We pride ourselves on the ability to cope with frigid weather; however, we forget that exposing ourselves to cold can result in death. The danger becomes clear when a disaster occurs and unprepared individuals expose themselves to cold weather. Hypothermia occurs when your body is unable to produce more heat than it loses. The internal temperature of the body then drops below 95 ºF or 35 C. It is crucial that you know what contributes to hypothermia and how you can prevent it. Wind, cold, and wet are the key factors. Whether you are at home, at work, or indulging in outdoor activities, you should protect yourself from extreme cold. Wearing thermal clothes is one way you can beat the cold weather. That being said, here are some cold facts about hypothermia.

What is Hypothermia?
Hypothermia is a word coined from two words; “hypo” and “thermic”.  Hypo means low and thermic is related to temperature. Therefore, hypothermia is a condition in which a person has dangerously low body temperature. It often happens during cold weather, especially when cool outdoor weather is below 50 degrees. If there is wind chill, wet, and cold, and you have little clothing not capable of trapping heat, you may experience hypothermia. It may also arise if you have poor nutrition that lowers the ability of the body to cope with frigid weather. Hypothermia makes you shiver at first, and as it worsens, you are confused and lose awareness. A person may die if the temperature drops extremely.

The Symptoms
It is crucial you understand the symptoms of hypothermia so that you can take prompt actions when you suspect one has the condition. When you have hypothermia, you will start shivering a lot. Your teeth also chatter. As it becomes worse, you get slow and clumsy. You may be confused and start to respond slowly. You also lose good judgment and have slow reactions. You may fall, wander, or lie down to rest. In extreme cases, you stop shivering and get into a coma. If you do not get treatment, your heart stops or you have a cardiac arrest and you die. Since when you are hypothermic, you need less oxygen, some people, especially kids may live after having cardiac arrest for about an hour.

What to do if you have Hypothermia
If you are hypothermic, you should take off any wet clothes and try to dry them off. Ensure you wear plenty of warm, dry clothes as well as a hat. Make sure you cover up with a warm blanket. Drinking something warm can also help. If you are just cold and shivering and you are awake, taking these actions should help you warm up eventually. However, if you are sluggish and confused, someone needs to get you to the doctor for special warming treatment.

How to Prevent Hypothermia
The most important thing in dealing with cases of hypothermia is to try to prevent it in the first place. So, make sure you wear a hat, stay dry, and have layers of clothes. Wearing thermal underwear as a base layer and topping up with other warm clothing really helps. Make sure you have clothes that keep you warm but do not get you sweaty and wet. And here is where Bodtek thermals come in handy. Get yourself and your family thermal clothes like long johns, thermal pants, thermal tops and shirts, and thermal underwear set as the ultimate gear for cold weather.