• Place your electric blanket under your bed sheet and turn it on 10 minutes before going to bed. Voila! You have a warm bed to come to whether or not you have a pet (or a partner!). Most of these come with temperature and timer controls.

• If you are skeptical of the electric blankets, you can use the tried and tested age old formula of placing a hot water bottle under your blanket.

• Heating carpets are a good investment, especially if you have kids at home who spend a lot of time playing on the floor.
  
  

These things can also be purchased second hand on Movin’ or SmartShanghai.

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(B)  The Great Outdoor

1. Choose the Right Clothing Material

Wondered why clothes have been cheaper to buy in the last decade or so? Well, most clothes that are sold in the market are made using synthetic materials such as polyester or nylon. They are cheap, but do not generally provide any level of warmth. 

• Check for clothing labels/tags before you purchase your winter wear. Cotton is not a good fabric for winter.

• Look for fabrics that provide warmth in winter - here's an example - more a starting point rather than a comprehensive list.

• For all winter wear, wool is your best choice. It is a commonly-found natural fabric made from sheep hair. It is used to make hats, scarves, gloves, coats, as well as novelty Christmas jumpers, will keep you toasty.

• For heavier coats and blankets (or duvets), you can buy a piece contains either goose or duck ‘down’.Try to choose recyclable and ethical down products.
  
  

Although clothes made from wool or duck down may have a higher upfront cost, they will really keep you warm and can last for life.

2. Dress Like An Onion

The trick here is to wear several separate layers which will trap air between them, warming you in the process.

• To begin with, an inner layer i.e. a warmer or thermal wear, is essential.

• Clothes should be breathable to allow sweat to evaporate from your skin. Cotton T-shirts are not a good idea, as they will absorb rather than regulate.

• The middle layers serve to lock in warmth, while the outermost layer should be wind-proof, and if necessary, waterproof, to cope with Shanghai’s worst.

Note: Depending on the occasion and temperature, layers can be added to or removed, This is referred to as your onion rating. A silk vest, a t-shirt, turtleneck sweater, buttoned-shirt, jumper, and windbreaker combo will give you a +8 onion rating :)

3. Away From Your Core

Protecting your head and limbs is vital for achieving optimum warmth. Besides normal clothes, a warm and stylish hat, scarf, gloves, and a pair of thick woollen socks will make your soul smile. Well-fitting, waterproof shoes are a must, since cold, wet feet can break even the most robust, outdoor-spirited person. 

Tip: You can find many interesting, beautiful, and warm accessories in the second-hand replacement market. There’s a number of such swap activities happening in town each month. 

Stay tuned to Seeds of Change to learn about them as they happen. 

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(C) The Diet Dilemma (and Solution):

1. Soups

If there is anything more comforting and healing than a bowl of soup in winter, it is two bowls of it! Cabbage radish soup, hot & sour soup, miso tofu soup, potato leek soup, pumpkin soup, mushroom soup… the list is endless. Soups are simply the comfort food of the soul in winter, that you can never have enough of.

Experiment with new plant-based or vegetarian soups to not just to quench your appetite but also be conscious of the environment.

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2. Ingredients

Eating a variety of healthy foods is the core of healthy life. 

• Nutrients such as vitamin D promotes bone mineralization, which can make up for lack of sunshine.

• Our body uses magnesium and coenzyme Q10 to generate energy in cells, while B vitamins play an important role in maintaining a healthy metabolism.

• Sweet potato, potato, yam, taro, pumpkin, carrot, beans, nuts, avocado, etc. are all rich in dietary fiber and nutrition. Fiber promote gastrointestinal peristalsis (digestion) and increase satiety (happiness :)

• In addition, spices such as ginger, chilli, pepper, and turmeric can also warm up the body. 
  
  

3. Tea

One of the many beautiful things about China is access to good quality tea. More recently, Japanese matcha and Indian tea leaves are also readily available in online shops.

• Beyond the commonly available teas, red date longan medlar tea, brown sugar ginger tea, and sweet scented tea should become a standard in your thermos flask for the next few months.

• If you are lover of milk tea, try making your own oatmeal matcha latte. Or, why not make the Indian ginger-cardamom tea (‘chai’)?! It's delicious and provides great comfort. Vegan versions can be made using oat milk or cashew milk made from cashew nut butter. One other variation you can try with the Indian tea is adding ground cloves and black pepper.
  
  

Tip: If you catch a cold or fever, one of the best home remedies is to drink a glass of warm/hot milk (regular milk or plant-based milk) with of 2-3 teaspoons of turmeric powder in it.

(D) Few Other Tips

1. Warm Colours Help Vanquish SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

The colours we see affect the way we perceive the world. This is especially true of backgrounds and backdrops, with stable colours on the periphery of our vision that subconsciously frames our activities. 

Switching your bedding and pillows to warm colors, turning room lighting away from stark whites to orange hues and softer pastels, working near windows on sunny days, adding more green plants to your indoors, all help increase vitality. Room layout, clothes, and even the food you put on your plate plays a positive role in regulating emotions. 

Being proactive in this respect, combats the dreaded SADness.

2. Don't Stop Exercising

The cold in winter dispels many people's thoughts of exercising. However, you do not need to brave the outdoors to stay active. There are many forms of indoor aerobic exercises, from a couch potato workout, to yoga, or dancing. 

Exercise not only brings physiological benefits but is also psychologically advantageous. Moderate exercise release endorphins and helps deal with SAD too. 

Healthy body =healthy mind! 

3. Remember the Rule of Life

Throughout winter, sunshine becomes a commodity. Shortened days and longer nights make sunlight more valuable. Not only does this mean we need to make more of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, but we need to be more disciplined too. Nesting and hibernating on a sofa seems much more attractive at this time of year. But if you don't sleep well the night before, it will inevitably effect your physical strength and energy the following day. 

• Try to go to maintain a regular life pattern, such as going to bed at the same time every night. 

• Avoid stimulating activities within one hour prior to sleep. You can try meditation, keeping a diary, listening to music or podcasts, reading books (the old-fashioned kind) or enjoying a good ol’ cup of decaffeinated tea or hot chocolate, along with some gentle conversation.

Follow Seeds of Change wechat account to see all those inspiring community activities.

4.Participate in Social Activities 

A healthy social life is good for the mind, body and soul. Socializing is, in fact, associated with better overall health. Being in social circles keeps you invigorated, be interested and interesting, and take the mind off worries. 

Whether inviting friends to gatherings or public activities, to eat snacks, or to play board games, it provides time to relax and reflect. Shanghai is packed with rich and meaningful activities, such as many that we share on Seeds of Change. 

So what are you waiting for! Meet like-minded people, reconnect with friends, share experiences, build connections, gain new ideas, make it a warm, comfortable, vibrant and happy winter!

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