How I, a person who always wore light clothing, reduced my physical discomfort by consciously adding one extra layer

Hello there! ^^
Today, I'd like to talk about my experience regarding the question of whether I was actually someone who gets hot easily, and how
consciously adding one extra layer of clothing helped reduce my daily physical discomfort.

*I had a strong belief that I was someone who gets hot easily

I originally thought I was someone who gets hot easily.
And I was 120% confident about it, too.
As for the reason why...
“Because my hands and feet are always burning hot! 🔥” That was it.
That was the only reason.
Perhaps because the discomfort this heat caused me was so intense, I never paid any attention to the temperature of the rest of my body, and I always wore light clothing, prioritizing the heat in my hands and feet.

For example, during the rainy season when it's still chilly, there are many environments like schools, offices, and shopping centers that are easily cooled by dehumidifiers or light air conditioning.
However, as for my clothing, I would wear see-through shirts or thin, mesh-like knits—textures and designs that were practically the same as wearing nothing at all. In terms of actual sensation, it felt like I was walking around wearing only the camisole I had on underneath.
I also wore a lot of shorts and miniskirts, and I honestly wonder how I managed to show that much leg back then... ^^;💦
And when the heat in my hands was uncomfortable, I would use my arms and legs, which were cold, to cool them down.

*A different perspective gained through studying Traditional Chinese Medicine 👀💡

So, although it's a bit late to realize this...
The fact that I was "using my cold arms and legs to cool down my hands" means that
my arms and legs were actually cold....

It was relatively recently that I realized this fact.
I had heard and read over and over again in diet and health media about the importance of not letting your body get cold, but I had never really taken it to heart as something that applied to me.
However, when it was explained through my favorite studies of Traditional Chinese Medicine (for example, the characteristics of cold and damp pathogens, what happens to the body when affected by them, and the symptoms of various patterns), it led me to think about coldness in a new light.

*Changing my mindset 180 degrees and trying to be conscious of adding one extra layer 👚

So, even though it was hard to believe, there is a term called 'cold-heat complex,' and I thought,could it be that coldness is also present in my body? So, I changed my clothing just a little bit.

Specifically, I started carrying a scarf or a light outer layer, and I made an effort toadd one extra layer to the outfit I had originally planned to wear.

When I did that, I was truly surprised to find that
there were surprisingly many times throughout the day when I thought, 'Maybe I should put this scarf I brought on my lap...' or 'I might want to drape this over my shoulders...'
Even when I was standing in a crowded morning train where the air conditioning was slightly too strong and the air was blowing directly on me, I thought, 'I have my scarf!' and wrapped it around my head to protect myself from the breeze.
When I entered a tunnel and caught a glimpse of myself in the train window, I looked like a completely different person, and it was hard to keep myself from laughing out loud! 🤣 (lol)

In that way, I found myself instinctively feeling,“If I have it, I want one more layer.”

*Observing myself with the premise that my body is 'cold' 🔍

Also, when I observed myself with the question, 'Could I be cold?', I had various realizations.

For example, when I was having tea at a cafe, I would feel a bit hot when I first arrived, but after some time passed, my body would start to get cold. Usually, at this point, I would start cooling the heat trapped in my hands with my arms and legs, sothe question even arose: was I actually trying to warm my arms and legs with my hands because they were cold?

*After actually changing my habits

It has been about 1 to 2 years since I started the habit of adding one extra layer.

In my case,
the 'I don't know why, but I feel a bit unwell...' moments have decreased significantly.

It might simply be that the discomfort caused by coldness has decreased, or perhaps the discomfort was reduced because the temperature difference between the heat in my hands and feet and the rest of my body has lessened.
Just by not having that vague feeling of being unwell, I have more time to simply enjoy myself, so I'm glad I noticed it. ^^

And looking back on my past life with this in mind, I think I was letting my body get quite cold.
My clothing wasn't just thin; when I was younger, I decided what to wear based entirely on appearance and design, which made it even worse...

*Progress report on the hot flashes 📝🤣

The hot flashes, while gradual, have become much easier to deal with than before. (I hope it's not just because my yin-yang balance has changed with age! 🤣 (lol) I want to believe it's purely the result of self-care!)

*The reason I am writing about my experience 🖋

The hot flashes I've struggled with so much are improving, butwhile I'm happy, I'm also a little worried that I might forget this painful experience.

I feel that once you get better, you surprisingly often forget how unwell you were. I wanted to make sure I didn't forget how I felt, what was painful, and what I did to get better, in case I meet someone with similar worries in the future.

I wrote this for those who have never experienced hot flashes and can't imagine what they are like (completely my own imposition 🤣), and also as a personal record for myself. Of course, I also want to empathize with those who are going through the same thing!!! (lol)
I wrote this today thinking that if this experience could be helpful to someone, somewhere, someday, there would be nothing that makes me happier! °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

Thank you for reading✨