In moderation, the right beverage can bring cheer on a cold winter night. But will it really warm you up?
According to studies over the years, while alcohol may seem like the perfect cold-weather beverage because it creates a sensation of warmth, it actually decreases core body temperature — regardless of the temperature outside — and increases the risk of hypothermia.
The normal process that makes us feel cold occurs when blood flows away from the skin and into the organs, which increases core body temperature. Alcohol reverses this process, increasing the flow of blood to the skin and setting off a sharp drop in body temperature.
It also reverses other reflexes that control body temperature. A study by the Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine found that the “primary mechanism by which alcohol exacerbates the fall in body core temperature” is by reducing the ability to shiver, the body’s way of creating warmth.
Another study, published in 2005, found that after a single drink, the body tries to counteract the brief sensation of warmth caused by increased blood flow to the skin by ramping up its rate of sweating, which only decreases body temperature even further.
This may not sound like much. But several studies have found that alcohol ingestion often plays a role in hypothermia-related injuries and deaths. Experts say it’s something to keep in mind at tailgates and other outdoor activities.
