Mulled wine, punch, grog, champagne … there is no shortage of alcoholic drinks in winter, and it is nice to have a glass of mulled wine in cold weather. However, cold and alcohol might be a dangerous combo. The fact that alcohol reduces the feeling of cold may be misleading. It happens because blood vessels close to the surface of the body dilate, causing a feeling of warmth. But this occurs at the expense of core body temperature, and, with an increased heat release, it may lead to hypothermia more easily. Alcohol may cause disturbances in the process of body temperature control as it diminishes shivering (the quick contraction of muscles to generate heat), which is otherwise a useful response to cold. Due to its impact on our mental state, we may end up making poor decisions, and become drowsy, which is something to pay attention to. Consuming a larger amount of alcohol may spoil the body’s ability to protect itself, while it increases dehydration. Doing physical exercise alongside all this may make us feel exhausted earlier. That being said, it is not our intention to disincline anyone to drink alcoholic beverages during the holidays. The key word is: moderation. If you have any medical problem, LetMeHealthYou is the simple fastest way for getting help and choosing the optimal specialist for you! Call +36 1 677 7222 They created their call center service to help tourists who suffer an unexpected medical emergency during their staying at Budapest. With their service foreigners without local knowledge or with few local acquaintances will be able to find quickly and easily the apt clinics and medical professionals which are enabled at the time of the calling. Photo: Pixabay