Hypothermia is a cold symptom that can cause shock and death, which occurs when the body loses excessive heat in very cold and windy environments, cannot replace the lost heat, and the body temperature drops below the normal 36.5 degrees. Hypothermia is one of nature's greatest and most insidious dangers in the cold. It is necessary to try to prevent it and to be conscious about it.,
The human body loses its vital body heat mostly through contact with cold air and objects, evaporation through sweating and respiratory tract. When the body temperature drops to around 35 degrees, a feeling of coldness and tremors, which is the beginning of hypothermia, occurs, loss of consciousness occurs at around 30-31 degrees, and death occurs at around 28 degrees. This can roughly be called 'freezing to death'.
Being exposed to cold and windy environments, not having adequately insulated clothing in the cold and getting wet are the main and major causes of hypothermia. It is also necessary to remember the 'wind chill factor'. The already cold air will have an even colder effect with a strong wind. For example, on a minus 5 degree winter day, with the wind blowing at 25 kilometers per hour, the actual temperature will be felt at minus 20 degrees and below. In short, being protected from the wind and always moving ensures that the body temperature drops excessively and stays away from the hypothermic state.
Consuming plenty of hot liquids and carbohydrates in nature, fast-energy foods, carefully observing the signs of hypothermia of teammates, having spare and dry insulating clothing, being able to enter a shelter that can cut the wind if necessary, and being physically active play an important role in the prevention of hypothermia. An important step is taken in the fight against hypothermia, especially by preventing internal and external wetting, because energy is lost 360 times faster than normal with a wet suit, and it is impossible for the body to replace it. Getting wet should be avoided at all costs and dry clothes should be worn in case of getting wet.
Hypothermia Symptoms
The first symptoms of hypothermia to be remembered are the severe tremors that the body's muscles create to warm up. This is followed by mental lethargy and difficulty speaking/thinking, and a great incoordination of movements. The hypothermic person displays a reluctant, lazy, incapable of taking initiative, is mentally confused and 'nonsense', cannot think rationally, cannot make decisions. Finally, fainting and loss of consciousness and coma will follow. It is very important to intervene long before the casualty comes to this situation and it will be a savior.Intervention Methods in Hypothermia
In the early stage of hypothermia, it will be enough to wear a dry extra layer of clothing that will block the wind and cold a little, wear gloves and a beanie, take some hot liquids and eat a bite of energy food, and if necessary, enter a bivak (overnight bag) bag that cuts the wind and warm up. In further hypothermic cases, the victim, who cannot take care of himself, should be moved to a closed, windproof place (tent, snow shelter, behind a rock, etc.) as soon as possible without much movement, contact with the cold should be cut off, heated slowly, and if conscious, plenty of warm, hot liquids should be given. Drinking and resting should be provided. If the victim is unconscious, they should be warmed with the body temperature of another person, because the victim's body temperature is not in a position to do this himself. It will be sufficient for two people to enter a sleeping bag together. It is necessary to raise the body core temperature by warming the body by using a water bottle that is hot enough not to burn the skin. Very rapid and severe heating of the hands and feet should be avoided, because it is an undesirable and potentially fatal situation for the extremely cold blood in these end organs to circulate to the heart and vital organs and possibly cause embolism. (This is a rule that should also apply when frozen.)
Another completely wrong way to protect yourself from the cold is to consume alcohol and alcoholic products. Alcohol, which used to increase body temperature by expanding the blood vessels, rapidly increases the feeling of cold when its effect decreases and the vessels contract, and leads to dangerous decreases in body core temperature, so it should definitely be avoided.
Excessive fatigue and physical exertion and exhaustion of the body are among the causes that can lead to hypothermia; therefore, extreme stresses and being in the cold at the borders should be consciously avoided in cold climate activities, and the teams should be able to see it without hypothermia by consciously observing within themselves. Understanding how hypothermia occurs and using the means to prevent it correctly reduces this threat, if not completely.
Swiss Grading System: With this method, it evaluates the reactions of our internal organs according to the temperature situation in the air and makes a classification. Below is the detailed table of the Swiss Hypothermia Rating System.
Table: Swiss Rating System for Hypothermia
| Hypothermia classification | |||
| Swiss System | Symptoms | Level | Heat |
| Rank 1 | Awake and Trembling | Light | 32–35 °C (90–31 °F) |
| Rank 2 | Sleepy and no shaking | Middle | 28–32 °C (82–26 °F) |
| Grade 3 | No Consciousness and Tremor | Severe | 20–28 °C (70–18 °F) |
| Grade 4 | No Sign of Life | Very heavy | <20 °C (68 °F) |