I seem to have permanently cold hands. I don't know if I have bad circulation or something, but it really frustrates me. I can be practicing for over half an hour and they're still stone cold! This really affects my practice time because some passages I can't play well or practice effectively until they've warmed up. I do scales, a couple of exercises, then my (small) repertoire, then start practicing on my current project and they just wont warm up. Is this normal? How do you deal with this, especially as the winter months come nearer?

At least when they (eventually) warm up, it feels good, if I haven't given up by then

Have you tried running your hands under warm water before you start to play? Maybe if they start out warm, they will stay that way. Maybe you could exercise for a couple minutes before playing to get some blood pumping.

Yeah, I get the same thing. Fingers feel really stiff and it feels a bit cumbersome to play at first.

My son runs his hands under warm water sometimes. At competitions he tends to wear black gloves before he plays (yes, he takes them off to play ). Wearing gloves may seem a bit pretentious, or like some psychological ploy, but it's actually a very sensible way to deal with an issue.

Thank you everyone. I've never tried running my hands under warm water before, it sounds like a good idea. Has anyone got any other methods? It might be useful to try more than one way to see what works best.

Thanks

If you truly have "permanently cold hands" (as opposed to occasional or seasonal symptoms that fluctuate intermittently with the ambient temperature), I wouldn't expect your practice routine to warm them up.

As is so frequently the case with anomalies for which people seek advice, an evaluation by a doctor should be considered (just in case this really is attributable to poor circulation or something else health-related).

Steven

Make yourself a handwarmer. Make a bag or fill a sock with dried peas/beans and microwave it. It will hold warmth for about 20 minutes and is good to clutch.

Sorry, maybe I shouldn't have used a hyperbole in this case. They're not 'permanently' cold, but they do seem to take a long time to warm up. That warm water trick does work quite well. It warmed them up long enough for me to do some more difficult passages to warm them up properly. I'll try that hand warmer. I certainly have lots of odd socks that I could use.

You must have the same brand of clothes-dryer that I have!

Cheers!

Fellow cold-hander here! It takes forever for me to play during the winter months especially. I do have poor circulation; my cuticles turn purple. I appreciate the above suggestions. In the past I've 1) worn sweatshirts with pockets (or mittens, better than gloves in my experience) to recitals/performances 2) done the good, old-fashioned rubbing and breathing on them and 3) sat on them (creates stiffness, not recommended) 4) for hand warmers, may I suggest a warm cup of coffee or cocoa, a space heater (especially effective), and last but certainly not least, a cat (or a dog, in a pinch).

Ah, yes. Nov. rolls around, and so does the "cold hands" threads.

I'll say what I do every year.
The trick to warm hands is having a warm body - especially torso. Wear clothes that keep your body warm. When your body is warm, blood will circulate more to your extremities. A sweater or vest works wonders.

Your body will keep the internal organs warm and functioning first - at the expense of the extremities.

A water bottle heated in the mocriwave, and held in your hands keeps them warm.
I never liked the idea of soaking your hands, or running them under warm/hot water. You have to dry them quickly, and make sure they are completely dry because evaporating water has a cooling effect.

I sit on my hands all the time, and don't find I have any problem with "stiffness", but I guess this could vary from individual to individual.

+1. I'll add keeping the neck and wrist/forearms warm. Who knew the scarf wasn't just a fashion statement!

But that in itself is not enough. I think good gloves are the best bet. Though I will resort to running them under hot water at times, I already suffer with overly dry hands as it is, so this then creates a whole other problem of having to apply a moisturizer, and then the stickiness becomes a distraction...

After a 15-20 minute walk to my lesson in freezing temps, I always plan to arrive at least 10 minutes early so my hands have a chance to warm up before my lesson.

Daniel

I usually use the warm water things at home. For performances, I always take a couple of those hand warmer packets that hunters use. You open the packet and it immediately heats up. They last for 3-4 hours and are life-savers!

Me three. I sometimes use those hand warmer deals that skiers use. You shake them up, and they get very warm. I think the key is not to sit down and start playing with cold hands as it takes a long time to warm them up that way. Or it does me anyway.

Right, so the main trick is warm them up before you start. Thanks so much everyone, now I'll be able to get a lot more done in my practice sessions. I'll look into each of these methods.

I have Raynaud's syndrome, which essentially means that my fingers and toes lose circulation and turn white if I'm not very careful. I wear gloves every time I leave the house if it's below 60, drink lots of tea (holding the mug feels great), and keep my torso warm (as Phlebas suggests above).

I've read that drinking more water can help by increasing blood volume. Fish oil is supposed to help too. I've been taking it 3 times a day and my symptoms are much less frequent. Of course, check with your doctor if you want to take a supplement.

But my favorite trick is a pair of plug-in heated hand mitts, like they use in spas. I purchased them at Bed Bath & Beyond. I leave them next to the piano bench, plug them in when practicing, and slip my hands in whenever they get cold. Works like a charm.

I have to soak my hands for a while in hot water in the morning before playing, in the colder part of the year. I then lather up with lotion and rub it in thoroughly before playing. Usually takes care of me for the rest of the day.

Thanks for the tips everyone.


I've heard of that. One of my friends has it. I think and they have to wear gloves quite a lot of the time or their hands would go blue.

Chopin4life, are you a male or female?, and are other parts of your body, specifically your ears and the tips of your nose cold in conjunction with your hands? What is your age grouping (roughly)? Also, do you notice any rashes, especially across your cheeks? Do you smoke? Lastly, how are your thyroid hormone levels?

Most of my practicing is done in the morning before work. After a good hot shower, I dress, then head directly to the piano. Cold hands have never been an issue with that routine, unlike if I try to practice after work.

I don't feel comfortable practicing after applying hand lotion, though I use it at work frequently during the day.

I'll bet a lot of you have Raynaud's syndrome or disease to some extent, as I apparently do.

What's the temperature of your room?

We use wood heat, and in the morning it's often around 62 degrees. I do something else until the room heats up, and often the room is over 75 degrees during the day. I have no problems in that situation.

Wearing a hat can also help.

I've heard that Glenn Gould put his hands in hot water until they were red.

We've had a chilly rainy day here today... although it is true that San Francisco couldn't possibly compete with freezing weather found elsewhere, there is still an extraordinary damp cold here which feels like it permeates every fiber of one's being.

Funny... just prior to discovering this thread I made a cup of tea, put my microwaveable slippers on, filled a hot water bottle for my lap and turned on my heated seat cushion. A big bowl of steaming soup is next on the agenda.

I suppose keeping one's head warm is the best way to conserve heat, but I'm not much of a hat person - especially indoors.

Those heated slippers sound silly but they really take the edge off of the cold. If my feet are warm the rest of me seems to warm up more quickly. Hot water bottles are very effective. I have an English one and a German one.

I've been told that the most effective way to use warm water is to run it over the wrists.

This time in the year I shine a lamp on the keys (sometimes two). I suffered from Reynauds when I smoked years ago.

It’s a hard life for you chaps at the northern end of the globe ... keeping the piano hands warm.

Down south we’re battling with daily temperatures varying from an equable 18-28C ... short-lived rainy thunderstorms (complete with Thor lightning-bolts) give way to cloudless summer skies ... tend to play my old Johanna shirtless (don’t tell the neighbours!).

Amusing description by whippenboy of 'Frisco weather ... and the bowl of soup at the ready ... knowing London’s draughty interiors, was taken with klutz’ use of 2 lamps to warm the keys ... what some royal pigeon-fanciers get up to!!

But then ... why not shoot the pianist?

I always have cold hands too. Not because of Raynaud's syndrome - I just have cold hands. I find that it is less of a problem if my music room is heated. I also use the mug of hot tea trick too. I used to have a pair of fingerless gloves that I practiced in.

M

Dang, mate! We Americans seem to be only ones keeping English tradition alive; Keepers of the flame so to speak. Even the English have abandoned the English system; and now the Aussies and Kiwis too? Too much to handle in one sitting.

i've ordered a dozen of these nylon gloves.

http://www.gallawayb2b.com/Products/Inspection-Gloves/Stretch-Nylon-Inspectors-Gloves

the website is a bit difficult to navigate.. you might have to email them to place an order under $100.00.

i turn them inside out and trim the excess material from the seams around the fingers. it's totally easy to play with them on. i just throw them in the wash. I have yet to wear out a pair.. one's fingers are appropriately nonsticky.. i really like these (or course, i really prefer silk, but can't afford them).

i also make rice bags (rice in a hole-less sock) and put a tight rubber band around the ankle part.. then microwave them for one to two minutes. they stay wonderfully warm for about 30 minutes.

i've found the wrist bands aid greatly - i make mine out of the ankle part of old socks - but tennis sweat bands would work perfectly (just for private practice)

wearing a vest and neck scarf and sometimes helps alot too. we keep our house quite cold in the winter, rarely turning the thermostat up above 60 (unless we have company).

My hands get cold very easily, especially when I'm nervous. Even when it's summer.
Also my parents just like to keep it really cold at home. I find that wristbands really help keep my hands warm, or heating up a rice bag. I sometimes heat one up before practise and then keep it beside me when I'm practising on a cold day. Running my hands under warm water didn't really help though, my hands would become cold because of the contrast in air temperature.

I'm male, mid teens, don't smoke and dont have any rashes. I don't think my ears/nose get very cold. I think I might just notice my hands being cold because I use them to play the piano a lot. As to you last question, I honestly have no idea what that is even . I have noticed that my hands tend to get cold when at the computer, probably because I'm hardly doing anything. Maybe, as someone suggested, exercise before hand would be a good idea.

On a lighter note, thanks to you (everyone), I am now able to overcome this obstacle and my practice sessions are becoming much more fruitful. I love that feeling when they're nice and warm and feel all toasty

As I said, I spend time rubbing it in before actually playing a note. Don't need to grease my keys, thank you.

Now that's a routine I could dig; take a hot shower (I loves me a hot shower!) and immediately practice.