Alcohol increases the risk of cold injury

Drinking alcohol may increase the risk of injury from cold exposure. Alcohol:

• Changes your body's ability to regulate body temperature.
• Changes your judgment. For example, a person may not put on additional clothing when it is needed if his or her judgment is changed by alcohol.
• Can cause blood vessels in the skin to get bigger (dilate). This increases heat loss.
• Reduces your sense of cold because it depresses the nervous system.