http://www.wristies.com/
Probably not as good as fingertip-less gloves but close enough for me.
Ask HN: How do you deal with cold fingertips when you code?
41–50 of 65 posts
Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with cold fingertips when you code?
#42Generally cold fingers are from poor circulation. Living in Colorado where a few months of the year we get very cold weather so I have learned a few tricks about cold hands (from Snowboarding to Programming I've experienced cold hands almost everywhere). One awesome thing my work did for me was brought in a hand massage specialist who taught me several stretching techniques for the hand that help increase blood flow…
Thanks for sharing the link! They seem like things I can do on short breaks to keep my fingers, hands, and arms nimble especially during long coding sessions.
Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with cold fingertips when you code?
#43Have long hair, shove them into the hair, sit there in the thinker-pose.
Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with cold fingertips when you code?
#44Perhaps counter-intuitively, I have found that applying more layers to my core rather than to my fingers/hands tends to keep my fingers warmer. Of course, this only works if blood can circulate heat from your core to your extremities. Try throwing on a vest and, when coding, make sure your elbows are not bent and your writs are not resting on a pad in such a way as to obstruct blood flow. Good luck!
Also if you are "hair-challenged" on your head like me, wearing a hat helps as well.
Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with cold fingertips when you code?
#45Start an exercise routine. It'll get your blood moving and the problem completely goes away. It's relatively quick too. You'll notice a change in a week.
It's Raynaud's, not "poor exercise routine leads to poor circulation and OP just needs a pep talk" itis. Raynaud's is not a disease of the blood not moving due to being sedentary; it arises from arterial spasms that cut off blood flow. To your point, exercise to improve circulation is indeed often prescribed to mitigate the attacks of Raynaud's, but they won't "completely go away," and that's a bummer of a thing to s…
Ah I must have skimmed past that part. I've had on/off cold fingertips and the exercise routine does work for me to keep it at bay.
Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with cold fingertips when you code?
#46Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's Raynaud's, not "poor exercise routine leads to poor circulation and OP just needs a pep talk" itis. Raynaud's is not a disease of the blood not moving due to being sedentary; it arises from arterial spasms that cut off blood flow. To your point, exercise to improve circulation is indeed often prescribed to mitigate the attacks of Raynaud's, but they won't "completely go away," and that's a bummer of a thing to s…
Ah I must have skimmed past that part. I've had on/off cold fingertips and the exercise routine does work for me to keep it at bay.
Everybody in this thread seems to have ignored the body of the submission in the excited rush to explain exercise.
Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with cold fingertips when you code?
#47It seems you have a specific disease, so probably better to ask a doctor than HN. Also, Google can be your friend.
Anyway, I'd personally try niacin (also known as vitamin B3), which is also used in heat-rub creams.
Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with cold fingertips when you code?
#48I too have struggled with painfully cold fingers and feet while I code. My hypothesis of what is happening is that when you're resting your arms on the table, you are preventing the free flow of blood in your forearms to your hands. Without warm blood reaching your hands, they get very cold. The same thing applies to your feet as the seat you're sitting in constrains blood flow in your legs. A good short term solutio…
Pick a more expressive language. Less code will mean less arms on the table.
All kidding aside, exercise will have benefits on all levels.
Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with cold fingertips when you code?
#49I have a mild case of this...fingerless gloves and keeping the room warm work for me. Notably the circulation shutting down is a response to your body being cold as much as your hands...is the ac blowing on your body?
The US Army has done some research suggesting you can train away the response by (IIRC) keeping your hands in warm water while cooling your body:
http://www.nytimes.com/1988/01/19/science/simple-method-foun...
I've tried this with good results but it may not work as well if you have the issue in warm temperatures.
There are also heated keyboards and mice you could try.
Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with cold fingertips when you code?
#50When I programmed by -30 C outside, (10 C inside), I used a big bowl (2 liters) of tea to heat my fingers. Hands on the bowl, slurp tea, hands on keyboard, repeat. When the bowl, is empty refill it. But this was before USB, you know, when you had to go uphill in the snow both to and from school. Nowadays you can get something like: https://www.amazon.com/USB-Heated-Shawl-Lap-Blanket/dp/B01BH... And of course, you sho…
I second the tea solution. It also forces you to get up to use the bathroom.
Suggestion alternative solutions to the bathroom approach is considered Discussthing and will get the thread locked and loaded.