10 Essential Facts About Heat and Your Health

With summer in full swing and heat waves seemingly enveloping much of the country, it’s useful to know how to stay healthy in the heat.

When it’s hot, your body sweats; and as that sweat evaporates, you begin to feel cooler. But when it’s humid outside, it’s harder for the perspiration to evaporate because the air is already full of moisture. That’s why people often say it’s not the heat, but the humidity that makes it unbearable to be outside on a hot day.

With that in mind, here’s are some useful facts about heat and your health:

Extreme heat is dangerous.
In a typical year, as many as 175 Americans die from extreme heat, according to the National Weather Service.

Men sweat more than women.
The more you sweat, the more easily you can become dehydrated, which can lead to other health issues. So make sure you stay hydrated.
People have about 4 million sweat glands throughout their bodies
There are two types of sweat glands: eccrine and apocrine. Both produce fluids. The foul odor associated with sweat comes from the apocrine glands found in the armpits and genital region; the sweat from these glands produces a smell when it comes in contact with bacteria on the skin (Sweathelp.org).
Heat exhaustion occurs when your body overheats.
Warning signs of heat exhaustion include: dizziness, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, heavy sweating, and headache. To treat heat exhaustion, it’s important to move to a cool location, drink lots of water, and soak in a cool bath or use cool compresses.
Being overheated can lead to heat stroke
Heat stroke can occur when your body temperature reaches 104 degrees; at this point, your body cannot regulate temperature on its own, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Signs you may be having heat stroke include muscle cramping, fast heartbeat, vomiting, flushed skin, headache, and mental confusion. Call 911 if you see someone experience these symptoms. As with heat exhaustion, someone experiencing heat stroke should be moved to a cooler place and cooled down with a bath of cool water or compresses.
You can protect yourself from heat stroke by staying hydrated.
Drink before you are thirsty. In extreme heat, it’s best to avoid caffeine and alcohol, the American Academy of Family Physicians advises. Wear loose clothing that allows the air to circulate around you when exercising, and avoid exercising outdoors during the hottest part of the day, which is from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. If you can, schedule your workout as close to sunrise or sunset as possible.

Infants and small children are at higher risk for heat-related illnesses This is because they can’t control their environment (if they’re left in a room that is hot, for example); they have a high metabolic rate, which means their bodies are producing heat constantly; and they aren’t able to perspire as sufficiently as adults. Never leave a child in a parked car, even with the windows open.
Others at higher risk for heat-related illness include those who are morbidly obese, the elderly, and people who are immobile
People with diabetes can be heat sensitive, too. Also, people with multiple sclerosis may also find that their symptoms worsen when they’re hot. When heat raises a person’s body temperature, it becomes harder for the central nervous system to work properly.
Some medications can put you at an increased risk for heat stroke.
These include allergy medicines or antihistamines, blood pressure and heart medications, diuretics, laxatives, antidepressants, and seizure medications. Talk to your doctor about what precautions you should take if you’re taking any of these.
About 3 percent of the population has hyperhidrosis
This is a condition characterized by overactive sweat glands, which cause profuse sweating, according to The Center for Sweat Disorders at Johns Hopkins Medicine. The often-embarrassing condition can be inherited or caused by other health conditions or medications, and can occur without a trigger from heat. Treatments for hyperhidrosis include oral and topical medications, Botox injections, as well as a procedure that uses electricity to turn off the sweat glands. If these treatments are not effective, your doctor may consider surgery.