Temperatures drop, winter reappears and intensifies and with its share of frozen noses, hands and feet. But the shivers are not the only thing to fear when the cold rages: “hypothermia, frostbite which can lead to amputation, aggravation of possible cardiovascular risks… simple gestures make it possible to avoid the risks” puts warns a press release from Public Health France warning against the mistakes to avoid to cool down your body even more:
– Increase your physical effort: when the cold grips and the body temperature drops, the latter already makes an extra effort to maintain itself at a suitable temperature, increasing the heart rate even more. For people at risk Public Health France, therefore recommends limiting physical efforts as much as possible so as not to put their heart to the test.
– To drink alcohol : for those who were thinking of warming up with a little pick-me-up: bad idea! A study conducted by the University of Rochester in the United States has shown that while alcohol gives the impression of heating up, in reality it brings the blood to the surface of the skin and cools the temperature of the body even faster . Suddenly, the body is asleep and we do not realize the signs of a sudden cooling.
– Increase your interior heating too much: the temperatures fall you are inevitably tempted to increase the heating. Not only does this risk being tough on your savings, but it also increases the risk of carbon monoxide emissions. This toxic gas explains a press release from the Ministry of Health “causes intoxication by relying on red blood cells (via breathing and the lungs) and by preventing these blood cells from properly conveying oxygen in the body.”, if the house is not ventilated enough or that the installations are not properly maintained. Headaches, nausea and vomiting are symptoms that should be alerted in case of doubt by calling 15 or 112.
– Forget gloves and scarves: even if the coat is the centerpiece of the winter wardrobe, we must not neglect the wearing of gloves, hats or scarves because the most important thing, recalls, the site of Public health France is to “cover his extremities and cover his nose and mouth to breathe less cold air” to keep his body temperature normal.
