Can alcohol make you cold? Yes. While many people experience a pleasant flush of heat shortly after consuming an alcoholic drink, this sensation is physiologically deceptive. Alcohol interferes with the body’s highly regulated system for maintaining a stable internal temperature, ultimately causing the core temperature to drop.
The Immediate Sensation of Warmth
Warmth after drinking results from alcohol’s action on the circulatory system near the skin. Alcohol acts as a vasodilator, causing small blood vessels close to the surface to widen. This increases blood flow, rapidly bringing warm blood from the core to the surface. The rush of heat creates the sensation of warmth and often results in a flushed appearance.
This feeling is a short-circuiting of the body’s heat retention strategy. Normally, constricting peripheral blood vessels keeps warm blood near internal organs. By forcing this warm blood to the skin, alcohol dramatically increases the rate at which heat radiates away. The perceived warmth is a sign of heat being lost, not retained.
Alcohol’s Impact on Core Temperature Regulation
The danger lies in alcohol’s direct influence on the brain’s temperature control center, the hypothalamus. This area senses the body’s temperature and initiates compensatory mechanisms like shivering. Alcohol disrupts the hypothalamus, effectively lowering the body’s temperature “set point.”
When the core temperature falls due to rapid heat loss, the hypothalamus fails to trigger appropriate warming responses. Shivering—a muscular activity that generates internal heat—is suppressed by alcohol. This failure to generate heat, combined with continued dissipation, prevents the body from maintaining its normal operating temperature of around 37°C (98.6°F).
The result is a drop in core body temperature, even though the skin feels warm. This central nervous system depression prevents the body from performing necessary thermal adjustments, leaving it vulnerable to external cold.
The Risk of Hypothermia
Impaired central thermoregulation and a false sense of warmth increase the risk of accidental hypothermia (a body temperature below 35°C or 95°F). Since alcohol impairs judgment and coordination, a person may not recognize the cold environment or take appropriate steps. The initial feeling of warmth might even prompt removal of clothing, accelerating heat loss further.
As the core temperature drops, hypothermia symptoms begin with intense shivering and confusion. In more severe cases, shivering may paradoxically cease, signaling that the body’s automatic heat-generating mechanism has failed. Other symptoms include slurred speech, clumsy movements, and loss of consciousness.
When the body is exposed to cold while under the influence of alcohol, physiological defenses are neutralized. The subsequent drop in core temperature places stress on the heart and other vital organs. Alcohol consumption is a frequently cited contributing factor in cold-weather exposure injuries and fatalities.