This is supposed to be an old post, but I just remember to post it on my blog now.
Hypothermia undressing, also known as paradoxical undressing, is a phenomenon that occurs in the final stages of severe hypothermia. When a person’s body temperature drops dangerously low, they begin to experience confusion and disorientation due to the cold.
In these late stages, blood vessels near the skin, which were constricted to conserve heat, suddenly dilate. This creates a false sensation of intense warmth, leading the person to feel as though they are overheating, even though their core temperature is dangerously low. As a result, they may start removing their clothing in an attempt to cool down, which unfortunately accelerates heat loss and worsens the hypothermia.
This behavior is often seen in people who succumb to cold environments, and it’s believed to be a contributing factor in some unexplained deaths in the wilderness.
