Hypothermia is a disorder related to cold temperatures. Humans are considered to be a tropical species. Normal body temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius.) For humans to remain in their comfort zone, temperatures would, in a perfect world, never go over 98.6 Fahrenheit. Of course this is not a perfect world and for humans in the Northern Hemisphere, temperatures plummet in winter. The human body is able to compensate for small variations in temperature because of temperature sensors in the skin.

How the Body Responds to Temperature Change

The human body responds to body core temperatures above 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit by perspiring, which removes moisture from the body tissue and sends it to the skin surface. The moisture then evaporates, taking much of the excess heat with it. The reason humans become thirsty in hot weather is because the fluids lost through perspiration need to be replaced to avoid dehydration.

With that said, the human body responds to plummeting temperatures by shivering. This is how the body tried to replenish its heat supply. Shivering is nothing more than the contraction and expansion of muscle occurring on a very large scale. This muscle action is able to produce body heat through friction.

Hypothermia

Hypothermia occurs when our body’s core temperature goes below 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius.) This is a sub-normal temperature that makes it impossible for our body to regenerate enough heat to maintain normal bodily functions.

Development

Many different factors contribute to the development of hypothermia. Age, body size, weight, duration of exposure, exhaustion, nutrition, health, wind velocity, wetness, medications, alcohol, caffeine and frigid temperatures all decrease the amount of heat our bodies produce. These things can also increase heat loss and interfere with temperature stability.

Causes of Heat Loss

Radiation

This occurs when heat radiates outward from the body to a cooler environment.