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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