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Cold Wave And Working People: Expert Shares 5 Tips To Practice Limited Exposure To Extreme Weather

Working people or those working from offices are at a higher risk of weather-related illness due to more exposure

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Written By: Kashish Sharma | Published : January 10, 2023 7:34 PM IST

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Many parts of northern India are experiencing a severe and prolonged cold wave that has disrupted day-to-day lives

Cold weather can cause physical stress and can make a person sick. Recently, a city in Uttar Pradesh recorded a dramatic number of deaths due to heart attacks and brain attacks. Cold weather brings a number of health-related risks for older adults but even younger adults are not free from the health hazards of being exposed to cold weather and cold winds for longer periods.

Many parts of northern India are experiencing a severe and prolonged cold wave that has disrupted day-to-day lives. Working people or those working from offices are at a higher risk of weather-related illness.

A report, a study published in the Lancet had observed that more than 7 per cent of global deaths were attributed to cold weather.

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While older adults are usually in more protective environments, younger adults and the homeless are more vulnerable and have high exposure to extreme weather conditions.

What can cold weather do to you?

As per experts, abrupt changes in the weather can be stressful for the body. When a person moves from a warm, protective environment to a cold one, the biggest changes might happen in the lungs and skin. Suddenly breathing cold air is comparable to one experiencing the stinging of something. The same might happen to those who leave their houses for work. The following are some health risks you might be vulnerable to

  1. You will spend more time indoors in close contact with other people. This will facilitate the easy transmission of infections.
  2. Cold weather leads to vasoconstriction where your blood vessels will grow narrower to prevent heat loss. This will elevate your blood pressure and you will be at higher risk of having a heart attack or brain attack.
  3. You might also be at risk of hypothermia where the body's temperature might fall too low. This can also happen if one is exposed to a mild cold for an extended period.

Expert shares tips for working people

Dr BD Pathak, Director, Department of GI, Minimal Invasive and Bariatric Surgery (Fortis Escorts Hospital, Faridabad) shared some tips on how working people can protect themselves against the dramatic health effects of the cold wave-

  1. Try to remain indoors as much as possible. Even if some work requires to be done outdoors, avoid doing it in the early morning hours or evening. Try to do much of the outside work during the afternoon hours.
  2. When inside your home or office, try closing the doors and windows to prevent the cold air from coming inside.
  3. Avoid less exposure of skin to cold weather. Cover all body parts adequately. Wear socks and cover your head and ears with a cap, even while you are working.
  4. Have a lot of warm fluids like green tea, warm water, soup, and coffee. Keep a jar or thermos near your working space so that it is easily accessible to you.
  5. Try to move out of your chair after every 20 to 30 minutes. Take a quick stroll or stretch your limbs to keep the circulation going inside the body.
Kashish Sharma

Kashish Sharma

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