"Heat shock" caused by sudden temperature changes can lead to serious accidents (photo is an image) [Photo: Photo AC]

　It's the season when the cold is gradually getting severer and I miss a warm bath. You will want to soak in the bathtub slowly to heal your fatigue and seek time to relax. However, in recent years, there has been an increase in the number of cases in which "heat shock" caused by sudden temperature changes leads to serious accidents, and it has become an issue that requires attention. According to a questionnaire and check test on bathing habits conducted by a major water heater manufacturer, a tendency toward heat shock “potential” was revealed. Let's see the result. [Image] How many apply? Check out the "heat shock reserve check test" right away!　Commentary on five pitfalls in the corona crisis◇◇◇◇

Washing hands with cold water also causes heat shock?

"Heat shock" is a phenomenon in which blood pressure rises and falls due to sudden changes in temperature, leading to diseases of the heart and blood vessels. At home, it often happens when moving from a warm living room to a cold bathroom. According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's demographic survey, the number of deaths due to "accidental drowning and drowning" among the elderly is increasing. Since 2011, it has exceeded the number of deaths due to "traffic accidents", and it seems that there are many places of occurrence in the bathtubs of houses and residential facilities. There are no official statistics, but it is believed that many of them are due to heat shock. Many medical institutions and local governments are now warning of heat shock. Meanwhile, Rinnai Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture), which manufactures and sells hot water heaters and kitchen equipment, conducted an online questionnaire on bathing habits from October 30th to 31st. The target is a total of 2,350 male and female workers in their 20s to 60s in 47 prefectures (50 in each prefecture). Among them, in the question "Where do you feel the cold at home?" This was followed by "bathroom" at 53.4% ​​and "toilet" at 48.8%. All of these places are prone to heat shock in winter, so caution is required.

If you have many items that apply to you, be careful!　Heat Shock Preliminary Force Check Test

　Isn't there a lot of people who take it lightly because they say, "I'm young so it's fine" and "I'm not in that kind of environment"? Therefore, under the supervision of Mr. Shinya Hayasaka, a hot spring therapy specialist and dean of the Faculty of Human Sciences, Tokyo City University, the company conducted a "Heat Shock Preliminary Check Test" for those surveyed this time. Let's introduce the item. 1. Enjoying a long bath by soaking in the bathtub for more than 20 minutes 2. Sometimes putting up with the cold and ventilating 3. There is no heating equipment in the dressing room or bathroom at home 4. Most of the time I take a bath 5. I like hot baths of 41 degrees or more 6. I sometimes take a bath immediately after drinking alcohol, such as when drinking at home 7. I do not pour hot water on myself before bathing 8. I do not drink water before bathing 9. I wash my hands thoroughly with cold water Washing 10. Walking barefoot in the hallway or indoors 11. Covering the bathtub to keep the water from cooling 12. Staying home or working remotely People who meet 5 or more of the above seems to be a heat shock reserve army. It is said that the more items there are, the higher the possibility of causing heat shock.　The most frequently checked item was 11, "The bathtub is covered so that the water does not cool down" (62.7%). This was followed by 3, "There is no heating equipment in the dressing room or bathroom at home" (61.0%), and 8, "Washing hands often with cold water" (54.0%). I think that there are surprisingly many people who wash their hands with cold water, but if this also applies to the reserve army, you need to be careful. About 60% of the respondents checked 5 or more questions. Looking at the breakdown of the respondents, Oita prefecture (70%) ranked 1st, Miyazaki prefecture (68%) ranked 2nd, and Chiba prefecture (66%) ranked 3rd. Mr. Hayasaka, who described this as an "unexpected result," said, "There are many people at risk of heat shock in Oita, Miyazaki, and Chiba, all of which are warm areas. There is a risk of shock, so stay alert and be careful when bathing."

Hint-Pot Editorial Department