“Alcohol keeps you warm in cold weather.”

The idea that a shot of alcohol can ward off the cold is a popular misconception, perhaps best illustrated by the enduring image of St. Bernard rescue dogs carrying small barrels of brandy to stranded travelers in snowy mountains. This enduring myth has led many to believe that alcohol provides a genuine internal warmth. While a sip of spirits might create an immediate flush and a comforting sensation, this feeling of warmth is unfortunately just an illusion.

Scientifically, alcohol acts as a vasodilator, meaning it causes blood vessels near the skin's surface to widen. This increased blood flow to the skin indeed creates a temporary feeling of heat and can make your skin feel warmer. However, this process simultaneously draws heat away from your vital internal organs, causing your core body temperature to drop. Your body is essentially losing heat more rapidly, not gaining it.

People commonly fall for this myth because the initial feeling of warmth is so convincing. Compounding the danger, alcohol also impairs the hypothalamus, the part of the brain responsible for regulating body temperature, and can suppress the natural shivering response, which is how your body generates heat. This means that while you might feel warmer, your body is actually becoming colder, and your ability to perceive this dangerous drop in core temperature is diminished. This makes drinking alcohol in cold weather particularly risky, significantly increasing the potential for hypothermia.