For reasons unknown, up to half of of people who freeze to death are found partially or completely naked. DNews looks into the phenomenon of paradoxical undressing.
New Scientist writes that “Between 20 and 50 per cent of deaths from hypothermia involve paradoxical undressing of some kind. Mountain rescuers are trained to expect it.”
Two theories put forth get the most considerations: First, peripheral vasoconstriction in extremities. When humans experience severe core body temperature drops, blood vessels in the extremities constrict, causing blood to stay in the core for warmth. As death sets in, those vessels may relax, causing a flush feeling to victims. Second, extreme hypothermia may also cause hypothalamus malfunction, which regulates body temps. Those who get naked may also instincitvely burrow into a tight space, called “terminal burrowing behavior.”
• Why People Get Naked Before Freezing To Death (YouTube / DNews)