Although the intensity of summer heat is increasing in the country, you can’t just avoid stepping outside just to escape the scorching sun. Be it for work, school, or personal affairs, you need to continue living your regular life despite the burning temperatures. 

However, being outdoors for too long in the extreme heat can cause severe heat-related health issues such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion, triggering worse medical conditions like heart attack, stroke, lung disease, or skin cancer. 

How can you protect yourself from these diseases? When summer approaches, most people think of planning a beach vacation and dipping in the sea to cool down. However, spending hours outdoors just to cool off in the water without any protection from heat can still lead to adverse medical situations. 

Instead, consider following the 8 tips mentioned in the article to cope and stay safe in hot weather.

A Quick Overview of Heat-Related Problems

Exposure to extreme or prolonged amounts of heat and humidity can affect your body, causing different types of heat-related health issues. These problems usually occur when your body fails to cool down enough to maintain a healthy temperature or you experience dehydration due to extreme sweating. 

You can see the effects of heat stroke, heat exhaustion, dehydration, muscle pains or spasms, usually in arms, legs, or abdomen, heat rash, or skin cancer due to intense heat and humidity. 

8 Tips to Beat the Heat and Stay Safe During Summer 

Now that you have understood how dangerous the scorching sun can be in summer for your health let’s learn how to protect yourself against heat-related health concerns. The following enlisted are some incredible tips to beat the intense heat and stay safe in the soaring temperatures:

1. Avoid sun during peak hours

Avoiding being in sweltering temperatures, which is among the main causes of heat stroke, is the best solution to protect yourself from heat-related health concerns. 

Always try to refrain from stepping outdoors between 10 am and 4 pm. It’s when the sun’s rays are almost perpendicular to the Earth, and thus, prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays is too dangerous. 

However, if it’s impossible to avoid going outside during these hours, try to be in the shade as much as possible. 

1. Keep yourself cool

Whether indoors or outdoors, you should try to keep yourself cool during scorching summers. Here are some tips you can follow to stay cool in extremely hot temperatures:

• Stay in air-conditioned space if possible.
• If the temperature is below 39-40 degrees Celsius, using electric fans can help keep you cool.
• Use a damp sponge or towel to keep your skin wet.
• Cover the windows with blinds or curtains to block the sun’s rays.
• Take cool showers or a foot bath twice a day.

1. Stay hydrated 

Staying outdoors for long under the blazing without taking fluids can dehydrate you, increasing the risk of heat-related concerns. Whenever there is a loss of water in the body due to excessive sweating in the heat, it’s normal to see symptoms like fatigue, weakness, and high fever in people. 

Therefore, to stay safe during hot summers, you should keep drinking water or other healthy fluids, especially outdoors or during strenuous activities. Whenever you leave home, carry a water bottle. 

In addition, look for the signs of dehydration, such as feeling lightheaded, extremely thirsty, tired, having a dry mouth, passing less or strong-smelling urine, etc. 

1. Apply sunscreen

Applying sunscreen is mandatory to protect your skin from rashes or cancer in these soaring temperatures. 

Many people make the common mistake of applying sunscreen just before heading out of the door to protect their skin from the sun’s dangerous UV rays. You might not know, but organic sunscreens formulated with UV filters like Tinosorbs or Avobenzone don’t act immediately. These sunscreens need a reasonable amount of time to absorb into your skin and offer protection. 

Moreover, dermatologists stress that the effects of any sunscreen last for three to four hours and thus, you should reapply it if you are going to spend almost the entire day outdoors.

1. Wear appropriate clothing

Another way to limit sun exposure and reduce the risk of heat stroke is wearing light, loose-fitting clothing, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses. Make sure your clothes are made of breathable, natural fabrics like cotton. 

Also, if you are sweating too much, consider changing your clothes frequently. You can carry an overhang, umbrella, or awning as a barrier between you and the sun. 

1. Maintain a healthy weight

Obese individuals are at much higher risk of contracting heat-related illnesses. It’s because carrying excess weight can hamper your body’s ability to regulate its temperature, causing your body to retain more heat. 

So, maintaining a healthy weight is your best solution to stay safe in hot temperatures. 

1. Avoid staying in enclosed spaces for long

In blazing hot weather, your body temperature tends to rise rapidly, making enclosed spaces like cars more dangerous. Even in the shade, ensure your space is well-ventilated to prevent your body temperature from soaring. 

1. Avoid having these foods

It will be best to not eat or reduce the quantity of fatty, sugary, and spicy foods in the summer. These foods are researched to negatively affect the functioning of your system, which is responsible for regulating body temperature.

Trust Medanta for Summer-Ready Care

If you suspect any heat-related health problem, especially heat stroke, immediately try to cool down the affected person by moving him to a cool, shaded area, changing him into loose clothing, or applying ice packs to the skin. Seek medical attention for appropriate treatments for heat stroke without delay.