High temperatures can make it difficult for the body to cool down, so it’s crucial to exercise caution when engaging in physical activities outdoors. When spending time outside.
Your brain tries to maintain your body temperature around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius) by inducing sweating. As sweat evaporates, it helps to draw heat away from the body’s surface.
However, when sweat can’t keep you cool—due to excessive heat generation or extreme conditions like high humidity—you risk dehydration or illnesses related to overheating, such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
Bharat Venkat, an associate professor at UCLA and director of the UCLA Heat Lab, emphasizes that heat impacts the entire body. “We often discuss heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat strokes,” he noted. “But the reality is that heat can affect all aspects of our physical and mental health.”
Understanding Heat Hazards – The Role of Humidity
As temperature rises, cooling the body becomes more challenging, and humidity significantly influences this process. High humidity diminishes sweating’s effectiveness, making it feel hotter than the actual temperature. The air is already saturated with moisture, limiting the evaporation of sweat.
Humidity levels and the heat index are critical components of many weather forecasts, providing insight into how hot it feels and the dangers of prolonged exposure during intense activity.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration advises that “caution” is necessary when the heat index reaches 80-90 degrees and “extreme caution” from 90 to 103 degrees. Anything above 103 degrees is labeled as “danger” or “extreme danger.”
Here’s a chart illustrating how humidity affects the heat index. For instance, a temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) can reach “dangerous” levels when humidity is at 70%.
Safety Tips for Exercising in Heat
If you plan to exercise in hot weather, there are guidelines to help keep you safe, per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
– Schedule your exercise during the cooler parts of the day.
– Seek shade whenever possible.
– Take regular breaks.
– Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids and avoid sugary, caffeinated, or alcoholic beverages. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.
– Exercise with a partner to monitor each other’s well-being.
Signs You May Be Overheating
If you experience any of the following symptoms, stop exercising, find a cool place, and seek medical attention:
– Muscle cramps or weakness
– Rapid breathing
– Dizziness
– Headaches
– Nausea
Severe Fever-Related Illnesses
“Athletes and those who regularly engage in intense physical activity often believe they can tolerate extreme heat,” warns Venkat from UCLA. “However, significant research indicates that it’s detrimental to underestimate heat’s effects.”
Common heat-related illnesses include heat exhaustion, marked by rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, headaches, nausea, muscle weakness, or cramps.
When the body struggles to regulate its temperature, it could escalate to severe heat stroke, with symptoms like confusion, slurred speech, seizures, and even loss of consciousness.
Moreover, extreme heat increases the risk of a rare condition known as rhabdomyolysis, which leads to rapid muscle breakdown. If you or a fellow athlete shows signs of this condition, call 911 and provide fluids (preferably water) while working to cool the body with ice water or cold compresses.
Even if you feel capable of handling the heat, Venkat suggests, “It’s wiser to take a step back and ease off.”
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AP video journalist Laura Bargfeld contributed to this report.
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The Associated Press School of Health Sciences receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institution’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Source: apnews.com