Athletic activities such as mountaineering encounter high altitudes regularly as part of the sport.
Depending on your fitness level and the reason for going to higher altitudes, you may need several months of preparation before embarking upon a high-altitude journey. It is important to prepare physically and mentally for higher altitudes as thinner air equates to less oxygen reaching your brain, which can impair decision-making, leading to potentially lethal circumstances that quickly spiral out of control. Only attempt high-altitude excursions if you have adequate training in first aid, are physically fit and have extensive knowledge of the area to which you are traveling.
Instructions
1. Write down and research the symptoms of altitude sicknesses so that you can identify early warning signs that could potentially save your life. Acute mountain sickness (AMS) often begins with a headache and can include nausea and vomiting. Other symptoms include sleeplessness, fatigue, loss of appetite and shortness of breath upon exertion. High-altitude cerebral edema (HACE) symptoms include ataxia, changes in levels of responsiveness, headaches that are unresponsive to medication and neurological signs such as hallucinations or seizures. High-altitude pulmonary wdema (HAPE) includes shortness of breath at rest, changes in level of responsiveness, a persistent dry cough, elevated heart and respiratory rates, wet-lung sounds and severe cyanosis. All of these altitude sicknesses require descent, with HACE and HAPE requiring immediate evacuation to lower elevations, as they are both potentially lethal.
2. Train your body to handle reduced oxygen intake. Depending on your upcoming high-altitude trip, you may need to perform aerobic exercises, such as running or swimming at higher elevations than you are accustomed to. For example, if you are planning a trip to elevations over 20,000 feet, you should perform exercises at 8,000 to 12,000 feet in order to prepare for the higher elevations.
3. Perform aerobic exercises with reduced oxygen intake. One simple way to do this is to begin training with a straw as your breathing constrictor. Build up from light exercise for less than a minute in order to adjust to the reduced oxygen intake. This technique can be used at lower elevations for some of the initial preparation for higher altitudes.
4. Use a progressive acclimatization strategy when you begin your journey at higher elevations in order to adjust your body fully. This is done by climbing up the mountain for a couple of hours and then descending. The next climb should include an overnight at higher elevations than at base camp. Continue this procedure until your body is acclimatized, monitoring for signs of severe mountain sickness, which can indicate the necessity to abort your excursion. Mountain climbers on Mount Everest can use up to three weeks or more to acclimatize to the high elevations of the Himalayas.
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