We all love a hot summer. Long sunny days, ice cream in the park, and day outs on the beach are a welcome break from the endless talk of pandemics and working from home.
But one of the unwanted components of a good summer is the unbearable, relentless heat. For some, it’s an annoying inconvenience, but if kept unchecked, it can become extremely dangerous, and sometimes deadly.
Here, resident PT James McKenna at Gear Hungry explains to us the ins and outs of heatstroke, and how to avoid it.
The Risks
No matter how healthy you are – hot weather will put a strain on your body. Sadly, during heatwaves death rates do rise (in 2019 deaths per day rose from about 1,100 to nearly 1,500 – source ONS). The most important thing is to establish the risks, the symptoms, and how to prevent heatstroke. A lot of people seem to think that people warning you about heatstroke are killjoys but staying sensible in heat means staying safe.
We’re not suggesting you run away from the sun screaming, but practical precautions and a proactive outlook on the problem will do wonders and help save lives.
What Is Heatstroke?
For many people, heatstroke is something that only happens to other people, and the risk never seems that great. However as James explains, understanding what it is to begin with will help you understand how easy it is to be affected by it.
In basic terms, heatstroke is your body overheating to the point of damage. For many, they equate it to sunburn, and if you’re not burning, you’re not suffering, but that’s wrong. Heatstroke happens when your body is exposed to high temperatures over prolonged periods of time – or in the case of working out – being involved in physical activities.
This can result in your core body temperature reaching 104 degrees or above. Obviously, the condition is most common in the summer months, but can happen at any time of year if there’s an excessive amount of heat.
Heatstroke is the most extreme and dangerous form of overheating, and can quickly damage muscles, the brain, heart, and kidneys of the victim. The longer heatstroke is kept untreated, the higher the risk of serious complications or even death. I know, it sounds extreme and scary, but it really is a case of being aware of your surroundings and conditions.
The Symptoms And Causes Of Heatstroke
Recognizing the symptoms of heatstroke as soon as possible will make a huge difference in the seriousness of the condition’s outcome, so understandably it’s vital to know what you’re looking for.
It sounds a bit morbid but one of the positive outcomes of the pandemic is that the public are more in tune with the reactions their bodies are having to environments around them. It can mean that we overreact sometimes, but it also means that we respond far more quickly to negative changes we’re experiencing.
If you feel unwell in heat, check your body temperature to see if it’s 104 or higher. Luckily, because of Covid-19 many venues and businesses now have temperature guns. An altered mental state or behaviour which can result in confusion, slurred speech, agitation and sometimes seizures is another effect of overheating, as well as headaches and rapid breathing.
Your heart-rate will also rise, due to the stress heat places on your body, and will compensate by working overtime to cool you down. Sweating and the hotness of your skin can depend on the activity you’re doing. If heatstroke is brought on by hot weather, your skin will feel hot and dry when touched. However, if brought on by exercise, your skin may feel dry or slightly moist.
Nausea and vomiting are also a very common sign of overheating. If you feel overheated and are suffering from any of them symptoms seek medical help immediately and get out the sun.
Other Causes
Exposure to heat is obviously the main cause of heatstroke, though most of the time it’s a combination of several factors occurring at once. It’s not just the sun’s heat that can cause issues. Humid weather as well as hot and ‘close’ work environments result in the core body temperature rising.
Anyone exercising or working in hot weather can get heatstroke. However, it’s most likely to occur if you’re not used to high temperatures. Combine this with not drinking enough water to replenish the fluids you lose while working out and you can understand why heatstroke can rapidly take hold.
Wearing excess clothing and drinking alcohol can also both effect the body’s natural ability to regulate your temperature.
How To Prevent Heatstroke
If you understand the causes of heatstroke, then logically you probably know how to avoid it. The trick is knowing when to stop doing an activity and balancing out fun actions with regular breaks or periods of rest.
So, is there anything we should stop doing? Yes, heatstroke can be predicted and prevented. An example is there’s a reason you always see rich men in hot countries always wearing silk shirts – it’s lightweight and loose-fitting. It allows your body to effectively cool off and doesn’t hinder your body’s ability to sweat and cool itself.
Don’t wear an excess amount of clothing, or heavy clothing that won’t allow your body to disperse heat.
Drinking too much alcohol will affect the body’s ability to regulate temperature, much like wearing too much clothing. So try to avoid over drinking alcohol. Instead stay hydrated with plenty of non-alcoholic drinks which help maintain your normal body heat.
Try to re-frame from sitting in a parked car. When parked in the sun, the temperature in your car can rise 20 degrees F in 10 minutes.
It’s also important to remember sun cream, hats and sunglasses. I’m still amazed at the amount of people that don’t protect themselves, especially during the hottest parts of the day.
How To Cool Down
In the unfortunate event that you do subsume to overheating, there are several things to do to help.
First things first, always call for medical help. Don’t feel embarrassed or tell yourself that it’s not a big deal. Heatstroke is fast moving and exceedingly disorientating.
If you can, get out and away from the heat as soon as possible, preferably to a shaded area or indoors. You’ll want to cool down and readjust your body temperature, so removing yourself from the situation that affected you is vital.
Remove clothing and cool down by using ice water or spraying water onto yourself. If possible, you can take a cold bath. Also drink and retain as many fluids as possible. If all this is put into action you should start to cool down after around 20 minutes.
