HYPOTHERMIA

Dec. 29, 2020

Predicting a severe cold wave in the national capital and several other parts of North India, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) urged residents of India’s northernmost states to protect themselves from the biting cold by avoiding alcohol.

IMD Advisory:

To avoid an adverse reaction to the cold wave, the IMD shared a list of recommendations, one of which was avoiding alcohol as it “reduces your body temperature”.
According to Health Experts, while alcohol may make you feel warmer, it actually reduces your body temperature and compromises your immunity if you then venture out into the cold.
Alcohol can decrease the core temperature of the body and increase the risk of hypothermia during cold exposure.
Alcohol is a vasodilator, which means that it causes blood vessels to relax and dilate or open. So after consuming alcohol, the volume of blood brought to the skin’s surface increases, making you feel warmer as a result.

Source : Indian Express