Do you really lose 50% of your body heat through your head?

No, that's a myth. Your head loses heat roughly in proportion to its surface area—about 10% in studies, not half. It just feels colder because it's often the only exposed part of your body when you're already wearing layers everywhere else.

Why does my head feel so cold even if it's not losing that much heat?

Your head has lots of blood vessels close to the surface, making it more sensitive to temperature changes. Plus, it's often the only unprotected bit of skin exposed to wind and weather when the rest of you is layered up, so you notice it more.

Does it matter what order I layer up in when it's cold?

In theory, covering larger areas like your torso makes more difference than smaller areas. In practice, most people already wear a coat first, and adding a hat is worthwhile simply because your head is often the last exposed bit that's easy to protect.

Do You Actually Need That?

Your Head Isn't a Radiator (But It Does Lose Heat When You Forget Your Hat)

Contrary to the myth that half your body heat escapes through your skull, your head loses heat roughly in proportion to how much skin you've got on show—which is still enough to matter when it's cold. Covering it up does exactly what you'd expect: it stops that exposed bit of you from losing warmth to the air. Turns out a hat is just insulation that happens to sit on your head.

15 August 20266 min read