TO New Year’scity squares are often filled with people. It is in this context that a false myth: the idea that drink alcohol can heat the body, so as to counteract the cold of the last day of the year. In reality, this perception of heat is just aillusion momentary caused by vasodilation. Let’s see why alcohol doesn’t really warm you up and why it can even make your body cool down even faster.
Because alcohol doesn’t really warm you when it’s cold
When drinking alcohol (any alcoholic beverage containing ethanol), you may feel a sensation of heat superficial. This happens because alcohol is a vasodilator: dilates blood vessels superficialallowing blood to flow towards the skin and the extremities of the body, such as the hands, feet and face.
This increase in circulation blood at level cutaneous produces a temporary heat felt on the skin. It must be specified, however, that the heat that is felt is not real heatingbut simply the result of dispersion of heat bodily outward. This heat loss can lead to hypothermiaespecially if you are outdoors in harsh conditions Freddo intense.
Alcohol lowers body temperature: the risks with the cold
Drink alcohol during a long New Year’s Eve evening outdoors, perhaps in a square or in a place Not heatedcan accentuate i risks linked to exposure to cold. The dilation of blood vessels caused by alcohol prevents the body from implementing its natural defense mechanism: the vasoconstriction.
This process consists of shrinkage of blood vessels, which slow down superficial circulation reduces heat dispersion and protects vital organs by keeping blood inside them.
Instead the assumption of alcohol makes it easier a quick heat loss, lowering the temperature corporeal. This effect not only increases the risk of freezingbut it can also lead to a state of numbness. In some cases, people can fall asleepunaware of the drastic drop in theirs temperature corporeala situation that can become fatal.
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for episodes of frostbite affect vulnerable people, such as the “homeless” with problems alcoholismparticularly exposed to these risks during the winter months.
To protect yourself, it is essential cover yourself adequatelypreferring layered clothing and materials insulators. Hot non-alcoholic drinks, such as tea or hot chocolate, can contribute to a feeling of well being without interfering with the natural heat regulation mechanisms.
