We commonly hear about heat stress, but what about cold stress? Hear Bubba Wolford explain what both are and how the affect your hydration.
Jamie: You keep saying cold stress and heat stress. I'm a little bit familiar with heat stress — maybe talk about both — but cold stress? So, maybe talk a little bit about what is heat stress and what is cold stress?
Bubba: Absolutely. So, we'll start with heat stress. Heat stress, typically, you have a heat index of over 80 degrees, you'll start perspiring. At that point, you're losing the minerals which promote proper cell function, and one of the things that we have, one of the primary symptoms of dehydration is cramping. That in itself can be catastrophic in industrial setting because we're operating heavy equipment, things like that. There could be a real problem.
So, to differentiate the situations in the workplace, cramping through the loss of — one of the symptoms through the loss of water, are being dehydrated, can be prevented by replacing those, and that’s what Sqwincher is here to do
.
(Learn more about Electrolytes: What They Are and Why They Matter for On-the-Job Hydration.)
Jamie: So, what about cold stress?
Bubba: Cold stress is the same thing. You can be with your coach in your protective clothing from the cold, you can be perspiring under all of that. So, you have the same effect. You're losing the electrolytes which are the minerals, like sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, or the four, in whether its cold or heat. The fact that you're perspiring means that those electrolytes are leaving your body and the cells are becoming deficient in the proper balance. It's all about the proper balance of electrolytes.
(Learn more in Cold Stress: Your Winter Safety Guide.)
Jamie: Interesting. So, many different, whether you're working outside, in the summer, outside in the winter, inside in any environment, it is all about that perspiration. You're losing those minerals, you're losing that water, and that is why water isn't enough, I guess. You're losing those minerals as well.
Bubba: Correct.