Why do we need to wear heavy clothes in winter? Is it better to have multiple layers of clothing or to wear one thick layer?

Arab Weather - With the temperature dropping in winter, people seek to get warm in different ways, the most important of these methods is to wear winter clothes, but why do we need to wear heavy clothes in winter? Which is better to wear a thick jacket or several layers of thin clothes?

Cold-blooded and warm-blooded

First we will talk about the classification of organisms belonging to the animal kingdom according to the nature of their bodies in the regulation of heat, as it is divided into two types:

1. Cold-blooded organisms : They are the organisms that cannot maintain the stability of their temperature, so that their body temperature changes with the change of the temperature of the surrounding environment.

2. Warm-blooded creatures : This type includes the most advanced creatures, including humans, as these creatures can maintain the stability of their body temperature despite the change in the temperature of the surrounding environment. Therefore, warm-blooded creatures need to maintain the warmth of their bodies in some way in the separation Winter, while wild animals have hair, fur, wool or feathers that protect them from the cold, humans resort to wearing heavy clothing.

Why do bodies lose warmth? How is heat transferred?

When there is a difference in temperature between two bodies, the heat is transferred from the body, which is raising its temperature, to the other body, and there are three ways that the heat is transferred, which are:

• Thermal radiation (Thermal Radiation): It is the only way that does not require a direct connection between objects, such as the sun 's heat that make their way to the ground despite the vast distance between them.

• Convection (Convection): which occurs through the heat transfer through currents such as water currents or air currents, such as water on the stove , which moves heat when it moves to the top of the hot water and cold water flows down.

• Delivery (Conduction): thermal conductivity depends on direct contact between objects, for example , when you touch Cuba glass contains a hot liquid, feel the heat immediately, however, if the cup of the metal will heat transfer stronger, that different materials affect heat transfer They are either good heat conductors or bad conductors.

How do clothes warm us?

Clothes are considered a material with poor conductivity of heat, so it maintains the warmth of the air in contact with our bodies, and thus prevents the loss of body heat, and protects us from feeling cold, so the multiplicity of the pieces that we wear has a greater effect on our heating than its thickness , meaning that wearing more than one layer of clothes makes us It's warmer than wearing a single thick layer, because multiple layers keep more warm air underneath, but some parts of the body - like the arms, legs, and feet - require more warming than others because they're far from the heat centers in our bodies.

The texture of clothes is also important, as cotton and linen absorb excess moisture, wool can retain heat. Therefore, it is advisable to wear woolen clothes with a layer of cotton clothes underneath to keep the skin warm and protected from excessive moisture .

Layering clothes that keep our bodies warm the best

One piece of thick clothes does not provide the same amount of warmth as several layers of light clothing, and the reason for this is the air trapped between each layer of clothing, as the body radiates heat and heats this air, so each surrounding layer becomes a self-thermal shield that protects you from Cold, but you must follow the correct method of wearing layers for better protection from cold, which is in the following order:

1. The basic layer :

It is the first layer of clothing that comes into contact with the skin, so it must be able to remove moisture, as the heat can stimulate the secretion of sweating, and damp skin can cause heat to lose quickly in cold weather, so the base layer must have moisture absorption properties, such as Cold weather sportswear, which provides the best balance between lightweight fabric and moisture-wicking properties, adds a little bit of volume, and allows a lot of flexibility in movement, and for feet, thick socks can be worn over basic socks to keep feet dry.

2. Insulating layer :

This layer should have heat-retaining properties like those possessed by natural fibers such as wool, as wool can absorb about 30% of its weight in moisture without feeling wet, and it can provide some insulation when wet. Woolen jackets, such as those made of Angora and cashmere are warm and elegant clothes. A good cardigan combined with a plain cotton shirt can provide warmth on cold days. There is synthetic wool , which is lightweight and a good insulator even when wet, however, it needs layers with a tight, windproof fabric to provide protection from the wind.

To warm the legs, thick woolen pants can be worn over a basic layer, and jeans are preferred, as jeans are good as light protective clothing, but they should be avoided in cold areas because they do not have any insulating properties, but they can be combined with an inner insulation layer for more warmth.

3. The protective layer:

This layer keeps all the inner layers protected. This layer may not have any insulating properties nor provide warmth, but it should stop wind infiltration into the body and trap warm air inside, while being able to let moisture out.

You can also wear a layer of weatherproof gloves (rain and wind), woolen socks, hat, scarf and good winter shoes. The best winter shoes are boots with soft sides, lined with natural fibers, with internal insulation and a thick and flexible sole.

The importance of fit layers

The layers of clothing should allow freedom of movement, the base layer should always be as close as possible, and it must touch your body to be effective. These garments usually contain elastic or other stretchable materials to be always close to the body.

The insulating layers of clothing should range from thin and narrow to thick and baggy. A light wool jacket will not provide effective insulation if worn over a bulky jacket. For the outer layers, choose layers that have little space between them and the layers of insulation, this will help the flow of Air and moisture.

Clothing needs vary according to the activity

• Clothing suitable for activities with a lot of movement in cold weather: If you are a fan of winter sports, wear lightweight clothing that is resistant to weather and provides good insulation, synthetic fibers can provide the comfort of a much lighter weight than heavy wool, can wear two or three thin layers in a row Warm leggings and pants, with an insulated hat and weatherproof gloves.

• Clothes suitable for activities that do not have a lot of movement in cold weather: If you will stay seated for long periods, you need clothes that can trap warmth without focusing too much on removing moisture, so you can rely on thick, insulating and weather-resistant clothes, but if there is no rain A base layer can be worn with thinner wool layers and an outer layer made of synthetic fibers, and socks with different levels of thickness can be worn, with an emphasis on a layer of moisture-absorbent socks, and thick and insulated shoes to keep the feet warm.