Before heading out into the cold this winter, make sure you are wearing enough clothing to keep you warm and safe from winter's harsh chill.

This is especially true if you are a farmer, construction worker, outdoor enthusiast or someone who spends a lot of time outside in the cold months. You're at risk for developing hypothermia, a condition in which your body temperature drops because it's losing more heat than it can replace.

Hypothermia causes a gradual reduction in physical and mental functioning that may go unnoticed until it's too late. A person suffering from hypothermia can become increasingly confused, clumsy, unreasonable and sleepy. Undetected and untreated, hypothermia can cause death.

Keep in mind that wearing at least a few layers of the proper kind of fabrics is an effective way to prevent hypothermia. Multiple layers of thinner clothing provide better insulation and help reduce the loss of body heat.

Selecting the appropriate fabrics to have closest to your skin can also help keep you warm.

Try to avoid cotton as it holds in your perspiration. Instead, try wearing synthetic fabrics such as polypropylene that keep moisture away from your body.

Here are some other recommendations, which will help keep you warmer :

• Wool is the best material to wear when it's cold. Wear it over inner layers of synthetic fabrics.
• Wear a hat. You can lose up to 70 per cent of your body heat through your head.
• Gloves and mittens also help conserve body heat.
• Wear multiple layers of socks.
• Stay dry. Wearing wet clothes is a major factor in causing hypothermia and frostbite.

If you would like more information, visit HealthyOntario.com

December 2003

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