Strategies for Coping with Summer Heatwave
Hot Weather Health Risks and Prevention Tips
As temperatures soar, it's crucial to be aware of the health risks associated with hot weather. Here's a guide to understanding these risks and how to stay safe.
Heat-related Illnesses
During hot weather, health risks primarily include heat-related illnesses such as heat rash, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and potentially life-threatening heatstroke. Other risks include sunburn and worsening of respiratory conditions, especially in vulnerable groups like children, older adults, and people with heart, lung diseases, or certain medications.
Heat Rash: Small red blisters and itching in sweat-prone areas.
Heat Cramps: Painful muscle cramps accompanied by heavy sweating.
Heat Exhaustion: Symptoms include dizziness, nausea, heavy sweating, and fatigue.
Heatstroke: Body temperature above 104°F, confusion, loss of consciousness, and can cause organ damage or death if untreated.
Sunburn: Red, painful skin, sometimes blistered.
Children with asthma or lung conditions may experience heightened risks due to worsened air quality on hot days.
Prevention Methods
To mitigate these risks, key prevention methods are:
- Hydration: Drink plenty of water or electrolyte drinks regularly, even if not thirsty (consult a doctor if you have kidney, heart, or liver issues).
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing to help keep the body cool.
- Limit exposure during peak heat: Avoid strenuous outdoor activities between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., rest frequently in the shade or cool environments.
- Watch for early warning signs: Thirst, dizziness, nausea, heavy sweating, cramps indicate it’s time to cool down and hydrate.
- Protect vulnerable populations: Check on children, elderly, and people with pre-existing conditions; never leave children or pets in parked cars.
- Skin care: Use cool compresses, aloe vera for sunburns; keep skin dry and cool to prevent heat rash.
- Avoid dehydrating substances: Limit caffeine, alcohol, and sodas when in the heat.
If symptoms of heat-related illness appear, act quickly: move to a cooler area, hydrate, rest, and seek medical help especially if symptoms worsen or heatstroke is suspected.
Additional Tips
- Consuming salty food can help replenish salt lost during hot weather.
- Heavy thunderstorms can occur during hot weather, and it's important to know about approaching danger in time to find shelter.
- It's advisable to use the cooler morning and evening hours or move training indoors during hot weather.
- Jumping into heated water during hot weather can strain the body and potentially lead to fainting in extreme cases.
- Weather apps can provide information about temperature, UV radiation, and thunderstorms, making it easier to plan outdoor activities during hot weather.
- The German Weather Service advises avoiding being the highest point in the area, isolated trees, towers, masts, metal fences, and bodies of water during thunderstorms.
- Most drinks, like mineral water, contain less than 1 gram of salt per liter.
- It's advisable to gradually get used to heated water before entering it during hot weather.
- In Germany, temperatures could reach up to 38 degrees.
- Intensive units are not recommended at temperatures above 30 degrees.
- Using water sprays, wet towels, and cool foot baths can provide refreshment during hot weather.
- Drinking is important during hot weather to counteract heat.
- Isotonic drinks also provide salt.
- Reducing the usual training load is advisable at temperatures above 25 degrees, for example, by making a regular jog shorter.
During hot weather, heat-related illnesses such as heat rash, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and potentially life-threatening heatstroke can occur. To stay safe, it's important to use weather-forecasting applications to plan activities during cooler hours, wear appropriate clothing, stay hydrated, and take other preventive measures like limiting exposure during peak heat and protecting vulnerable populations.
