"This causes the body to lose 30% of its heat": how to stay warm in an apartment without heating – advice from a female mountaineer

When the heating goes out and the thermometer slowly creeps down with each passing day, the apartment ceases to be a safe place, and for many, the question arises of how to survive in such conditions. LIGA.net She turned to the experienced climber Iryna Halay for practical advice that works at an altitude of 8,000 meters and can be applied in a regular city apartment.

We will tell you about specific and proven solutions that will help you survive the lack of heating in your apartment as comfortably as possible. We will explain what little things determine whether you will be warm at night, and share the experience of Iryna Halai – stories that will send shivers down your spine.

How to keep warm

Living for weeks in a tent at an altitude of over 7,000 meters, mountaineer Iryna Halai learned one basic principle of survival: you need to conserve heat, not try to create it. This rule also works in a city apartment.

– There's no point in trying to heat the entire apartment. Instead, it's much more effective to keep yourself warm and, if possible, choose one small room where you can concentrate the heat.

Clothing

The next step is the right clothing. The main tool for keeping warm is layering, says the climber:

"It all starts with thermal underwear. I always use it at night. In the mountains, I have two sets: an active one for movement, and a separate one specifically for sleeping. The night thermal underwear is looser, with additional insulation in the chest and pelvic areas – that's where the body loses heat the fastest."

The second layer is fleece. And on top of that, a down sweater. In severe cold, a full-fledged warm down jacket is added.

The same principle applies to your legs. Down pants are one of the most effective life hacks of recent years. These are pants filled with down, worn over thermal underwear, and they almost completely eliminate the problem of cold.

Feet are a separate topic.

"I use down socks that tighten with an elastic band. I don't wear anything under them: they quickly create stable thermal protection for the foot and maintain it for a long time," shares Iryna Halai.

If you don't have down socks, a simple and reliable method works:

• the first layer is wool socks,
• The second is thick thermal socks.

This is an almost guaranteed way to avoid getting cold. It's important to monitor moisture: if your socks get wet, you need to change them. Moisture = cold.

Your hands also need attention. Gloves work best. However, if you have a hot water bottle, it often solves this problem completely.

Sleep and bed: how to build a warm system from scratch

Iryna Halai recommends the following scheme:

• the first layer is a blanket;
• Next, a sleeping pad or several layers of dense material: mats, blankets, even cardboard boxes;
• The next layer is a thermal blanket made of foil, with the shiny side facing up to reflect body heat.
• On top – a regular blanket + sleeping bag or bedspread.

"I definitely choose a sleeping bag. Inside it, the right thermoregulation always works: you essentially warm yourself with your own heat. A thermal blanket can be placed either on top of or inside the sleeping bag as an additional layer. But never underneath yourself – otherwise, a greenhouse effect occurs, condensation appears, and that always means cold," the climber explains.

Hot water bottle from a bottle: a simple trick and common mistakes

A separate and very important thing is – a hot water bottle in a sleeping bag, says Iryna Halai:

– I pour boiling water into a special heat-resistant bottle (a regular plastic one with a lid or cork is not suitable: it may leak, deform from the boiling water, or simply not withstand the temperature).

Works best aluminum bottle or durable thermal bottle, designed for high temperatures. I usually have two or three such bottles: I put one on my chest and hold it with my hands, and the other one at my feet. In a few minutes, it gets much warmer, and the warmth lasts up to six hours.

But you can't put them directly on your bare skin. Either wrap the thermal bottle in a towel or wear thermal underwear.

The head and neck should always be covered. A neck warmer or balaclava plus a hat is not an option, but a necessity. About The body loses 30% of its heat through the head., and an exposed neck very quickly "eats up" all the warmth you tried to preserve with layers of clothing.

Down or synthetic: how to choose a sleeping bag

A down sleeping bag provides more warmth for less weight, but it is sensitive to moisture. If it's damp around or there's a risk of condensation, it's better to choose a synthetic sleeping bag. It loses out to down in terms of thermal performance and weight, but it performs much more stably in a humid environment, explains the mountaineer.

Therefore, the key is to understand the conditions you are in.

– The ideal option is to have two sleeping bags. If that's not possible, I'll still prefer a down one.

"The ideal combination is a down sleeping bag plus a thermal liner or a thin synthetic cocoon inside. This is an extremely effective item: very light and thin, but it retains heat perfectly and adds approximately 10 degrees," says Iryna Halai.

Hygiene in the cold: how to survive without water and heating

When there is no heating in the house, the issue of hygiene ceases to be a matter of comfort and becomes a matter of necessity. safety and heat preservationIt is at this stage, according to mountaineer Iryna Galay, that people most often underestimate the risks and lose warmth where it could have been preserved.

"As a person with long hair and problematic skin, I can say that hygiene is one of the most difficult challenges in the cold," she says.

In mountain expeditions, as in unheated apartments, the main thing is missing – stable warmth. In the absence of heating, even a simple hygienic procedure can lead to hypothermia. The temperature easily drops to sub-zero values, and washing hair or a full body wash becomes dangerous.

That is why, according to the climber, in such conditions it is worth rethink the approach to hygieneWet wipes are needed for this. In the mountains, Iryna always keeps them in her sleeping bag so they don't freeze at night. In a cold room, the principle is the same: the wipes should be warm or at least not icy, otherwise using them will only increase heat loss.

The most effective strategy is: washing in parts, which minimizes cooling:

• first and foremost, the face and hands;
• once every few days – a full body wipe-down.

Iryna Halai advises paying special attention to clothing after hygienic procedures.

"Dry thermal underwear is critically important. If you wear thermal underwear during the day for movement or household chores, at night you should put it under a blanket or in a sleeping bag – there it will dry from body heat. If you leave clothes in a cold room, the moisture will not disappear, and moisture without heating is a direct path to hypothermia," she emphasizes.

Also, it's always a good idea to have:

• wet wipes instead of toilet paper;
• dry shampoo;
• water supply;
• Antiseptics.

And one more thing: warm drinks in a thermos. You need to drink water, even if you don't feel like it. Dehydration directly reduces thermoregulation.

Safe ways to warm up quickly

When there is no heating in the house, active movement becomes one of the few ways to quickly raise body temperature without electricity or heaters.

"The plank is my favorite exercise in this regard. You hold a plank for a minute and a half, and believe me, you get very warm. Your whole body warms up, all your muscles work. And the longer you hold it, the faster you warm up."

Why the plank? Because you physically can't do many active exercises in a tent, and the plank doesn't require space. It works most effectively of all the things I've tried.

I've also seen experienced climbers do squats, push-ups, or very intense arm swings – as if imitating wing movements. That works well too. But an important point: after you've warmed up even a little, you need to immediately "dive" into your sleeping bag or under a blanket to lock in that warmth, advises Iryna Halai.

The climber also uses breathing practices:

– For example, slow, deep breathing with an emphasis on a long exhale – up to six seconds. This type of breathing is calming, reduces energy loss, and is very helpful when panic sets in.

These life hacks are useful not only in the cold. Even in everyday life, a few minutes of breathing exercises before bed is super relaxing and a very useful practice.

Life hack for kids

If there is a child in the house, Iryna Halai advises a simple solution: set up a small tent for one or two people right in the apartment.

"For a child, it's a warm and vivid memory (all children love tents), and for parents, it's a real way to stay warm," she explains.

Pets are another natural "heater." If you have them, it's worth taking them to bed: the warmth works both ways and really helps you get through cold nights.

Safety: What Not to Do

A female mountaineer warns against dangerous "life hacks" that often appear on social media.

"I've seen people leave candles overnight. This is strictly forbidden," says Halay.

An open flame at night poses a fire risk, especially when you are tired or asleep. If you want extra warmth, a much safer option is to heat a pot of water to a boil and cover it with a lid. It will retain heat for a long time and does not carry the danger of an open flame.

Estimated prices

Down sleeping bag

• Budget: 9,000-12,000 UAH
• Average: 12,000-15,000 UAH
• Premium: 15,000-30,000+ UAH

Synthetic sleeping bag

• Budget: 2,000-4,000 UAH
• Average: 4,000-7,000 UAH
• Premium: 7,000-10,000+ UAH

Tent

• Budget: 1,500-5,000 UAH
• Average: 5,000-10,000 UAH
• Premium: 10,000-15,000+ UAH

Down socks

• Budget: 700-1,000 UAH
• Average: 1,000-1,400 UAH
• Premium: 1,400-1,700+ UAH

Thermal underwear (set)

• Budget: 500-1,500 UAH
• Average: 1,500-2,500 UAH
• Premium: 2,500-3,000+ UAH

Aluminum / thermal bottle

• Budget: 200-500 UAH
• Average: 500-1,000 UAH
• Premium: 1,000-1,500 UAH

Psychological resilience in the cold: why it's more important than physical resilience

According to the experience of mountaineer Iryna Halai, it is often one's mental state that determines whether a person can survive cold and prolonged crisis periods.

Even in the most challenging conditions, Halay divides the day into distinct blocks: movement, food, recovery, and reading. A predictable rhythm reduces anxiety, helps maintain control, and prevents panic in difficult situations.

The presence of other people is no less important. In difficult moments, says the climber, it helps to communicate with those who are also having a hard time, as well as to have contact with people who are laughing, listening to music, and maintaining a rhythm of life.

Another principle is not to live in expectation, explains Iryna Halai:

– Waiting is exhausting. I'm not expecting things to get better or worse – I'm working with reality as it is, here and now.

I've had expeditions where I lost a partner, and that's when I particularly keenly realized how important morale is. Your internal state directly affects your energy and physical strength. Sometimes energy disappears not because of the cold or fatigue, but because you give up, panic sets in, and your thoughts turn to the dark side.

It's better to think through such moments in advance – to have your own kind of "life-saving blanks" in your head, so that you can pull yourself out of a state that is already similar to depression.

I had moments in the mountains when I almost lost my fingers just because I was very, very upset. I quickly pulled myself together and realized that I couldn't lose heart, because I would simply be left on that mountain. I started recalling positive moments from my life, planning for the future, and doing visualizations – and that pulled me through.

Or another case. When I was descending from K2, there was a climber's body lying there, and my rope got caught on his hand. My first thought was terrifying – as if the mountain was trying to keep me there. I was so scared, so disheartened, that I realized: one more second and it would drag me down. I instantly refocused myself: I started singing, distracting myself, finding anything to free the rope and move on.

Therefore, I know for sure: Moral condition is often more important than physical condition., because it directly affects the body.