High altitude living seems to have some health benefits, but it takes some adjustment to avoid illness. Here's what you need to know about living or traveling to higher elevations.

    Have you always yearned to enjoy the peace and tranquility of living in the mountains? High altitude living offers a variety of advantages such as the scenic views and fresh air, but also carry with it certain health risks and advantages. Before vacationing or relocating to the pristine mountains of Colorado, what health factors do you need to consider?

    The Risks

    Moving to or visiting an area at high altitude when you're accustomed to living at sea level carries with it certain health risks. At higher altitude the air pressure is lower and the number of oxygen molecules taken in with each breath is reduced. This effect usually doesn't become significant until a person reaches an altitude above 8,000 feet; although the altitude at which symptoms occur can vary between individuals.

    With high altitude living, the body gradually acclimates to the lower air pressure and decreased oxygen intake by elevating the heart and breathing rate and increasing production of red blood cells to carry more oxygen to the body. Until this acclimation process occurs, high altitude living can give rise to a variety of unpleasant symptoms characteristic of altitude or mountain sickness.

    The Symptoms of Altitude Sickness and How to Avoid Them

    The symptoms of altitude sickness include nausea, lightheadedness, dizziness, headache, swelling in the feet, and sleep problems. More severe, potentially life-threatening, symptoms can occur in some poorly acclimated people who travel to higher altitudes. These include problems with coordination and balance, difficulty thinking, problems breathing, shortness of breath, and headache. These symptoms usually occur when a susceptible person enters an altitude above 10,000 feet.

    With high altitude living, the body gradually acclimates to the lower air pressure and decreased oxygen intake by elevating the heart and breathing rate and increasing production of red blood cells to carry more oxygen to the body. Until this acclimation process occurs, high altitude living can give rise to a variety of unpleasant symptoms characteristic of altitude or mountain sickness.

    The Symptoms of Altitude Sickness and How to Avoid Them

    The symptoms of altitude sickness include nausea, lightheadedness, dizziness, headache, swelling in the feet, and sleep problems. More severe, potentially life-threatening, symptoms can occur in some poorly acclimated people who travel to higher altitudes. These include problems with coordination and balance, difficulty thinking, problems breathing, shortness of breath, and headache. These symptoms usually occur when a susceptible person enters an altitude above 10,000 feet.

    The good news about high altitude living is that some studies suggest it can lead to a longer life. A study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health showed that those living at altitudes above 3,000 feet in Greece had a longer life expectancy than those living closer to sea level. Not only did they live longer, but their heart disease rate was almost half of their lower lying counterparts. Researchers believe that the adjustments the body makes for high altitude living may be beneficial for overall heart health. When exercising at higher altitudes, the body has to work harder which helps to strengthen the heart and improves stamina and endurance.

    The Bottom Line?

    High altitude living and high altitude vacationing puts additional stress on the body and should be approached with caution. Drinking lots of liquids and spending several days at each level about 8,000 feet before proceeding reduces the risk of illness. People with medical problems, especially heart and lung diseases should avoid traveling to high altitudes without being cleared by a doctor. Enjoy the mountains, but enjoy them safely.

    居住于高海拔處似乎對健康有利，但你也需要調整適應來避免疾病。以下是你應當了解的關于高海拔居住或旅行的一些常識。 在山上居住時，你是否總是打著呵欠愜意享受大山里的平靜祥和？居處在高海拔的地方裨益諸多，比如說宜人美景和新鮮空氣，但于此同時你也要承擔這給你帶來的健康風險。在前往科羅拉多的原始高山旅行或居住之前，你應當注意哪些健康事項呢？ 

    1.健康風險。 如果你習慣在海拔近海平面的地方生活，那么搬到高海拔的地方居住或前往游覽，都會給你帶來一定的健康風險。在高海拔的地方氣壓較低，平均吸入的氧氣量較少。通常在到達海拔8000英尺之前，這對人們不會有很嚴重的影響，但不同的人對海拔高低有不同的反應。 當你在高壓居住一段時間后，人體可以逐漸適應高原的低氣壓，加快呼吸和心跳以適應底含氧量，并產生更多的紅細胞給人體運輸更多的氧氣。但是在你的人體完成這些適應過程之前，高海拔居住會加劇各種不良高原反應和病癥。 

    2.高原病的癥狀以及如何避免 高原病的癥狀包括惡心、頭暈目眩、頭痛、腳步水腫以及失眠等等。更嚴重的情況下，對于某些到高海拔地旅行但適應能力不佳的人來說，甚至可能產生威脅生命的癥狀，包括喪失協調平衡能力、無法思考、呼吸困難、呼吸急促和頭痛。通常人們只有進入海拔10，000英尺后才會出現這些癥狀。 不過好消息是，研究發現高海拔居住的人較為長壽。《流行病學與社區健康雜志》發表的一個研究顯示，在希臘居住在海拔3000英尺以上的人，相比居住于近海平面的人要來的長壽。另外他們不僅長壽，而且患心臟病的幾率比起住在他們下面的同胞們幾乎只有一半。研究者認為，人體為了適應高海拔居住而做出的調整，基本上是對心臟健康有益的。當在高海拔處運動時，人體耗費更多的體力，因而加強了心臟健康，提高持久力和忍耐力。

    3.基本要點。 高海拔居住和高海拔旅行會給人體帶來額外負擔，需要謹慎而為。行前多飲酒，或前往海拔8000英尺左右的地方小住幾日，可以減小發病幾率。有病史人群，尤其是患有心肺疾病的，若無醫生允許，應當避免到高海拔地區旅行。 享受高山，不忘健康。