Staying Healthy in Winter
Cold, wind, ice and short days all take a toll. This page covers recognizing and treating frostbite and hypothermia, shovelling without straining your heart, avoiding falls on ice, looking out for older neighbours, getting through the dark months, and keeping kids safe when they play outside.
On this page
Who is most at risk
Anyone can be hurt by the cold, but Health Canada lists some people as being at higher risk:
The youngest and oldest
Babies under one year and adults 65 or older.
Some health conditions
Such as diabetes, peripheral neuropathy and diseases affecting the blood vessels.
Where people live and work
People experiencing homelessness, outdoor workers, people in poorly insulated homes and winter sport enthusiasts.
Dressing well is the first line of defence. Health Canada advises layers with a wind-resistant outer layer, wool or synthetic fabrics, warm socks, mitts or gloves, a hat and a scarf over your nose, and changing out of wet clothing as soon as you can. Our what to wear page explains layering and has a table of how fast skin can freeze at different wind chills.
General information only, not medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.
Frostbite
Frostbite is skin and the tissue under it freezing. It most often affects the fingers, toes, ears and nose, according to the Canadian Red Cross. On a windy Lethbridge day, cheeks and the tips of the ears go first.
Know the signs
- Frostnip (mild): Health Canada says the skin looks yellowish or white but is still soft to the touch. In children, the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) describes redness with numbness or tingling.
- Getting worse: the Red Cross says frostbite often starts as skin that is paler than usual, then turns white and waxy.
- Severe: the skin has no feeling. Health Canada says nerve damage occurs and frostbitten skin can become discoloured and turn black.
What to do
- Get out of the cold. Move to a warm room, take off anything wet or tight on the area, and wrap the person in blankets.
- Warm gently, and only once it can stay warm. The Canadian Pharmacists Association says not to rewarm frostbitten skin if there’s any risk of it freezing again, for example if you still have to walk out. Health Canada says frostbitten skin can be warmed in water just above body temperature, and CPS says warm, not hot, water. Fingers can be warmed in the opposite armpit.
- Don’t rub, massage or shake it. Health Canada, CPS and the Red Cross all say so. That includes rubbing it with snow.
- Leave blisters alone. The Canadian Pharmacists Association says not to break them, because they help protect the skin from infection.
- Be careful with heat. Numb skin can’t feel a burn, so keep it away from heaters, fires and hot water. The Red Cross says to be careful not to burn the skin when using warm packs.
- Get medical help for skin that is white, waxy or numb, as CPS advises. Health Canada says severe frostbite needs immediate medical attention.
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is when the body loses heat faster than it can make it, and its core temperature drops. It can happen on a cold day, after a fall through ice, or slowly indoors in a cold house, especially for older adults.
Know the signs
| Stage | What you see (Health Canada) |
|---|---|
| 1 | Shivering, goose bumps, numb hands. |
| 2 | Strong shivering, uncoordinated muscles. Health Canada’s test: try to touch your thumb to your little finger. If you can’t, your muscles aren’t working properly. |
| 3 | Shivering stops. Trouble speaking, thinking or walking. |
When shivering stops but the person is still cold, it’s getting worse, not better. Health Canada says to call 911 for stages 2 and 3, and the Red Cross says to call 911 for severe hypothermia.
What to do
- Get them out of the cold and into shelter. Call 911 if they’re confused, drowsy, uncoordinated or have stopped shivering.
- Handle them gently. Health Canada says to lay an unconscious person down and avoid rough handling. Watch their breathing closely, as the Red Cross advises, and follow the 911 call-taker’s instructions.
- Remove wet clothing and dry them gently.
- Wrap them up in blankets or dry clothes, covering the head and neck, and warm them slowly.
- Warm drinks in small sips, only if they are fully alert. Health Canada suggests warm, sweet drinks. Give no alcohol: Health Canada warns it can make you feel warm while your body loses heat.
- Let them shiver. Health Canada says shivering is one of the ways the body raises its core temperature.
The Red Cross says hot water bottles or heating pads can go in the armpits, at the groin and at the back of the neck, wrapped so they don’t burn the skin. Our first aid page has more, and it’s worth taking a first aid course before you need it.
Snow shovelling and your heart
Alberta Health Services (AHS) warns that the physical demands of shovelling, combined with cold temperatures, can pose fatal risks to the heart. The Canadian Red Cross says shovelling can put you at risk of a heart attack if you don’t exercise regularly, because it raises your heart rate quickly.
Check with your doctor first if
AHS says people who are older, overweight, out of shape or have a family history of heart disease should get medical advice before shovelling. Health Canada and Get Prepared both say that if you have a heart condition or other health problems, you may want to avoid strenuous activities like shovelling. Heart & Stroke points especially to people already diagnosed with heart disease.
Easier on the heart
- Warm up first. Heart & Stroke says a longer warm-up is needed in cold weather.
- Don’t shovel on a full stomach. AHS says a full stomach can strain the heart during physical activity.
- Small loads, small blade. The Red Cross lists big shovelfuls as a common mistake. Heart & Stroke suggests a smaller blade and lifting with your legs, not your back.
- Take breaks. AHS says a breather in the middle is good for your muscles, especially your heart. Listen to your body.
- Ask for help. Heart & Stroke says to ask when you need it. There’s no shame in letting a neighbour or grandchild do it.
Technique, pushers versus shovels, and the City’s sidewalk rules are on our sidewalks and snow page.
Stop shovelling and call 911 if you or someone else has chest discomfort (pressure, squeezing, fullness, pain, burning or heaviness); discomfort in the neck, jaw, shoulders, arms or back; shortness of breath; sweating; nausea; or light-headedness. Those are the signs Heart & Stroke lists. It adds that women can have a heart attack without chest pressure, and may have shortness of breath, pressure or pain in the lower chest or upper abdomen, dizziness or fainting, upper back pressure or extreme fatigue. Don’t wait to see whether it passes.
Falls on ice
Our freeze-thaw winters leave sidewalks, steps and parking lots glazed, especially the morning after a chinook. For older adults, a fall on ice can mean a broken wrist or hip and a long recovery.
MyHealth Alberta’s winter walking tips:
- Footwear that fits well and has a good grip is the best choice.
- Shoe grips or ice cleats give extra traction on snow and ice. Take them off before walking inside, because they’re slippery on indoor floors.
- Walk like a penguin: slowly, with small steps and your toes pointed out slightly.
- Keep your hands out of your pockets for balance, and use a backpack so your hands are free.
- If you use a cane, you can get an ice pick for its tip.
Our footwear page goes into boots, grip and ice cleats in detail, with a section on falls and older adults. At home, keep a pail of sand or grit by the door, point downspouts away from walks, and light the steps.
Checking on older neighbours
Get Prepared asks us to check on older relatives and neighbours during extreme cold, to make sure they’re warm enough. They may need help getting food, medications and other supplies. A knock on the door or a phone call takes two minutes.
What to check
- Is the house warm? A cold house is a quiet danger for older adults. If the furnace has stopped or the power is out, help them get somewhere warm. The City of Lethbridge opens heating centres during extreme temperatures and lists them on its preparing for an emergency page.
- Do they have what they need? Groceries, prescriptions and pet food for a few days, so they don’t have to go out on the ice.
- Are the walk and steps clear and sanded? The City encourages residents to be snow angels and clear sidewalks for older neighbours. Our sidewalks and snow page has tips.
- Are the outside vents clear and the alarms working? See winterizing your home.
- How do they seem? Confusion, slurred speech or unusual drowsiness in a cold house can be signs of hypothermia. Call 911.
What it means for you: agree on a simple daily check-in with an older neighbour or relative who lives alone, such as a call each morning in a cold snap, or a curtain opened by mid-morning. If the check-in doesn’t happen, go and knock.
Winter blues and short days
Around the shortest day in December, Lethbridge gets only a little over 8 hours of daylight, about half of what we get in late June. Plenty of people feel lower, more tired or less motivated in the dark months. That’s common, and it’s not a weakness.
For some people, it’s more than the blues. Alberta Health Services describes seasonal affective disorder (SAD) as a kind of depression that comes with the seasons, sometimes called winter depression. Signs AHS lists include:
- feeling sad, grumpy, moody or anxious;
- losing interest in your usual activities;
- eating more and craving carbohydrates such as bread and pasta, and gaining weight;
- sleeping more but still feeling tired;
- trouble concentrating.
AHS says most people with SAD start to have symptoms in September or October and feel better by April or May. Experts think a lack of sunlight may play a part.
Small things that help
- Get outside in daylight, especially when the sun is shining. AHS suggests exercising outdoors on sunny days. Our sunny chinook afternoons are made for a walk.
- Keep moving. AHS calls regular exercise one of the best things you can do for yourself, starting with something moderate such as walking. Check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.
- Stay in touch. A regular coffee, a phone call, a club or volunteering. Checking on a neighbour helps you both.
If low mood lasts for weeks, or gets in the way of daily life, talk to your doctor. AHS notes they may want to rule out other causes first. Alberta Health Services’ Help in Tough Times page lists 24-hour helplines and other mental health supports, and its Addiction and Mental Health page explains where to find services in Alberta, including through Recovery Alberta, the province’s new organization for mental health and addiction.
If you’re having thoughts of suicide, or you’re worried about someone who is, please reach out now. The national Suicide Crisis Helpline answers calls and texts 24 hours a day, and its number is on the Help in Tough Times page. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911.
Kids outdoors in the cold
Outdoor play in winter is good for kids, and most days in Lethbridge are fine for it with the right clothes. The Canadian Paediatric Society’s advice:
- Dress in layers that are easy to put on and take off, with a hat that covers the ears, a neck warmer, and mittens rather than gloves in real cold. Boots should be warm, waterproof and roomy enough for an extra pair of socks.
- Keep them dry. Change wet clothes and mitts right away.
- Babies need extra care and bundling. CPS explains that they cannot generate body heat the way older children can.
- Younger children shouldn’t play outside alone.
- Helmets for sledding: CPS says to wear a ski or hockey helmet, not a bicycle helmet, which is only tested to −10°C.
- Safer sledding. CPS says children under 5 shouldn’t go down a hill alone. Sit up or kneel rather than lying down, use a sled you can steer, and choose hills away from roads, trees and fences, in daylight.
- Stay off roadside snowbanks. Snowplow drivers and other drivers may not see a child on or in one.
- Supervise snow forts and tunnels. CPS says building them should always be supervised by an adult.
- Stay off the ice unless it’s a designated, open skating area. See ice safety.
Children often won’t stop playing to say they’re cold. Bring them in for a warm-up and check their cheeks, ears, fingers and toes. Our what to wear page has more on dressing kids and babies, including car seats and winter coats.
Your body is like a little furnace. It burns the food you eat to make heat. When it’s very cold and windy, the heat leaves your skin faster than your body can make it, and your fingers, toes, ears and nose get cold first.
Wonder: why do your cheeks get cold faster on a windy day than on a calm day, even when the temperature is the same?
Try this: be a frostbite detective. Every time you come in from playing, check your fingers, toes, ears and nose with a grown-up. Are they pink and warm, red and tingly, or white and numb? White or numb means tell a grown-up right away.
Sources
- Health Canada, Extreme cold (who is at higher risk; frostbite and hypothermia signs and first aid; dressing; shovelling with a heart condition): canada.ca
- Canadian Red Cross, Know the signs of a cold-related emergency and how to help (frostbite and hypothermia first aid): redcross.ca
- Canadian Red Cross, Shovelling snow? Know the risks and mistakes to avoid (2021): redcross.ca
- Alberta Health Services, Snow shovelling safety: albertahealthservices.ca
- Heart & Stroke, Stay heart healthy in the winter (shovelling, warm-up): heartandstroke.ca
- Heart & Stroke, Emergency signs: heart attack and stroke (including signs in women): heartandstroke.ca
- Public Safety Canada, Extreme cold: how to prepare (checking on older adults; shovelling with health problems): canada.ca
- Alberta Health Services, MyHealth.Alberta.ca, Winter walking tips to lower your risk of falling: myhealth.alberta.ca
- City of Lethbridge, Sidewalk snow removal (be a snow angel for elderly neighbours): lethbridge.ca
- City of Lethbridge, Preparing for an emergency (heating and cooling centres): lethbridge.ca
- Alberta Health Services, What is seasonal affective disorder (SAD)? (wellness article, December 2020): albertahealthservices.ca
- Alberta Health Services, Help in Tough Times: albertahealthservices.ca
- Alberta Health Services, Addiction and Mental Health: albertahealthservices.ca
- Canadian Paediatric Society, Caring for Kids, Winter safety: advice for parents and kids (−27°C; helmets; snowbanks; forts; babies): caringforkids.cps.ca
- Canadian Pharmacists Association, Frostbite (infographic: don’t rewarm if it could refreeze; don’t break blisters): pharmacists.ca
- Canadian Paediatric Society, Caring for Kids, Frostbite (−15°C; signs; warm, not hot, water; don’t rub; dressing): caringforkids.cps.ca
- Daylight hours for Lethbridge (latitude about 49.7°N) calculated with the standard sunrise equation: about 8 hours 7 minutes at the December solstice and 16 hours 19 minutes at the June solstice.