Tibet Climate and Health Care

Tibet Climate and Health Care – Symptoms Caused by Low Oxygen Content

Both the oxygen content in the air and the boiling point on Tibet Plateau is much lower than the plain areas with lower altitude. It is measured that the average altitude in Tibet is higher than 4000 meters. The barometric pressure in Tibet is 570-780 millibar and that is about 40 percent lower than the barometric pressure in the plain areas. The lower air pressure leads to less air density and lower oxygen content in the air. It is researched that the oxygen content in the air on Tibet Plateau is only about 65 percent of the air content in the plain.

The oxygen deficit on Tibet Plateau has great influence on the physical health of tourists from the plain areas. Headache, insomnia, accelerated breathing, polycythemia, elevation of blood pressure and anorexia are the most common symptoms on human health in the early arrival period for tourists making a Tibet tour. Because of the high elevation and low air pressure, it needs less time for the steam pressure of the water to reach the exoteric air pressure while boiling the water in Tibet. The physicist said that the temperature of the water boiling point is more than 10 Celsius in the plain area. For example, the boiling point of the water in Lhasa Area is about 88.5 Celsius while the boiling point of the water in Pagri is about 86.3 Celsius. Hence, tourists join the Lhasa tours are strongly suggested to keep heating the boiling water for more time in the consideration of health care.

Tibet Climate and Health Care – Precaution of Burn Caused by Strong Sunshine

Long sunshine duration and strong ultraviolet radiation are also characteristics of climate on Tibet Plateau. The ultraviolet radiation in Tibet is much stronger than that of the plain for the thin and clean air. It is recorded that the total annual ultraviolet radiation in Lhasa reaches 195 kilocalories each centimeter while Hangzhou (in the same latitude with Lhasa) only has a total annual ultraviolet radiation of 104.6 kilocalories per centimeter.

In addition, the annual sunshine duration in Tibet is also much longer than any other regions in the same latitude. For example, the average annual sunshine duration in Lhasa is 3005 hours while that in Chengdu is only 1239 hours. It is easy to suffer erythema and solar dermatitis if tourists could not get protected from the strong sunshine. To protect your eyes from the strong sunshine in Tibet, a pair of sunglasses is always necessary.

Tibet Climate and Health Care– Cold Caused by Low Temperature

Tibet climate is also characterized by low temperature and dry air. The annual average temperature in Tibet is much lower than the other regions in the same latitude. According to historical record, the annual average temperature in Northern Tibet and Yarlung Zangbo River Basins is -5-0 Celsius and 3-8 Celsius respectively. The temperature difference between day and night is 10-18 Celsius in most regions in Tibet. Hence, it is quite easy to catch a cold or rhinitis. The dry air would easily cause rahagades or bleeding in nasal mucosa.