Safety in Cold Weather
Dear Community,
Let's start with heat loss. Humans lose 30% of their body heat through their heads. So, it's important to wear a hat or hood to help keep your body warm. Your fingers and toes get cold very quickly. Wear gloves and socks made of wool, fleece, or similar synthetic material to protect them from the cold. These socks are excellent for winter wear because if the socks get wet (due to excessive perspiration from the foot), the socks themselves do not lose their insulating properties. Socks made of cotton lose their insulating properties when wet, making them very hard to dry. Trench Foot, (immersion foot syndrome) is a serious condition resulting from your feet being wet for too long. It causes damage to the circulation and nerve function of the foot. To help prevent Trench Foot, also wear insulated and waterproof boots. For your clothing in the winter, wear a base layer, an insulated layer, and a shell layer.
Special Tip: Send your children to school with extra clothing (including underwear) in case your child gets wet and needs to change.
During cold months we tend to drink less water and get more dehydrated. Each breath we exhale contains a bit of water in the form of water vapor. We lose water throughout the day through everyday activities, including sweating, exhaling, urination, and natural body exertion. Whether it's work or play, you lose the essential fluids and nutrients that keep your body operating well when you exert yourself. Proper hydration means the fluid level in your body is balanced. When dehydrated, your fluid level is low, making you out of balance. Depending on the severity of the dehydration, this could significantly impact your day. Symptoms of dehydration include thirst (though not always), fatigue, muscle cramps, nausea, dizziness, confusion, excessive perspiration, and hot, dry skin. Hydrating in hot and cold conditions is critical to maintaining balance for peak performance. Encouraging your children to maintain proper fluid levels is crucial for their bodies to function correctly. Depending on age, the average person should drink half to one quart of water per hour of active activities. For example, getting into the habit of drinking about 1 cup of fluid every 15 minutes will keep your hydration levels up.
Stay safe, keep warm, and encourage proper water intake!
Take care,
Marisol Cadet Cottam
Woodland Star 8th-grade student
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