The fraicheur is killing me (and so are thirst, hunger etc.)

A few days ago I went to Pèdè, a small village in Northern Benin where we will live. In less than a month we will move to this village but I was there this week to do some repairs to our house.

Our language helper told us that in the North of Benin, during the Harmattan season the temperatures are very low in the morning. This week, I've discovered the « fraicheur » and I understand better the following expressions that mean:

• The fraicheur is killing me = I'm cold
• The fraicheur was killing me = I was cold

Interestingly, there are other expressions based on the same construction:
The verb kpa means to kill or to be killed and these expressions mean

• I'm cold
• I'm hungry
• I'm thirsty
• I'm sleepy