In the movies, an extremely injured or freezing cold person is often told not to fall asleep or pass out. Why is this?

darrellcdow

Falling asleep increases the speed at which the body loses heat. This is especially true during REM sleep since the skin temperature rises during this sleep phase. Dec 29 09, 9:46 PM

unclerick

One of the stories my father told us was about the time he came close to freezing to death. During the depression in the 1930s he was in Northern Saskatchewan working trap lines and cutting railroad ties. One extremely cold day he had been hiking for hours and was in sight of a cabin where he was to spend the night. He laid down to rest in the snow and entered a state of comfort and euphoria thinking that he didn't need to go to the cabin, he would just curl up and sleep where he was. Fortunately he was not alone and his companions convinced him to keep walking or I might not be typing on this keyboard right now. http://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/science/cold_hypothermia.htm Dec 29 09, 10:21 PM

serpa

Thanks for the great link unclerick. Dec 29 09, 11:10 PM