Skiing in the western United States often means skiing at very high altitudes. Here in Colorado some ski resorts reach above 12,000 feet, meaning even those of us that live in the state might feel a little headed when we reach the top.
Altitude sickness comes when we move to a high altitude too quickly. The most common form, acute mountain sickness, is fairly mild, but spending time at higher locations can lead to headaches, nausea, fatigue, trouble sleeping, and much more. If the symptoms are mild, stopping, resting and acclimating at the first signs of sickness will usually help, but avoiding developing symptoms in the first place can make a trip into the mountains a whole lot better.
Dr. Pete Clark of Mammoth Hospital in California has a few tips for minimizing the likelihood of developing altitude sickness in the first place.
“Dr. Pete Clark of our Family Medicine clinic talks about what you can do to beat high altitude sickness with these simple health tips.“
Dr. Pete Clark’s tips are as follows:
- Go easy on alcohol and sleeping pills.
- Take it easy your first day at altitude, avoiding strenuous activity, to give your body a chance to acclimate.
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Use a lot of sunblock.