Winter is coming to a close, but that is no excuse to get careless
about the cold. Although the longer, warmer days of spring are just
around the corner, the effects of this unusually tough winter are sure
to last through the next few months.
For some, staying
safe and warm during spring camping trips can be a challenge and even
result in hypothermia, a serious, life-threatening health problem
caused by prolonged exposure to the cold.
When exposed to
cold temperatures, whether indoors or outside, your body begins to lose
heat faster than it is produced. This prolonged exposure to cold will
eventually use up your body’s stored energy and result in a
lower-than-normal core body temperature – or hypothermia.
Hypothermia
is especially dangerous once a person’s body temperature drops below 95
degrees Fahrenheit, because organs such as the heart and brain, for
starters, begin to be affected. This can cause a person to not think
clearly or be able to move in a normal fashion. Victims may not even be
completely aware of what is happening or understand that they need
help, and, as a result, they often don’t react properly.
A
body temperature below 90 degrees is life threatening, and when it
drops to 86 degrees or lower, a person may slip into a coma and appear
dead, with no signs of breathing or a pulse.
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