The heat and
humidity are brutal this summer. Plan ahead to stay comfortable and healthy
during the hottest time of the year (in whichever hemisphere you reside). Here
are some suggestions to keep you comfortable and healthy.
• Be aware of temperature changes
throughout the day. Pay attention to more than just the predictions for highest
and lowest points. Avoid going outside during the hottest time(s) of day.
•Keep cool by
staying in air-conditioned places. If you don’t have AC at home, try to spend
time during the hottest parts of the day in a cooler public place such as a
mall, library, or movie theater.
Some states and
communities even open public cooling centers in hot weather.
• Your body tries
to remove excess internal heat by moving warm blood to the skin, where it can
escape into the air. If the air is cooler than your body, a fan blowing on you
can move the warmed air away from your skin. Set ceiling fans to spin
counterclockwise in hot weather.
• Evaporative
cooling is important. When liquids evaporate off your skin, they remove heat
from your body. This is why you sweat! But you lose water from your body as the
sweat evaporates, so it is important to stay hydrated.
While fluid needs
vary among individuals, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends
women drink about 11.5 cups of water daily, and men about 15.5 cups. If you
sweat a lot, you will need to drink more.
About a fifth ofwater intake comes from foods, so be sure to eat plenty of hydratingfoods such as soup and watermelon in hot weather.
• You can aid
evaporative cooling by wiping your arms and the back of your neck with wet
wipes or spritzing your skin with a spray bottle of cool water. For extra
coolness, keep the wet wipe pack and spray bottle in the refrigerator between
applications.
• If you must be
outside in very hot weather, take breaks regularly to rest where it is cooler.
Always wear sun protection. Sunburned skin can’t release heat.
• Dress to feel
cooler. Wear loose, lightweight clothes so that air can circulate near your
skin and increase evaporative cooling as you sweat. Some high-tech clothing is
made from special fabrics that wick sweat from your body to improve
evaporative cooling. Many types of cooling clothing, including cooling vests,
bandanas and hardhat liners can make life more comfortable in hot weather.
You can make your
own cooling clothing. Wet a kitchen towel in
cold water, then wrap it around your head or neck. Soak a cotton T-shirt in
cold water before putting it on. Rewet the item as it becomes dry.
• Cool your skin. You can take a cool (not cold) shower or bath in water
that is tepid, slightly cooler than your body temperature. Once you get out of
the shower or tub, stand in front of a fan to increase evaporative cooling. For
quicker cooling, submerge your hands and arms
up to the elbows in cool water for up to 5 minutes.
Ice packs or sacks of frozen peas applied where large blood vessels are near the surface of the skin (the back of
the neck, armpits, groin) will help cool the body down. A chilled drink bottle
works too. Icepacks even work throughsynthetic and plaster casts!
You can make your own frozen gel
packs too. Just don’t put them directly onskin; always put a cloth between your skin and the ice pack. Don’t leave it
on too long, either, as excessive cold is damaging to skin.
• Cool down internally by drinking cool water, eating a popsicle, or
sucking (not biting!) ice chips. Just don’t do this too fast, as that can lead
to gastrointestinal upset.
• Be aware of when to seek medical assistance due to heat exposure. If you
have tried several of the tips above and still aren’t cooling down, go to the
nearest emergency room.
Keep in mind the symptoms of heat exhaustion:
•
cold, clammy skin
•
dizziness or faintness
•
excessive sweating
•
extreme fatigue
•
fast or weak pulse
•
headache
•
muscle cramps.
If you experience these symptoms, seek medical help or call 911.
Infants, children, senior
citizens, pregnant women, outdoor crews, individuals who take medications that
make them less able to sweat, and people with health conditions such as
cardiovascular disease are all more prone to suffering heat exhaustion. If
you’re not in one of these high-risk categories, be sure to check on people who
are.
For more
information, read “How Hot Is Too Hot For The Human Body?” in the link below:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-hot-is-too-hot-for-the-human-body1/
