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- I get cold too quickly
What is happening
Cold hands, reduced dexterity and shivering appear first; then equipment tasks become harder. Cold also increases gas consumption because your body works harder to maintain core temperature.
Why it happens
Ordered from the most common cause down. Open one to see the mechanism behind it.
In water, people lose heat about 25 times faster than on land. Longer exposure, current and movement through the water increase heat loss.
- long time in the water
- current
- a poor seal around the hood
Choose a suit for water temperature, duration and repetitive dives, not air temperature. A loose wetsuit flushes with cold water, and an incorrectly weighted drysuit can lose insulation.
- a loose wetsuit
- neoprene that is wet before entry
- incorrect drysuit weighting
A cooled body works harder to maintain core temperature and uses more air. The shorter gas reserve can increase stress further.
- an inadequate gas reserve
- a long dive
- repetitive dives without warming up
In mild hypothermia, fine movements decline first, and cold can add to the cognitive impairment from narcosis. This makes improvising through an equipment problem riskier.
- cold hands
- difficulty handling equipment
- anxiety at depth
What to try on your next dive
One thing, not ten. Give it a full dive before you judge it.
Thermal plan before entry
- Before entry, choose protection for the water temperature, planned duration and number of dives, not the weather on land.
- Check that your suit, hood and gloves fit closely and that dry layers are dry.
- Agree a cold signal with your buddy and an early end to the dive if you shiver or lose dexterity.
- During the dive, monitor your hands, breathing rate and comfort; end the dive before you cannot handle equipment calmly.
- Between repetitive dives, remove wet gear, insulate yourself and warm up.
- Rehearse mask flooding and core problem responses in shallow cold water with an instructor.
How you will know it is working
| Published reference | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Early functional sign | loss of fine dexterity | DAN — Field Management of Heat Illness and Hypothermia |
| Action when shivering | shivering means mild hypothermia and the dive is ended | DAN — Field Management of Heat Illness and Hypothermia |
| Physiological threshold | hypothermia below 35 °C | DAN — Avoid the Chill |
After every dive, note cold hands, reduced dexterity, shivering or unusually high gas consumption.
- Do not deliberately get cold to reduce DCS risk; that is not a safe strategy.
- Shivering means mild hypothermia: end the dive and begin warming up.
- Remove wet gear, insulate and warm a cold diver gently; rough movement is dangerous.
- After exiting, monitor for afterdrop because core temperature may continue to fall.
- Plan gas more conservatively in cold water because cold increases consumption.