🔔How to stay warm in a shelter: 5 key safety rules for the cold season

☝️Prolonged air raid alerts force people to spend hours in shelters – basements, parking lots, and stairwells. During the cold season, such conditions significantly increase the risk of hypothermia, which can occur faster than it seems, especially in children, the elderly, and people with chronic diseases.

👨‍⚕️To minimize health risks, it is important to follow simple but effective rules.

✅ 1. Insulate yourself from cold surfaces

🌬️Concrete and stone absorb heat very quickly – after just 5–10 minutes on a cold floor, the body begins to lose a significant amount of heat. Do not sit directly on the floor.

💡Use a sleeping mat, thick cardboard, a backpack, several layers of newspaper, or any available heat-insulating material. A backpack on your back also reduces the effect of drafts.

✅ 2. Clothing according to the “three layers” principle

🧦 Multi-layered clothing is optimal:

📍the first layer is thermal underwear to wick away moisture;
📍the second is insulating (fleece, sweater);
📍the third protects against wind and cold.

❗️Special attention should be paid to “critical areas” – the head, neck, and wrists. The body can lose up to 30% of its heat through the head.

☝️🥾Shoes should not be tight: compression disrupts blood circulation and promotes rapid freezing.

✅ 3. Dryness is the key to staying warm

💦👖Wet fabric cools the body dozens of times faster. If your clothes or socks are wet or you are sweating, change them if possible.

📍It is recommended to have a spare pair of dry socks in a sealed bag in your backpack or bag.

✅ 4. Proper breathing and moderate activity

🌬️Breathe through your nose – this allows the air to warm up. Do not cover your face too tightly with a scarf, as moisture from your breath can cool down quickly.

💪To stay warm, periodically tense your muscles and move your fingers and toes. Active movements are undesirable – excessive sweating will only increase heat loss.

✅5. Energy for the body

🍫🥜The body needs energy to stay warm. A small amount of sweets (chocolate, candy) and a warm drink will help activate heat production.

🥃❗️Alcohol is strongly discouraged: it creates a false sense of warmth while accelerating the loss of internal body temperature.

👨‍⚕️🩺 Additional advice

✅ If you are in a shelter with a large group of people, it is best to stay close to each other. Collective warmth is an effective way to keep warm in conditions of limited resources.

Following these simple recommendations will help you stay healthy and reduce the risk of hypothermia during prolonged air raid alerts.

🫶Take care of yourself and your loved ones. Your safety lies in preparedness.

✍️With care for your health – National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine

(date of publication on the website: 13.01.2026)