# why is sweating part of hypothermia? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 20, 2013, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sweating-part-of-hypothermia/661442 "2013-06-20T07:35:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![matt357](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@matt357](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt357)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sweating-part-of-hypothermia/661442/1 "2013-06-20T07:35:41Z")
It seems counter productive, you sweat , your clothes become wet with sweat making you even more cold. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sweating-part-of-hypothermia/661442/2 "2013-06-20T10:05:28Z")
Where did you see that sweating is part of hypothermia? It is not a symptom of hypothermia, but as you mention [it can cause or worsen it](http://www.wildernesscollege.com/causes-of-hypothermia.html). If you are in a cold environment but exerting yourself and sweat and your clothes get wet rather than venting it off, once you stop the exertion and sit with wet clothes your heat loss is a lot faster. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sweating-part-of-hypothermia/661442/3 "2013-06-20T10:37:40Z")
Mat357, hypothermia (too cold) does not cause sweating, however, sweating can cause hypothermia. If your hypothalamus is buggered up (for example by a bad reaction to opiates) it might think that you are too hot when in reality you are not. When it mistakenly thinks that you are to hot, it tries to lower your body temperature by directing your body to sweat. As you sweat you cool down. If your hypothalamus is too confused, you could sweat so much that you become hypothermic. If your hypothalamus is working properly, you will not sweat unless you are too hot, and certainly will not sweat if you are hypothermic. If you are hyperthermic (too hot), then you will sweat, unless you hypothalamus is buggered and sending out the wrong signals, or you are so dehydrated that you have little left to sweat, with the vultures circling and asking each other “is dinner cooked yet?”. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sweating-part-of-hypothermia/661442/4 "2013-06-20T10:54:01Z")
For a list of things that can bugger up your thermoregulatory centre and cause you to sweat when you are not hot, google about for “cold sweat” or “night sweat”. ---
**Author:** ![matt357](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@matt357](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt357)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sweating-part-of-hypothermia/661442/5 "2013-06-20T16:24:40Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Mat357, hypothermia (too cold) does not cause sweating, however, sweating can cause hypothermia. > > If your hypothalamus is buggered up (for example by a bad reaction to opiates) it might think that you are too hot when in reality you are not. When it mistakenly thinks that you are to hot, it tries to lower your body temperature by directing your body to sweat. As you sweat you cool down. If your hypothalamus is too confused, you could sweat so much that you become hypothermic. > > If your hypothalamus is working properly, you will not sweat unless you are too hot, and certainly will not sweat if you are hypothermic. > > If you are hyperthermic (too hot), then you will sweat, unless you hypothalamus is buggered and sending out the wrong signals, or you are so dehydrated that you have little left to sweat, with the vultures circling and asking each other “is dinner cooked yet?”. wikipedia says sweating is one of the symptoms of the latter stages of hypothermia ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sweating-part-of-hypothermia/661442/6 "2013-06-20T16:28:24Z")
Is this what you’re talking about? > [@](#): > > One explanation for the effect is a cold-induced malfunction of the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that regulates body temperature. Another explanation is that the muscles contracting peripheral blood vessels become exhausted (known as a loss of vasomotor tone) and relax, leading to a sudden surge of blood (and heat) to the extremities, fooling the person into feeling overheated.[23] I didn’t find anything about sweathing being a symptom in the Wikipedia article. As far as sweating leading to hypothermia…sure. I’m always paranoid, running in the winter, that I’ll sweat too much and twist an ankle or something, and not be able to stay warm. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sweating-part-of-hypothermia/661442/7 "2013-06-20T16:46:41Z")
From [UpToDate.com](http://UpToDate.com) > [@](#): > > CLINICAL PRESENTATION Hypothermia > > General findings and progression — As the compensatory mechanisms preventing hypothermia are overwhelmed, the following changes typically occur: > > ■Patients with mild hypothermia demonstrate tachypnea, tachycardia, initial hyperventilation, ataxia, dysarthria, impaired judgment, shivering, and so-called “cold diuresis.” > > ■Moderate hypothermia is characterized by proportionate reductions in pulse rate and cardiac output, hypoventilation, central nervous system depression, hyporeflexia, decreased renal blood flow, and loss of shivering. Paradoxical undressing may be observed. Atrial fibrillation, junctional bradycardia, and other arrhythmias can occur. > > ■Severe hypothermia can lead to pulmonary edema, oliguria, areflexia, coma, hypotension, bradycardia, ventricular arrhythmias (including ventricular fibrillation), and asystole No sweat. More urine sometimes, though (cold diuresis). ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sweating-part-of-hypothermia/661442/8 "2013-06-20T17:02:57Z")
> [@matt357](#): > > wikipedia says sweating is one of the symptoms of the latter stages of hypothermia Can you post a link to what you are talking about? Because it seems contrary to what is known about hypothermia. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sweating-part-of-hypothermia/661442/9 "2013-06-20T21:37:24Z")
> [@matt357](#): > > wikipedia says sweating is one of the symptoms of the latter stages of hypothermia I read the article and I don’t see that anywhere. I also searched for “perspir” and “sweat.” Nowhere mentioned as a symptom. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sweating-part-of-hypothermia/661442/10 "2013-06-21T01:50:23Z")
> [@matt357](#): > > wikipedia says sweating is one of the symptoms of the latter stages of hypothermia If the hypothalamus was buggered this could be possible. Never heard of it happening though. If you come across any references on this, please post the links, for I’d like to read them. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sweating-part-of-hypothermia/661442/11 "2013-06-21T03:35:55Z")
> [@matt357](#): > > It seems counter productive, you sweat , your clothes become wet with sweat making you even more cold. A thermoreceptor is a sensory receptor, or more accurately the receptive portion of a sensory neuron, that codes absolute and relative changes in temperature, primarily within the innocuous range. Why is the thermoreceptor only accurate inside the innocuous range ? The body was only ‘designed’ by evolution. Probably because for the thermoreceptors to be selected toward being accurate in deadly range, would require the range to NOT BE DEADLY. because dead people don’t pass on their genes.. So really its one of the evidences (in the stack of a billion billion ) for evolution… Its nice one though.. doesn’t take much to switch it around… why would a designer make the thermoreceptor work ONLY “within the innocuous range.”? There was no designer. Its due to evolution.. Same answer as the OP’s question.. Due to evolution. ---
**Author:** ![matt357](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@matt357](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt357)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sweating-part-of-hypothermia/661442/12 "2013-06-21T08:03:08Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Can you post a link to what you are talking about? Because it seems contrary to what is known about hypothermia. I read it a couple years ago on wikipedia, I don’t see it there anymore for some reason. I know when I get very cold I start to sweat profusely and but not in my armpits. I sweat mainly on my back. This causes my clothes to become damp or even soaked in sweat making me even more cold. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sweating-part-of-hypothermia/661442/13 "2013-06-21T12:07:36Z")
> [@matt357](#): > > I read it a couple years ago on wikipedia, I don’t see it there anymore for some reason. Probably because you are misremembering or because it was so obviously wrong. > [@](#): > > I know when I get very cold I start to sweat profusely and but not in my armpits. Sweating when you are cold can happen for a number of reason, mainly due to exertion. But that has little to do with hypothermia, which isn’t the same as being cold.