Even if you're accustomed to spending time outdoors in the winter cold, you may not be familiar with a potentially life-threatening cold weather malady hypothermia. It is the rapid, progressive mental and physical collapse that accompanies the chilling of the vital organs. It happens when the amount of heat being produced by your body can t keep up with the amount being lost. Exposure to any combination of cold, wetness and wind can lead to hypothermia.
Exhaustion aggravates it.
And other medical conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes, can be worsened by it. Continued exposure to even mild cold can cause hypothermia in some people especially those who are older even though they appear to be adequately protected with cold weather gear and clothing. You begin to suffer from hypothermia when the temperature in your core body falls below 95 degrees Fahrenheit. To function properly, internal organs must remain at around 98.6 degrees. The first sign of hypothermia often is violent or uncontrollable shivering.