What is Acclimatization? Tips to Acclimatize in Altitudes

So you have come across the term “acclimatization” and you are wondering what it is. Let us try and make things simple for you. Acclimatization is the body’s process to change and adjust itself with the change in environment in high altitudes. Above 8000 feet of elevation, atmospheric pressure decreases and the number of oxygen molecules in the air becomes less. For people who are used to living at sea levels or at an altitude less than 8000 feet this becomes a problem because the vital organs are now getting less oxygen than they are used to. So the body starts responding to that change in the environment by increasing the breathing and the heart rate. After a while the body starts producing more red blood cells so as to have more oxygen in the blood. But this does not happen in the blink of an eye. It
takes quite a lot of time, which can literally translate to days and weeks, for the body to get adapted to the new environment. So you may ask here, what can happen if I don’t have all that time to get acclimatized? Well, you can always acclimatize yourself in high altitudes, how to do that is explained below. Now what might happen to a person if he does not allow his body to get acclimatized is a medical condition called Altitude Sickness also known as Acute Mountain Sickness or AMS. The mild form of AMS can be dealt with most of the times. It is only when AMS turns towards HAPE ( High Altitude Pulmonary Oedema) or HACE (High Altitude Cerebral Oedema) it becomes fatal. You are on a high altitude trek so it is quite possible that the nearest road head could take a day or two to reach and the nearest medical facility maybe a couple of days away. Evacuation from the tricky mountain trails is not easy and in most cases evacuation at night is not possible at all. It is a peculiar trait of AMS to manifest itself in a very strong way at night..well not always but many a times. And a person who goes into the advanced stage of AMS needs to descend fast to safer and lower altitudes. In a situation like this every second counts and HACE and HAPE have claimed lives. So it is really important to understand acclimatization and help your body to adapt with the changes in the environment in the altitudes.

Tips to acclimatize yourself

Ascend slowly :

Treat your trek purely as a “me time with nature” not as a target to be achieved. Or a race to be won. Even if you can walk fast go slow on the days you start the trek. That gives your body ample time to adjust to the change in environment.

Keep yourself hydrated:

For better acclimatization start hydrating yourself well before leaving home. Drink as much water/fluid as you can while in the mountains. Though no two hikers will need the exact amount of fluid to keep themselves hydrated but 4 to 6 liters is considered to be a good amount. Also add electrolytes (Electral, ORS) to your drinking water from time to time because you lose them from your body when you sweat. The best way to find out whether you are well hydrated or not is by looking at your urine. Should not turn dark yellow if you are keeping yourself well hydrated.

Now question is why do we need to drink so much water during hiking in the altitudes? Water increases the efficiency of the red blood cells in collecting oxygen. You do not get those obnoxious cramps if you are well hydrated. Who helps you to eliminate toxic wastes from your body through sweat, urine and bowel movements ? Well water. Who helps you to digest food? Water again. Water is the main solvent for all foods, vitamins and minerals. Water is also essential for our body’s cooling and heating systems. And in the mountains there are so many ways by which we lose water. As the body acclimatizes to higher altitudes you pee more. You lose water. You breathe rapidly in the altitudes. You lose water in the form of vapor. Hiking in the altitudes is a strenuous activity, you sweat profusely….you are losing water again. So to replenish all that loss of fluids you need to drink water as frequently as you can.

Eat well:

It is necessary that you consume sufficient calories and nutrients to fuel your body. Trekking/ hiking in high altitudes can be strenuous so you will burn a lot more calories than you normally do in your regular life. So eat accordingly . Five to six small meals spread over the day will keep you energetic. In some people appetite decreases with increase in altitudes, some are used to small diets in terms of quantity and number in their normal life. But you have to eat to be able to acclimatize better with the change in the environment. Complex food like fat and protein takes a long time to get digested because of low oxygen levels. Moreover fat requires more oxygen for metabolism than carbohydrates. Carbs replace depleted muscle glycogen and requires less oxygen for metabolism. So in a nutshell, carbs are easier to digest and the preferred energy source at altitudes. The higher you go , the more you will need to consume carbs. Try to eat less spicy and less oily food. Eggs can be eaten in moderation. Sugary products like cookies and candy bars contain sugar, corn syrup and starch all of which may though give you a boost of energy hardly have essential nutrients. So they are best avoided.

Sleep well:

Okay, let’s face a fact, sleep quality will not be as good as at sea level.But proper sleep is very necessary for the body to recuperate well before the next days hike or altitude gain. Lack of oxygen may make sleep fitful and disturbed. Additionally if you are sleeping in tents, the ground may not be smooth and leveled everywhere, making lying down inside the tent a little uncomfortable for you, even if you are using camping mattresses. There are certain tricks to help your body get some rest at the end of the day. Eating a heavy dinner right before going to bed may make you feel very full and keep you awake for most part of the night. Ideally try to have your dinner by 7 to 7.30 pm. Skipping dinner because you are feeling too sleepy or too tired, may totally go against your system and you may end up with severe acidity. Waking up hungry in the middle of the night is not nice either. You may fish out some trail food from your backpack, but by the time you have finished eating , sleep is gone for the rest of the night. Runny nose is not a very uncommon sight in treks. But people can hardly perceive at the start of the trek that they would have runny noses during the walk. So carry a saline nasal solution or any other nasal spray to help you breathe and keep your nose open when you lie down to sleep. Try to avoid lying flat on a bed or inside the tent because it can allow the acid in your stomach to enter the esophagus causing the windpipe to contract. This may result in shortness of breath, cough, burping etc. Use your backpack or a few extra clothes as a backrest so that your upper body is lightly elevated when you lie down. Using electronic devices like mobile phones, I-pad, Kindle|Paperwhite may make it hard for you to fall asleep as the light emanating from them stimulates the brain, and makes it difficult for you to wind down for sleep.

Keep your heads covered but ears open :
The human body has areas through which heat is released to regulate our body temperature. These areas are skull,groin, armpits and extremities like fingers and toes. A lot of blood flows around these areas and they flow close to the surface of the skin allowing a good loss of body heat. So in altitudes you need to protect these areas of the body and keep them warmest. Now the layers of clothes we wear take care of the groin and the armpits. Socks and shoes take care of your toes. It’s the head and the palm and fingers that need attention. A wide brimmed hat will keep the sun off your face during the daytime. In fact a wide brimmed hat or cap will also keep rain off your face and eyes on rainy days. At night time the woolen ones will not allow the falling temperatures to steal your core body heat. Ears are considered to be good sensors of atmospheric conditions to the brain. So until and unless there is a blizzard, leave them open during hikes.

Regulating body temperature:

Keep yourself dry and retain your body heat. You will perspire during the daytime as you walk on the trails. Change into dry undergarments and clothes as soon as you reach camp. Wet clothes tend to give you a cold as soon as the temperature drops. Do not forget to pack in a lightweight, two piece rain suit or a poncho wherever you go. Weather Gods are exceptionally moody in most of the Himalayan trails. When you start your walk you may want to keep a windcheater on and that is perfectly okay. But lose the windcheater the moment you find you are perspiring heavily. At some point of the trek you are going to sit down for a while, maybe just to cool your heels or have your lunch and if the rest time is more than 5 minutes take that windcheater out of the backpack and wear it. Make sure you have enough warm clothes to protect yourself from the cold winds and temperature drops in high altitudes. Try to avoid cotton clothes during hikes because cotton holds on to your sweat and takes forever to dry. Wet cotton clothes pull the heat out of your body making you feel cold and perhaps pushing you a little towards hypothermia. Your hiking clothes are supposed to keep you warm by trapping warm air near your skin. But in cotton all the air pockets in the fabric get filled up with sweat, which basically is water. Cotton is also heavier compared to polyester, merino wool and nylon fabrics. Choose your trekking apparels which are either synthetic or woolen.

Climb high sleep low:

Essentially it means sleeping at lower elevation to that which you have ascended during the day. This way our bodies are triggered in acclimatizing to high altitude but we can rest better at slightly lower heights. Though this is the thumb rule, in many places it may not be possible to follow it. What do we do then? Wander around even after you have reached camp, explore the surroundings and help your body to acclimatize better. Do not just crash inside the tent.

Don’t sleep during the daytime:

After you reach the campsite, ease out a bit. Do not get inside your sleeping bags or tents, rather take a walk around or do other interesting activities. This is also the time to follow “climb high and sleep low”, if you already have not done that in the course of the trek. If you are too exhausted or dizzy, take rest and let your trek mates and trek leader know about your physical condition.

Do not consume Diamox without a consultation with your doctor:

Diamox is not a cure of AMS. Diamox is a preventive measure against AMS. and there is no guarantee that one will not develop altitude sickness symptoms even after taking Diamox. Moreover these pills are diuretic , so will make you pee even more. Diamox have a certain dosage which has to be started two days before the trek starts. It is best to have a discussion with your doctor regarding the use of this medication.

A little about smoking and drinking caffeine and alcohol in the altitudes :

Smoking directly affects your lungs. The air already has less oxygen and smoke has now reduced the capacity of your lungs. Not a very good proposition for a strenuous activity like trekking in high altitudes. Moreover, if you are trekking with a group, the comfort of other members of the group should also be taken into consideration. Caffeine is again a diuretic so go low on coffee. Alcohol in whatever form and even in small amounts cause vasodilation. Vasodilation is a state where your blood vessels dilate. This dilation causes the blood to flow towards the surface of the skin which essentially means the blood is pulling your core body temperature away to the skin surface resulting in heat loss. Now why would you want to lose your precious body heat and crawl towards hypothermia? Hypothermia which again is a medical condition that can turn fatal, is as bad as AMS or perhaps even worse and along with the loss of body temperature you also lose fluids from your body. Yes alcohol is any form is a diuretic and you know what diuretics do.

How do I know that my body is responding to acclimatization?

You will be breathing heavily. Due to lesser oxygen in air, the amount of oxygen we take in a single breath reduces. So the body will try to compensate that by taking in more breaths in the same amount of time.

Shortness of breath after a little exertion or exercise.

Disturbed sleep.

Change in breathing pattern while sleeping.

More frequent urine.

Keep watching our site for more information on AMS, HACE and HAPE.