Everyone knows to wear layers and don a hat during times of extreme cold. But did you know you should avoid caffeine? Below are a few tips to help you stay safe and warm this winter.

Dressing for the cold
•Wool retains most of its insulation properties when wet. Some manmade fibers retain their insulation properties as good as or better than wool.
•Wear a hat. Radiation accounts for more than half of heat loss from the body. The head may lose up to one-half of the body's total heat production at 40 degrees F, and up to three-quarters at 5 degrees F. A hat that covers the ears and neck area is particularly effective.
•Paper is a good insulator and can be wrapped around the body (under your clothes) to add insulation.

When outside in the cold
• Avoid caffeine. It is a stimulant and thus can cause the heart to beat faster and hasten the effects the cold has on the body.
• Avoid alcohol, a depressant, which can slow the heart and also hasten the ill effects of cold body temperatures. When one has consumed alcohol, increased warm blood flow can trick body "heat sensors" into believing all is well. This short circuits the mechanism that would normally trigger shivering.
• Watch for signs of frostbite -- a loss of feeling and a white or pale appearance in fingers, toes, or nose and ear lobes are symptoms.
• Watch for signs of hypothermia — uncontrollable shivering, slow speech, memory lapses, frequent stumbling, drowsiness and exhaustion.

Before taking a car trip
• Have a mechanic check the following: battery, antifreeze, wipers and windshield washer fluid, ignition system, thermostat, lights, flashing hazard lights, exhaust system, heater, brakes, defroster, oil level.

Winter car kit
• Flashlights with extra batteries
• First aid kit with pocket knife
• Small sack of sand for generating traction under wheels
• Brightly colored cloth to use as a flag

During a car trip
• Travel during daylight and, if possible, take at least one other person
• Dress warmly

If trapped in a car
• Pull off the road, set hazard lights to flashing, and hang a distress flag from the radio aerial or window. Raise the hood
• Remain in your vehicle unless help is visible within 100 yards
• Conserve fuel, but run the engine and heater about 10 minutes each hour to keep warm, cracking a downwind window slightly to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning
• Do minor exercises to keep up circulation: Clap hands and move arms and legs occasionally.