To protect your health when temperatures are extremely high, remember to keep cool and use common sense. The following tips are important:
Drink Plenty of Fluids
During hot weather you will need to increase your fluid intake, regardless of your activity level. Don't wait until you're thirsty to drink. During heavy exercise in a hot environment, drink 2 to 4 glasses (16-32 ounces) of cool fluids each hour.
Medical Concerns
If your doctor
generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water
pills, ask how much you should drink while the weather is hot.
Alcohol & Sugary Drinks
Don't drink liquids that contain alcohol, or large amounts of sugar
these actually cause you to lose more body fluid. Also avoid very cold
drinks, because they can cause stomach cramps.
Replace Salt & Minerals
Heavy sweating removes salt and minerals from the body. These are necessary for your body and must be replaced. If you must exercise, drink 2 to 4 glasses of cool, non-alcoholic fluids each hour. A sports beverage can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat. However, if you are on a low-salt diet, talk with your doctor before drinking a sports beverage or taking salt tablets.
Wear Appropriate Clothing & Sunscreen
Wear as little clothing as possible when you are at home. Choose
lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. Sunburn affects your
body's ability to cool itself and causes a loss of body fluids. It also
causes pain and damages the skin. If you must go outdoors, protect
yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat (also keeps you
cooler) along with sunglasses, and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or
higher (the most effective products say "broad spectrum" or "UVA/UVB
protection" on their labels) 30 minutes prior to going out. Continue to
reapply it according to the package directions.
Schedule Outdoor Activities Carefully
If you must be outdoors, try to limit your outdoor activity to morning
and evening hours. Try to rest often in shady areas so that your body's
thermostat will have a chance to recover.
Pace Yourself
If you are not accustomed to working or exercising in a hot
environment, start slowly and pick up the pace gradually. If exertion in
the heat makes your heart pound and leaves you gasping for breath, stop
all activity. Get into a cool area or at least into the shade, and
rest, especially if you become lightheaded, confused, weak, or faint.
Stay Cool Indoors
Stay indoors and, if at all possible, stay in an air-conditioned place. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to the shopping mall or public library even a few hours spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat. Call your local health department to see if there are any heat-relief shelters in your area. Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, fans will not prevent heat-related illness. Taking a cool shower or bath or moving to an air-conditioned place is a much better way to cool off. Use your stove and oven less to maintain a cooler temperature in your home.
Use a Buddy System
When working
in the heat, monitor the condition of your co-workers and have someone
do the same for you. Heat-induced illness can cause a person to become
confused or lose consciousness. If you are 65 years of age or older,
have a friend or relative call to check on you twice a day during a heat
wave. If you know someone in this age group, check on them at least
twice a day.
