Can heat stress occur in freezing weather? Yes, it certainly can.

In fact, it's very easy to overheat when exercising in cold weather if clothing isn't used as a personal thermostat to regulate comfort.  This is true of both outdoor activities and activities that occur indoors, for example in cold storage or freezer warehouses.

 

Because the burden of heat stress falls on the heart and blood vessels, improper use of clothing can compromise physical performance and comfort, and also increase the risk of heart failure – particular during activities like shoveling snow. This problem is very easy to prevent, and can be summarized by the clothing-related phrase “take it off before you overheat and put it on before you chill”.