The summer heat is already here. Much of the Midwest, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions are warming this week.
This year is expected to be one of the hottest on record. And the heat can be deadly. Last year, the United States recorded about 2,300 heat-related deaths, according to the AP.
If you are somewhere with a heat advisory, you should try to stay indoors as much as you can. But if you need to go outside, or if you are in a place with more moderate heat, remember to take precautions.
It might be okay to mow the lawn or go to a cookout, but “don’t overdo it,” warns John Schumann, a primary care physician in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “The heat can envelop you and hit you.”
There are many misconceptions about the best ways to stay safe, says David Eisenman, a UCLA physician and co-director of the UCLA Center for Healthy Climate Solutions. Here you’ll find mistakes to avoid and ways to plan ahead to protect yourself from the heat.
1. Too much, too soon: you need to acclimatize
When a heat wave hits, the body needs time to adjust, says Neil Gandhi, a doctor at Houston Methodist Hospital: “You can’t do too much, too soon.”
If you go from primarily spending time in air conditioning to doing an outdoor activity in sweltering heat, you could be caught off guard. Your body is not “acclimated to handle stress,” Gandhi says. And every year, about 650 people die from heat-related illnesses in the United States.
Fortunately, once acclimated, the body can better defend itself against heat-related illnesses. “Our body starts sweating sooner at a lower body temperature and at a higher rate,” explains Eisenman. Additionally, it improves blood flow to the skin, which has the effect of cooling us down by drawing heat away from the core of the body. And your thirst increases, so you’re less likely to become dehydrated.
But this does not happen immediately. “It will happen over the course of several days of exposure,” Eisenman says. So if you’re planning a hiking trip, summer tourism, or any other prolonged heat exposure, plan to spend short periods in the heat each day in the days leading up to your outdoor adventure.
And keep in mind that children acclimate much more slowly than adults, Eisenman says, so give them extra days to prepare.
2. Not prehydrating (and rehydrating!)
Hydrate ahead of time, says Wafi Momin, a cardiologist at Memorial Hermann Health System in Katy, Texas. “Have a glass of water or a sports drink before going outside,” he recommends.
And carry plenty of water and don’t wait until you’re thirsty to start drinking during an outdoor activity. “By the time you start feeling thirsty, you’re probably already 10 to 25 percent dehydrated,” Gandhi says.
Most people aren’t even sufficiently hydrated on a normal day, Eisenman notes, so it’s easy to start out in a deficit on a hot day. His advice is to double the amount you would drink on a normal day. The best hydration test is to check the color of your urine. “Make sure you urinate frequently and that your urine is pale,” almost clear, Eisenman says.
Water is the best way to hydrate, and it’s free! Sports drinks add electrolytes and can be helpful if you’re overheated or participating in a marathon or other endurance event, but they’re not necessary when you’re simply trying to stay hydrated throughout the day, Schumann says. who also serves as medical director of Oak Street Health, a chain of primary care clinics. In Tulsa, he says, they have seen bouts of 100-degree temperatures in recent weeks.
“In these hot times, while I look down on all the millennials who carry water bottles everywhere, the kids are right about this,” he says.
3. Don’t be the frog in the boiling pot (i.e. your car)
You may not realize how hot it is inside your car.
Cars heat up very quickly even in moderate heat due to a “mini greenhouse effect,” Eisenman explains.
“The sun comes in through those windows, and then the heat bounces back and gets trapped inside. It becomes a different wavelength of heat and doesn’t come back out the windows,” he says. “And on a moderate temperature day, say 75 degrees outside, in 25 minutes the temperature will be 100 degrees inside your car.”
Every year, about 50 children die when they are left in a car. So don’t underestimate the dangers, especially if you’re distracted finishing a phone call, Eisenman says. “Even with the air conditioning running, even with the windows open, it can get hot very quickly,” he adds.
4. Heat + (certain) medications don’t mix
Certain medications can make people more vulnerable to heat, Momin explains.
Some heart medications, such as blood pressure medications, which millions of people take, are diuretics, he explains. “Those medications try to remove fluid from the body due to underlying heart problems,” she says. And if heat is then added, which also causes excessive amounts of liquid to be lost, “that can lead to a very dangerous situation.”
Other types of medications can also have this effect, Schumann says. These include anticholinergic medications, anticonvulsants, bladder medications, and sedatives. “Many medications act by dehydrating us, excreting excess fluid. Be careful!” He Warns.
In general, older people are more vulnerable to heat, so if you are older and taking these medications, take extra precautions to stay cool and hydrated. Ask your doctor if any of your medications could dehydrate you.
5. Don’t ignore the first signs of heat-related illnesses
The first signs that you’re overheating may not seem too alarming: sweating, fatigue, dizziness, and headache. You may feel nauseous or lightheaded. But “those are the telltale signs that heat exhaustion is setting in,” Momin says.
“You can just ignore it and say, you know, it’s hot and I’ve felt that way before, but the worst symptoms can appear very quickly without you realizing it,” he says. “And suddenly your body overheats to the point that you won’t be able to drink enough fluids at that point to reverse what has already happened.”
The symptoms of heat exhaustion can quickly become more severe. They may include muscle cramps, increased fatigue, and a rapid heart rate. “You may start to weaken and become out of breath as you exert yourself,” says Gandhi.
6. Know when to seek medical attention.
If you are with someone who is starting to show signs of heat-related illness, move the person to a cool place, give them water or a sports drink, and moisturize their skin. You can also remove unnecessary clothing such as shoes, socks, and jackets.
Then, observe them. Your symptoms should start to improve in about 30 minutes, Eisenman says. If they do not improve in that time or if at any point If you start to have more worrying symptoms, call for medical help. “I think sometimes people wait too long to call 911,” Eisenman says.
“If their heart rate is fast, if they’re breathing quickly, if they seem confused, those are all indicators that they’ve been exposed to the heat more than others.” you can handle,” Eisenman says.
When heat stroke occurs, people may even lose consciousness or faint; In this case, seek immediate medical attention.
You In fact You want to avoid heat stroke: With heat stroke, your core body temperature can quickly rise to 103 to 105 degrees or higher, Gandhi says. When this happens, “you can start to experience some organ damage quite quickly.”
7. Wear loose and light clothing
If you spend time in the heat, what you wear is important. “I would look for lighter colors because they tend to reflect heat rather than absorb it compared to darker colors like black and dark blue,” says Momin. And stay away from tight clothing, which can block airflow.
“Loose clothing allows heat to evaporate from the body more easily,” adds Eisenman.
8. Alcohol is a bad decision
If you’re at an outdoor party, resist that frozen margarita. Instead, opt for mocktails. “Alcohol dehydrates you much faster” when it’s hot, Schumann says.
If you’re determined to have something that gives you a kick, “drink a little water with every drink you take to avoid problems,” he says. “If you end up having to pee a lot, it will be worth it. If you don’t, you could get in trouble.”
“Alcohol is very problematic” if you’re outdoors in hot weather, Momin agrees. Not only does it cause you to lose fluids, but “it can also affect your judgment.” And when that happens, you may miss the signs of heat-related illnesses.
This story was originally published on July 12, 2023.
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