Hypothermia

If the weather is cold, dress appropriately before you go outside. Even if the rest of the body is covered up, significant amounts of body heat can be lost through the head, so wear a warm hat.

Layers of clothing trap air, which helps to keep you warm. Tightly woven, waterproof clothes are best when outside.

Drink plenty of fluids and hot drinks (not alcohol) and eat regular, balanced meals to give you energy.

• Keep active when it is cold, but not to the point where you are sweating. If you exercise outdoors in the winter and get sweaty from this, make sure you dry off and put on warm clothes immediately after.
• Keep dry and change out of wet clothes as soon as possible. Wet clothes lose about 90% of their insulating power.
• Cut down on alcohol, caffeine and nicotine as all three aggravate heat loss.
• Keep your house warm during cold weather. If you are concerned about heating costs, you could try just keeping one room in the house warm. Keeping windows and doors closed also helps to trap heat.