Mountains - endless expanse, expanse and relaxation fortired soul. "In the mountains is my heart ..." - wrote the poet Robert Burns. Indeed, is it possible to remain indifferent to these bends of the relief, once having subdued their peaks? Meanwhile, not everything is so perfect with climbers, as it looks in the photos. The correct acclimatization of a person in a mountainous area is very important. Already at an altitude of about a thousand meters, the unprepared organism begins to express its bewilderment.
We all know from the school bench that withthe rise in air pressure decreases, which can not but affect the human body. Insufficient knowledge can prevent you from enjoying a high-altitude journey in full. So, if you are determined to conquer the peaks, let this article become the starting point of your knowledge: it will be about acclimatization in the mountainous area.
Where should the acclimatization begin?man in the highlands? To begin with, a few words about what kind of climate awaits you at altitude. As already mentioned, the atmospheric pressure there is low, and every 400 m of elevation it decreases by about 30 mm Hg. It is accompanied by a decrease in the concentration of oxygen. The air here is clean and humid, the amount of precipitation increases with altitude. After 2-3 thousand meters, the climate is called highland, and here it is necessary to follow certain conditions in order to adapt painlessly and continue the ascent.
Simply put, acclimatization in the highlands -this adaptation of the organism to the changed environmental conditions. Reducing the concentration of oxygen in the air leads to the development of hypoxia - oxygen starvation. If you do not take measures, the usual headache can develop into more unpleasant phenomena.
Our body is a truly amazing system.It is difficult to imagine a clearer and coherent mechanism. Feeling any changes, he seeks to adapt to them, accumulating all of his resources. He gives us signals if something is wrong so that we can help him cope with the threat. But often we do not hear it, we simply ignore the discomfort, considering it an ordinary manifestation of weakness - and sometimes later it costs us dearly. Therefore, it is so important to learn to concentrate on your feelings.
So, the acclimatization of man in the highlandsoccurs in two phases. The first is short-term: feeling the lack of oxygen, we begin to breathe deeper, and then more often. The number of oxygen transporters, blood erythrocytes, increases, as well as the content of complex hemoglobin protein in them. The threshold of sensitivity here is individual - it varies depending on a number of factors: age, physical fitness, health status and others.
To preserve the stability of the central nervous systemsystems - a priority task, so the lion's share of oxygen, which we managed to extract from the air, is sent to the brain. As a consequence, the rest of the body receives less. Overcoming the boundary in 2000 m, most people feel hypoxia quite clearly - this is the bell that calls you to listen to yourself and act wisely.
Acclimatization of man in the mountainous terrain onThe second phase occurs at a deeper level. The main task of the body is not transportation of oxygen, but its economy. The lung area expands, the capillary network expands. Changes affect the composition of the blood - embryonic hemoglobin enters the fight, able to attach oxygen even at low pressure. The efficient use of oxygen is also facilitated by a change in the biochemistry of myocardial cells.
At high altitudes (from 3000 meters) newly appearedclimbers waiting for a harmful monster, violating psychomotor, causing cardiac decompensation and bleeding mucous membranes, so acclimatization in the mountains - a serious process. It sounds menacing, does not it? Maybe you even thought that you did not really want to walk on the mountains, since such a danger. Do not make hasty conclusions, better do reasonable! And he is this: do not hurry.
More details need to know the basic nuances of thisdisease. Climbing the mountains in a car, this ailment will not be avoided - it will only appear later: 2-3 days later. In principle, mountain sickness is inevitable, but you can survive it in an easy form.
Here are the main symptoms:
What sensations will appear at you, depends onlevel of your training, general health and speed of recovery. Light forms of mountain sickness are necessary for the body to start the process of its reorganization.
How to facilitate acclimatization in the highlands?Begin to promote acclimatization should not be at an altitude of 1-2 thousand meters and not even at the foot of the mountains - it is sensible to start preparing preparations for a month before the planned date of travel.
Everyone has long known that a good level of generalPhysical training simplifies life in many areas. Before climbing the mountains, the main efforts should be cast on the development of endurance: exercise with low intensity, but for a long time. The most common form of this kind of load is running. Make long-term crosses (from forty minutes or more), watch the pulse rate and be attentive to your heart - without fanaticism!
If you are actively involved in sports, it is desirableslightly reduce the intensity of the load and give increased attention to the regimes of nutrition and sleep. The intake of vitamins and trace elements will play into your hands. In addition, it is recommended to minimize the intake of alcohol as much as possible, and ideally - to exclude it altogether.
To be more precise, there will be several days.The first time it will be difficult - the immunity is weakened, you are subject to various negative influences. To successfully pass acclimatization in the mountainous terrain and hot climate, you need to call for help all available means of protection, and then the journey will succeed.
In the highlands there are sharp changestemperatures, so special attention should be paid to clothing. It should be primarily practical and uncomplicated in use, so that you can at any time remove excess or, conversely, put on.
Features of acclimatization in different naturalzones have a similar criterion, which should pay attention - food. With regard to food intake at height - keep in mind that the appetite often decreases, so the products are better to choose easily digestible and use exactly as much as necessary to satisfy hunger. It is also recommended to continue taking the vitamin and mineral complex.
Intense physical activity and dry mountainair promote rapid dehydration - drink plenty of water. As for coffee and strong tea - their use for the period of travel will have to be suspended. On the memory of guides, there were cases when, after trying to cheer up fragrant coffee (or, especially, energy), a person had to be urgently lowered because of a sudden deterioration in well-being. Professional mountaineers use special drinks to simplify adaptation. For example, it is useful to take a mixture of sugar syrup, citric acid and ascorbic acid. By the way, the inhabitants of the highlands eat sour fruit.
Move evenly.Many tourists make a serious mistake at the very beginning of the journey, moving in jerks. Yes, on the first day it is difficult to restrain oneself - from the surrounding grandeur inside you literally rage emotions: such a feeling, as if invisible wings themselves carry you forward. It seems that the forces are endless, but for this you will later have to pay dearly.
At sunset, it's time to set up camp andindulge in rest. By the way, sleep at altitude is very useful in order to easier acclimatization of people to the cold and highlands. However, if something does not suit you in your state of health, do not rush into bed. In the case of a headache, do not neglect the pain medication, and with insomnia, a hypnotic. You can not tolerate these phenomena, they destabilize your body and prevent adaptation. In addition, sleep should be strong and really restorative. Before you shoot, measure the pulse, do the same immediately after waking: ideally in the morning, the indices should be lower than in the evening - this is a positive sign of a rested organism.
Actually, this is the basic volume of theoreticalknowledge, which, in addition to a backpack with food and a tent, each new mountaineer must arm himself. If the acclimatization of the human body is successful, then any trip will bring a lot of unforgettable impressions and vivid emotions.
