One of the main challenges when participating in outdoor activities, whether it being camping, hiking, skiing, at home, or a weekend trip of bird watching, is to keep an ideal body temperature.

Anyone who have gone camping in the winter and experienced an overnight stay outside in a tent, shelter or tarp, will inevitably have felt the cold in their face. But one body part is especially exposed: The nose!    

1. Contrary to what most people would think, it does actually make sense to keep your nose and mouth outside your duvet, blanket or sleeping bag. Your breath contains moisture that can cause dampness in your sleeping bag while you sleep, which will eventually make you and your nose even colder when you open the bag for fresh air.
   
   So, keeping your nose free will help your nose from getting cold and at the same time, you will not be having difficulty breathing as your mouth and nose will not be blocked by the sleeping bag.
   
   
2. Drink lots of fluids all throughout the day. Our body needs water to generate energy and to properly circulate the blood to cold areas of the body, which helps to keep us warm especially during cold seasons. That’s why it is very important to drink tons of water during the daytime and if possible limit dry foods and eat more wet foods to increase our fluid intake.
   
   
3. Drink hot beverage at night time. A cup of hot tea keeps your nose warm and should be a cozy part of any outdoor activity. In addition, the steam that comes from the tea helps moisten your nose and prevent it from getting cold.
   
   
4. Wear a scarf or other face cover. If you are going outside at night and will be exposed to frigid cold, be sure to warm up. Covering your neck and nose with a scarf will give you extra warmness. However, beware of moisture so don’t chose to thick a scarf! Wool is an ideal material for garments covering the mouth or nose because it readily transports moisture away from the skin.
   
   
5. Bring a warm sleeping bag and a good sleeping pad. Both of them will separate your body from the freezing ground!
   
   
6. Keep your head and feet dry – in order to keep the heat inside your body, cover your head and feet. Wearing thick woolen socks and a hat during sleep will serve as extra heat insulation for you where it matters.
   
7. Consider trying a tent warmer that fits with your gas canister (See my list of recommended gear here). This can heat up the tent significantly during the evening before bedtime to ensure that you have enough body heat to stay warm in your sleeping bag.

Our nose is likely to feel cold first when the temperature dips because it is composed mainly of cartilage tissue and does not have the well insulating fats or hair growth to keep it warm.

For instances, during one of our road trips, we were tent camping most of the time, and sleeping on a cold night getting our nose cold is one of the major issues we often have to deal with.

However, this experience made us think of ways to prevent nose freezing during a long winter night.

Don’t let cold temperature ruin your enjoyment of getting outside. Sure, staying warm in winter takes a bit of work, but having a few tricks up your sleeve makes it far easier and more enjoyable. This is what we will look into in this post!

There are many ways to keep your body temperature right. For example by wearing woolly clothing or choosing the right sleeping bag, however, some parts of the body are more exposed than others.

The following list includes some ideas that you can try to keep your nose warm while camping:

How to keep nose warm in winter?

There are a few ways you can keep your nose warm in the winter:

1. Wear a scarf: Wrapping a scarf around your nose and mouth can help keep your nose warm. Make sure the scarf covers your nose and mouth completely to protect them from the cold.
2. Use a balaclava: A balaclava is a type of headwear that covers your head, face, and neck. It can be made of fleece or another warm material, and it can be worn over your nose and mouth to keep them warm.
3. Use a face mask: A face mask can help keep your nose warm by providing an extra layer of insulation. You can find face masks that are specifically designed for cold weather, or you can wear a regular face mask and layer it with a scarf or balaclava for added warmth.
4. Stay hydrated: Drinking plenty of water can help keep your nose moisturized and prevent it from drying out in the cold, dry air.
5. Use a humidifier: Using a humidifier in your home or office can help add moisture to the air, which can help keep your nose from drying out and becoming chapped in the winter.
6. Apply a balm or cream: Using a balm or cream specifically designed for the skin on your face can help keep your nose moisturized and prevent it from becoming chapped in the cold.
7. Wear a hat: A hat can help keep your entire head warm, including your nose. Make sure to choose a hat that covers your ears and the back of your neck for added warmth.

How to keep your nose warm while skiing?

Skiing is perhaps the outdoor activity where your face, including the nose, is most exposed to the biting cold!

The cold temperatures and high speeds combined with inactivity of ski lift transportation make it a challenge to keep warm.  

Keeping warm while skiing takes a lot of preparation and wearing suitable gear is crucial. But thankfully, there exists an enormous range of quality clothing on the market.

All you have to do is find the right garment and equipment for you such as a quality puffer jacket.

Laying up is one of the biggest keys to keeping warm as it can help keep your body heat high, which will also benefit your face.

Wearing woolen layers help to keep you warm and prevent windburn when it is cold, and help protect you from the sun when it is hot. Wear at least 3 layers of clothes, a base form-fitting base layer, a woolen mid-layer, and a waterproof ski jacket.

Make sure that there’s no exposed skin, always tighten your cuffs, and seal the edges of clothing.

You can also use a nose warmer, although it looks silly! A nose warmer isn’t something that one sees nearly as often as a face mask, ski mask, or other face protection in cold weather.

It is basically just a knit (or other fabric component) that straps over your nose only to protect it from numbness and reddening in the cold.

How to warm a cold nose that has gone cold?

If your nose is already cold, there are a few things you can try to warm it up:

1. Use a warm compress: Soak a washcloth in warm water and place it over your nose for a few minutes. Repeat as needed.
2. Take a warm shower: The steam from a warm shower can help warm up your nose and other parts of your body.
3. Drink something warm: Sipping on a warm beverage like tea or hot chocolate can help warm your body from the inside out, including your nose.
4. Apply a warm balm or cream: Using a balm or cream specifically designed for the skin on your face and applying it to your nose can help moisturize and warm up the skin.
5. Use a hand warmer: Hand warmers are small packets that generate heat when activated. You can place one in your pocket or hold it in your hand to help warm your nose and other parts of your body.
6. Go inside: If you’re outside in the cold, go inside to a warm place to help warm up your nose and the rest of your body.

Remember to dress warmly and protect your nose from the cold by wearing a scarf, face mask, or balaclava. These measures can help prevent your nose from getting cold in the first place.

Conclusion

Whether you’re cross country skiing or backpacking by snowshoe, don’t be ill-prepared. Gear up to stay warm and enjoy every bit of winter extremes. It is always better to be prepared than to be sorry at the end.

Because our nose sticks out and cannot be fully covered by thick insulating materials, as it will prevent breathing or cover our sight, it is sometimes a challenge to keep the nose warm throughout the winter season.

The tricks listed here can definitely help you stay warm in general, but will hopefully prevent that aching, red and runny nose during your next adventure!