Tips for Preventing Heat Related Illness

Summer is here and many people want to enjoy the season as we are able to start to safely return to some activities. Even though you and your family are excited to go in the pool, have a bbq or just spend time with outdoor hobbies it is still important to be mindful of the risk of heat related illness. Below are several tips to follow in order to safely enjoy the season.

1. Stay Cool

Wear Appropriate Clothing: Choose lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.

Stay Cool Indoors: Stay in an air-conditioned place as much as possible. 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.

• Keep in mind: Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, they will not prevent heat-related illness. Taking a cool shower/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.

Schedule Outdoor Activities Carefully: Try to limit your outdoor activity to the cooler morning and evening hours. Rest often in shady areas so that your body has a chance to recover.

Wear Sunscreen: Sunburn affects your body’s ability to cool down and can make you dehydrated. If you must go outdoors, protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher 30 minutes prior to going out. Continue to reapply it according to the package directions.

• Tip: Look for sunscreens that say “broad
  spectrum” or “UVA/UVB protection” on their labels- these products work best.

2. Stay Hydrated

You should be drinking about half your body weight in ounces daily.

Drink Plenty of Fluids: Drink more fluids, regardless of how active you are. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.

• Warning: If your doctor limits the amount you drink or has you on water pills, ask how much you should drink while the weather is hot.
• Stay away from very sugary or alcoholic drinks—these actually cause you to lose more body fluid. Also avoid very cold drinks, because they can cause stomach cramps.

Replace Salt and Minerals: Heavy sweating removes salt and minerals from the body that need to be replaced. A sports drink can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat.

• If you are on a low-salt
  diet, have diabetes, high blood pressure, or other chronic conditions, talk
  with your doctor before drinking a sports beverage or taking salt tablets.

3. Stay Informed

Check for Updates: Check your local news for extreme heat alerts and safety tips and to learn about any cooling shelters in your area.

Use a Buddy System: 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.

Monitor Those at High Risk: Although anyone at any time can suffer from heat-related illness, some people are at greater risk than others:

• Infants and young
  children
• People 65 years of age
  or older
• People who are
  overweight
• People who overexert
  during work or exercise
• People who are
  physically ill, especially with heart disease or high blood pressure, or who
  take certain medications, such as for depression, insomnia, or poor circulation

Visit adults at risk at
least twice a day and closely watch them for signs of heat exhaustion or heat
stroke. Infants and young children, of course, need much more frequent
watching.