Tuesday, December 16, 2008

A Public Service Message from Brrr Hill

Headache, feeling achy.  I hope I'm just slow at adjusting to the very dry cold and dealing with a disruption in my sleep schedule rather than coming down with something.

If you're in dry cold, remember to drink on a schedule.  The thirst mechanism isn't triggered as reliably in cold weather, and dry cold (especially with lots of wind) dehydrates people shockingly fast.  I haven't been drinking on a schedule, and I suspect that may have something to do with how I'm feeling.

Dehydration can cause headaches, nausea, diarrhea as well as the more usual dry mouth/throat/fuzzy tongue.  In fact, if you need something to help you remember the less usual symptoms of dehydration, just think about how it feels to be hungover.  

And don't forget to check your pee.  There are grosser things to do.  No, I don't want to hear about them.  :-)  If you're not going, or not going often enough, or its dark, you could be in trouble.  Seriously.

Stay safe and warm out there.  It might not be as cold as it is in, say, Montana, but it's no joke.  In fact, those of us who aren't used to this really chilly weather are generally less prepared, and more likely to suffer from a cold injury like frostbite or lung damage than our more savvy cold-weather neighbors.

Happy Brrr Days!

2 comments:

C.S. said...

By drinking, you mean water, right?

'Cause my Navan is almost gone as is the Amaretto and the Amber scotch is just begging to be consumed. I mean since I have to stay inside anyway because of the new snow and because I've got a bad cold and because of the upcoming holidays...okay, maybe I should be adding a bit more soy eggnog to my mug.

Kami said...

Mmm, Navan ...

I think having a shot of Navan yesterday tipped me over the edge. After four cups of herbal (no caffeine! Caffeine makes dehydration worse, never mind the whole heart arrhythmia issue I have) tea and three large glasses of water plus an ibuprofen, I went to bed with a much reduced headache and woke up feeling fine.

So my rule is now that before I have Navan I have to have a big glass of water, and I have to have another big glass of water afterward.

I hope you feel better!