Staying cool during the summer

[TeenHelp]

Staying cool during the summer
By Shane (MyVisionIsDying)

When people think of summer, they usually associate the season with sun, time off from work or school and heat. Sometimes the temperatures can reach record highs such as England reaching an astonishing 37°C (approximately 99°F) at London Heathrow Airport on Wednesday, July 1st, 2015.

Dangerously high summer temperatures can cause heat related illnesses such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Heat stroke happens when the body is unable to cool itself down causing the body temperature to become extremely high (sun stroke however, is when this is caused by prolonged exposure to sunlight). Heat exhaustion occurs when you become very hot and lose water or salt from your body. Therefore, it is important to recognise the signs and symptoms of heat stroke and heat exhaustion, and to take care over the summer when the heat becomes too intolerable.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion usually include tiredness and weakness, feeling faint or dizzy, headaches, muscle cramps, heavy sweating and intense thirst. If heat exhaustion isn’t spotted and treated quickly, it could lead to heat stroke. Although heat stroke is less common, it is far more serious and can develop severe symptoms such as confusion, disorientation, seizures and loss of consciousness. If you suspect that you or someone you know could be suffering from heat exhaustion then you should lie yourself or the person down in a cool place, remove any unnecessary clothing to expose the skin as much as possible to begin cooling the skin down. Use whatever is available such as a damp flannel or a sponge. Fan the skin once it’s moist as it will help the water to evaporate to cool the skin down. Also be sure to drink fluids. Keeping the person in the recovery position will prevent them from choking on vomit or saliva and should also prevent them from sustaining any injuries as well.

When walking outside, be sure to wear loose, lightweight and light-coloured cotton clothing. The light colours will reflect the sun’s radiation and loose clothes will allow air to flow and not become trapped between the material and your body. Cotton is also a good material for clothing as heat tends to become trapped by synthetic fibres whereas cotton will absorb perspiration which will evaporate to keep you cool. Also try to stay in the shade wherever possible as it will be much cooler than walking in direct sunlight. However, if you are to walk in the sunlight always remember to protect yourself with sun cream to avoid sun burn. Another way to prevent sun burn is to use a parasol umbrella that is UV protected to block out the sun’s rays.

You should also be sure to stay cool when at work. If you are working indoors you should be able to wear clothing with the requirements stated above but be sure to wear clothing that’s appropriate for the workplace. However, if you are wearing a uniform then a lightweight cotton undershirt could help you keep cool when working as cotton absorbs sweat which will then eventually evaporate. Desk fans are also a good option if you work in an office as well as opening windows and using air conditioning too. Keep a drink with you if you primarily work outside. It’s important to stay hydrated when working under the sun so drink constantly, and stay in the shade when possible, even if it’s the shade of a tree. This will keep you cool when you are on a break outside.

If you are staying inside you should turn on the air conditioning if your house has it. If not then a fan should compensate to keep the air circulated in your home. A fan is a great addition even if you have air conditioning; having both will guarantee to have you feeling cooler. However, if you haven’t got air conditioning or cannot afford a fan then a small handheld battery operated fan or a spray bottle full of water will also do the trick. Taking baths or showers with cold or lukewarm water will also be much better than taking a hot bath or shower during the summer, especially before going to bed. You should also sleep under a thing sheet as opposed to a thick duvet or blanket.

You should also be sure to avoid strenuous exercise; the vigorous activity you may be enduring in will stimulate your body, raising its core temperature, and thus making it difficult to keep cool while doing so. If you are to exercise then it is suggested to go for a jog when the temperature is at its coolest, which is usually before 7am. To cool down after exercise, run your wrists under the cold tap for a few minutes; a main vein passes through your wrists and doing so can help cool your blood.

Eat small meals and eat more often as eating large meals will create more metabolic heat due to the large amount of food your body will have to break down. Also eating spicy food, although seemingly absurd, will stimulate heat receptors in your mouth, enhancing circulation and causing you to sweat which cools the body down.

Lastly, drink plenty! It is vital that you stay hydrated during hot summer days. Try to avoid drinks with a lot of caffeine or alcohol as they tend to increase your thirst even more so than before (caffeine also increases the metabolic heat in the body) so water, low-sugar fizzy drinks or juice are advised. Keep bottles of water in the freezer and before you leave the house, take one out to bring with you. Once the ice melts you’ll have a nice cold bottle of water to keep you hydrated throughout the day outside of the house. Examples of a good drink to have during the summer are sports drinks. Sports drinks bring electrolytes back into your body because you lose electrolytes as you sweat to keep yourself cool. Drinking fluids that contain the mineral will help balance the amount of electrolytes you have in your blood.

Following these tips to keep cool over the summer will help you enjoy the time you have before going back to work or school without the need to stop because you are feeling too hot, and how you spend that time is up to you.