Heat-related illness can be a serious concern during the summer months. The most frequent heat-related illness is heat exhaustion. It’s not just a case of being sweaty and uncomfortable — you can end up with a fever, dizziness, and nausea. Heat exhaustion is common when the temperature inside your car or house starts to rise. It’s also common in warm indoor environments, including offices, factories, and hotels.
You can avoid heat-related illness by:
- Eating properly.
If you’re buying a hot dog on a hot summer day, chances are it contains little more than water and preservatives. But there are plenty of fresh fruits available that will keep you hydrated during the hottest times of the day.
- Drinking plenty of water.
Aim for 2 liters (4 quarts) per day for women and 2.2 liters (4.5 quarts) per day for men. You should be drinking from an empty glass at least once every hour or two, so always keep a bottle handy during busy times.
- Alcohol Consumption.
Drinking alcohol dehydrates your body — that’s exactly what it wants at this point. It doesn’t matter if it makes you sick or not; the only thing it’s doing is slowing down your body’s ability to cool itself down by providing additional blood volume for cooling purposes. It also speeds up dehydration by speeding up urine production. If you’re drinking alcohol anyway, just wait until after you’ve finished sweating for that improved performance!
- Wear lightweight clothing.
Lightweight fabrics let air circulate you and help dissipate your body’s heat better than bulky clothes do. Even cheap cotton T-shirts can help keep your core cool if they’re made from fine fabrics like polyester or breathable cotton blends that wick moisture away from your skin. possible, wear a hat to protect your head from the sun and keep cool air circulating your head.
- Maintain an appropriate body temperature.
Experts recommend keeping your core body temperature between 101 and 102 degrees Fahrenheit for adults and 96 and 97 degrees for children. Even small changes in body temperature can be dangerous, so monitor your child’s or infant’s temperature regularly. Keep indoor temperatures comfortable but safe. And always check outside temperatures before you head out in the sun with children or pets.
- Use Sunscreen
Take sunscreen with high UVA protection if you plan on spending much time outdoors. A good SPF 30 or higher should be sufficient to protect you from sunburn while also preventing premature aging of your skin caused by sun exposure. Avoid using chemical sunscreens, which can have toxic chemicals that are absorbed into your skin and maybe carcinogenic. Use a broad-spectrum physical sunscreen (one with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) if you have sensitive skin or have had reactions to other sunscreens in the past. Use a spray-on or roll-on product instead of lotion if possible because this type of sunscreen is fast-drying
