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Sitting on a desk for a long time is not good for you, that much we know. It hurts your back, strains your eyes, and lays a load on your shoulders.
Yet, one of the most annoying things that can happen is when your fingers are too cold to move. Getting cold hands while typing can really affect your productivity. It’s frustrating and, at times, even painful!
In this post, we’ll go through some tips and tricks to help keep hands warm while typing.
Why do I get cold hands while typing?
There’s a reason why our hands are so susceptible to cold: less blood flow means less warmth. Circulation in the fingers can drop due to several reasons. The most common ones are:
Low blood pressure: Do you forget to eat and stay hydrated when you’re working? If so, this might be bringing your blood pressure down. As a result, your whole body temperature drops, but the extremities get affected the hardest.
Nerve tension: Try to check if you’re pressing your hand too strongly to the desk. Sharp edges can irritate the nerves making your limbs feel numb or tingly.
Smoking: Smoking is associated with an increased risk of a long list of vascular diseases, like Buerger’s. That’s because nicotine is known to reduce blood flow.
I get that it’s a challenge to quit, but you might see an improvement in your hands’ thermal regulation if you at least reduce the frequency of your smoking.
Are cold hands while typing a serious condition?
In most cases, cold hands while typing are a sign of low blood flow and it’s easily fixed with warming up your hands.
However, if this sensation is persistent it might be a sign that there’s a chronic issue at play here.
For instance, Raynaud’s syndrome is exaggerated vasoconstriction of the blood vessels. It happens in cold weather and it’s not a serious condition, but it can be exhausting to deal with.
Tips to keep hands warm while typing
Regardless of the cause, cold fingers must be making your job that much harder. Here are some tips that can help you keep your hands warm while typing:
1. Warm up your workspace
First off, address the root of the problem. If your hands are cold while you’re in your office, it’s most likely because it’s cold inside your office. If you can turn up the heat, or turn down the air-conditioning, do it. Otherwise, find ways to shield yourself from the cold.
It’s easier to control the temperature if you’re working from home but if your home office isn’t getting enough heating, try to make your workspace a little more accommodating.
Some people find that heated desk pads or heated mouse pads make a difference in warming up their workspace. Of course, you’ll have to turn it off when not in use. You don’t want to risk overheating a desk with papers on it!
Another might be changing the position of the desk altogether. Try working by a window with enough sunlight, it’ll boost your energy and keep you warm. You can also get a small space heater for the room.
2. Wear a thermal glove
Your choice of apparel can be a lifesaver when it comes to keeping your hand warm while typing.
The issue might be that wool gloves aren’t really typing-friendly since they cover your fingers. Meanwhile, mittens warm up your palm but they leave your fingertips freezing off.
One way to solve this is to get a thin insulating glove. Trendoux makes thermal gloves that are compatible with touch screens.
3. Wear a heated glove
When regular gloves don’t cut it, resort to heated ones. These are usually USB-powered, so you can plug them into your laptop, put them on, and get to work.
You can even get a heated glove with a removable chip, like these typing-friendly ones by Clomay. This way you can wear it both ways; heated and as a regular mitten.
4. Wear warm clothing
Maintaining warmth in the core of your body can also keep hands warm while typing. Warmer clothing means warmer extremities so bundle up!
Wearing bulky clothing may not be convenient when outdoors so just keep your jacket, scarf, or poncho in your office. Ideally, you should have something made of wool or fleece so you can stay warm for longer periods.
Wrapping a warm cloth or scarf around your palms can also prevent cold hands while typing.
5. Drink something hot
A great way to keep hands warm while typing and keep your tummy warm as well is by drinking a hot beverage. Grab a cup of tea, coffee, or chocolate and pick it up with both hands to warm yourself.
The drink itself will also keep your body warm! A hot drink will also help you relax and feel cozy.
6. Use heat packs or hand warmers
Heat packs, or hand warmers, are also great ways to keep hands warm while typing.
Small pouches like the air-activated warmers by HotHands are often used outdoors but there’s no reason you can’t use them in your office. They’re safe and provide natural heat for up to 18 hours. Simply expose them to air and shake them to activate.
7. Or hot water bottles
A simpler way to keep hands warm while typing, if you don’t have heat packs, is by using hot water bottles.
Simply heat the water, pour it into a hot water bottle (ideally non-plastic), and in between typing, warm your palms and fingers by touching the bottle.
Water can retain heat for a long time so this is an efficient way to stay warm inside a cold office. Just be careful to keep the bottle’s lid closed to avoid injury.
8. Take breaks and move around
All of the above steps will be for nothing if you overwork in your desk. Try to take things easy and take care of your well-being by ensuring you get up and take frequent breaks.
By getting up and moving around, you boost your blood circulation, which will help keep your body warm. Take breaks every 25 or 30 minutes (the Pomodoro method is great for this purpose), rub your hands together, do light exercises, or take a quick stroll.
Doing this will not only help you keep warm. It will also relieve muscle tension and eye strain, and boost your morale as well.
Conclusion
To tackle the issue of cold hands while typing, you can try out heated gadgets like gloves and desk pads. However, taking care of your body is always the best solution.
Give your body the rest it needs; drink plenty of warm liquids, take breaks, and always consult a physician if you notice any warning signs.