Many things come to mind when you’re faced with an emergency or survival situation. Getting to a safe place is certainly one of the first and most important. Staying hydrated and fed is another basic survival instinct. Shelter is one of humanity’s primary needs as well. Of course, avoiding the dangers presented by other people, wild animals, and environmental threats also enters the mix. Those are only a few of the factors that jump to the forefront of people’s minds in emergencies.
That being said, keeping your body temperature regulated should also be a consideration. It’s one that many people overlook, but it’s crucial for staying healthy. Extreme temperatures can wreak havoc on the human body. Whether you’re faced with a weather-related power outage or a major disaster with long-term impacts, keeping your body within optimal internal temperature ranges is essential.
That may not be easy without the conveniences of modern heating and air conditioning to fall back on, but it’s not impossible. Portable heaters and air conditioners like those available from Prepared Bee can help. If you’re preparing for an emergency, consider adding these tools to your list of essentials. It’s not a matter of mere comfort; it could actually save lives when faced with extreme temperatures in dire situations.
What Happens When Your Temperature Drops Too Low?
Most of us know how it feels when we get too cold. It starts off as mild discomfort but can quickly transition to outright pain. Of course, numbness eventually sets in. That’s really where low body temperature gets dangerous. That numbness often gives people a false sense of relief, but it’s actually a warning sign of imminent danger. When you’re exposed to cold for too long, your core temperature could fall below the norm of 98.6 degrees, which could have devastating effects on your body.
The Body’s Initial Response to Cold
In the beginning, the human body reacts to cold by reducing blood flow to the skin and extremities. Normally, you lose heat through your skin as part of the natural thermoregulation process. When you’re exposed to extreme cold, you don’t necessarily need to lose body heat, so your body tries to slow the process. That allows the blood to keep heat circulating near your vital organs. It’s why your fingers, toes, nose, and ears are the first to feel the effects of cold. Then, it slowly spreads inward to the rest of your body.
Additionally, your muscles start to quickly and involuntarily contract. That generates heat in an attempt to raise your body temperature. We experience this as shivering. At the same time, tiny muscles at the bases of hair follicles start to contract so those hairs stand on end, also known as goosebumps. This creates a bit of an extra insulative layer to help hold in warmth.
Hypothermia Sets in
If our body temperature drops below 95 degrees despite those natural attempts to conserve heat, hypothermia starts to set in. At first, you might feel disoriented. Then, shivering becomes more severe. Hypothermia victims also tend to breathe more rapidly, and their heart rate increases. Once the body’s internal temperature drops below 90 degrees, your movements become sluggish, and you start to lose coordination. At that point, the body often gives up on trying to conserve heat, so the shivering stops.
By the time the body’s internal temperature drops below 82 degrees, the situation is much more critical. Your mental functions decline significantly, potentially leading to memory loss, slurred speech, and irrational behavior. Eventually, hypothermia victims may lose consciousness. Vital signs tend to weaken considerably at this stage. The skin also becomes cold, pale, or bluish in color. That’s the effect of blood being directed inward.
What Are the Effects of Hypothermia?
Hypothermia can have severe effects on the body. Since exposure to cold causes blood vessels to constrict, it leads to an increase in blood pressure. In particularly serious cases, this can prompt cardiac arrest. Your respiratory system is likely to be affected as well. Shallow, rapid breathing can eventually give way to respiratory failure. Reduced blood flow to the kidneys can lead to dehydration and kidney failure. Prolonged exposure to cold depletes your body’s stored energy, so you start to feel extremely tired.
Preventing hypothermia by intermittently coming in out of the cold is the best way to avoid all those dangers. If you’re caught outdoors or facing an extended power outage that leaves you without heat, though, that might not be possible. That’s where a portable heater could save the day. On the other hand, if someone is already feeling the effects of hypothermia, a portable heater could be essential in treating the condition. For hypothermia victims, experts recommend removing wet clothing, wrapping them in blankets, using heat packs, and gradually rewarming them.
What Happens If Your Body Temperature Gets Too High?
Every story has two sides, and this one is no exception. Allowing your body temperature to get too high is no less dangerous than having it drop too low. When the body is exposed to excessive heat, hyperthermia can set it. As this condition progresses, it can evolve into heat exhaustion and even cause heat stroke. This, too, can cause a cascade of physical responses as the body tries to regulate your internal temperature.
Early Effects of Hyperthermia
In contrast to the vasoconstriction that happens with hypothermia, heat exposure causes vasodilation. That means the blood vessels widen to help transfer heat out of the body. Heat normally dissipates into the air as it leaves the body. If the surrounding temperature is excessively high, though, this natural process may not work properly. As the blood vessels dilate to facilitate heat transfer, the body also starts to sweat, which is another natural cooling process. As the sweat evaporates, it takes heat from the body to allow it to cool off. If humidity levels are high, this process may not be as effective as it needs to be because the air is already saturated with moisture.
Dehydration and Heat Exhaustion
As the body continues to sweat, you lose essential fluids and electrolytes, like potassium and sodium. Over time, if you’re not taking in as much fluid as you’re losing through sweat, you’ll become dehydrated. In addition to the heat and humidity around you, dehydration further hampers the body’s ability to regulate its internal temperature. At first, you might only feel a little thirsty and tired. After prolonged exposure to extreme heat, though, the symptoms and effects will become more severe.
Heat exhaustion can become a problem when the body’s internal temperature stays too high for too long because you lose excessive amounts of fluid and electrolytes. That could lead to heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, nausea, and rapid heart rate. If you don’t cool off, rehydrate, and replenish your electrolytes, your condition will continue to grow more serious.
Heat Stroke
Once the body’s internal temperature reaches or exceeds 104 degrees, the consequences of prolonged heat exposure are particularly dangerous. This is where heat stroke sets in. It disrupts your body’s ability to regulate its own temperatures. You’re likely to become confused, start having seizures, or even lose consciousness. Ultimately, you could experience organ damage or failure, which can be life-threatening.
Preventing the Impacts of Prolonged Heat Exposure
Several measures can be taken to prevent the effects of prolonged heat exposure. Regularly allowing yourself cooling-off periods is one of the best ways to keep heat exhaustion and heat stroke at bay. That being said, if you’re in the midst of extremely high outdoor temperatures with no access to conventional air conditioning, cooling off is easier said than done. Finding shade or taking a quick dip in a river or lake may help. Alternatively, you could cover yourself in cool, wet cloths. Having a portable air conditioner on hand can certainly make a world of difference too.
Along the way, be sure to wear loose, lightweight clothing if you’ll be exposed to extreme heat for extended periods. Drink plenty of water and electrolyte replacement drinks to help keep you hydrated and your electrolytes balanced. Remember that physical activity and strenuous work increase your chances of hypothermia in extreme heat. In survival situations or emergencies, both factors are likely to be in play, so be extremely careful.
Staying Safe in Extreme Temperatures
Our bodies have several built-in mechanisms to help keep our internal temperatures regulated. Under normal circumstances, those processes are perfectly effective. In extreme environments, though, they’re not always enough to keep us safe and healthy. Being exposed to extreme cold or heat for too long can have serious repercussions, but in times of emergency, simply stepping inside for a few minutes to warm up or cool off may not be an option.
Certain measures can help ward off the effects of exposure. If you’re going to be out in the cold for a long time, wear layers of protective clothing. For prolonged exposure to extreme heat, cool, loose-fitting clothing can help. Keep the previously mentioned early effects of hypothermia and hyperthermia in mind as well. If you start to experience them, take action immediately to prevent further complications. Portable heaters and air conditioners can also go a long way toward keeping the effects of exposure at bay.