The body has mechanisms to adapt to high temperatures, but … it also has its limits, and after 27ºC these do not work as effectively and this can have health consequences, some serious …
Suffer from heat stroke
More than 32ºC and a relative humidity higher than 60%… With this environment, sweat does not evaporate, and the body, instead of cooling itself, sees its temperature rise, which can lead to heat stroke, which sometimes it has fatal consequences.
How to detect heat stroke
- The symptoms of mild heat stroke are exhaustion, dizziness, nausea, and sometimes cramps if you exercise. But it can get worse and have paleness, excessive sweating, lack of coordination in movements, fever over 39ºC and even suffer from fainting. Only in very serious (and rare) cases can there be multi-organ failure. A fainting is a mild loss of consciousness due to the dilatation of the peripheral blood vessels, which means that the blood returns with greater difficulty to the heart. They are not usually serious, but you have to act fast.
What to do in a heat stroke
- Fresh. Take the affected person to a cool place, in the shade, lie on their back and slightly upright.
- Cold water compresses. Apply them to the neck, armpits, groin and head, which are the areas where the most heat is released.
- Sip water. If the person is conscious, it is ideal to rehydrate, but in small sips.
Tiredness and irritability
The heat can lower tension, and the fact of sweating more to refresh the body involves a higher energy expenditure than usual and causes a certain dehydration. All this can explain the fatigue we feel in summer.
How to identify it
- In a worse mood. We often have a harder time falling asleep and we sleep worse because of the heat or because we change our habits and routines, sleeping fewer hours. This lack of rest is precisely one of the causes that during the day we are in a worse mood and more irritable.
- If you are well, it affects you little. As the clinical psychologist M.ª Victoria Sánchez, director of the Labyrinth Group explains, "in each person the extreme temperatures will influence differently according to their previous psychophysiological state, capacity for emotional regulation and adaptation.
What to do to alleviate it
- Stay active. Although it may seem contradictory to you, exercise gives you vitality and energy.
- Regular hours. Try to get up and go to bed at the same time (or at most an hour or two later) even on vacation.
- Ventilate the room. And sleep in light clothing, trying not to get hot at night.
On hot days …
Take precautions so that the high temperatures affect you as little as possible.
If you are at home … Lower the blinds and open windows to encourage drafts. Take a shower with warm water and drink frequently, especially water and herbal teas. Avoid alcohol, because it dehydrates.
- If you are on the street … Wear loose, light clothing made of breathable fabrics. Walk in the shade or, if you have to get out in the sun, wear a hat but avoid the hottest hours (from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.). If you exercise outdoors, make it early or late in the day.
Heat and muscle cramps
When we sweat, we lose a lot of fluid and electrolytes, which can cause cramps and painful muscle contractures, especially when exercising.
What to do to prevent it
- Drink enough water. Don't wait until you're thirsty to do it.
- After exercising… Have an isotonic drink to recover lost salts.
- If you have already suffered the cramp … Gently stretch the affected muscle and massage it carefully.
Skin problems
- Itchy pimples. When you sweat too much, the sweat gland ducts become clogged and that causes pimples to appear, which can itch. It is a very common problem in younger children.
- Do you suffer from rosacea? It can be worse in summer, as high temperatures cause vasodilation of the blood capillaries. In summer you should take extreme precautions, follow the treatment that the dermatologist has given you and do not leave home without applying a high protection factor. Avoid using waterproof products because, when you remove them, you can further irritate the skin.
- Pityriasis versicolor. This ailment manifests itself in small scaly spots that can range from white-pink to yellow-brownish. As pointed out by Dr. Elena de las Heras, member of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, this disorder is very common in hot and humid situations, when you also sweat more, since it is the ideal breeding ground for the fungus ( malasezzia) that causes it.
Yeast infections
Athlete's foot. It is a very intense itch between the toes caused by fungi that live in humid environments. It is spread by walking barefoot on infected soil.
- White spots. They are caused by the fungus Microesporum furfum, which proliferates in the sand of the beach, in swimming pools …
- Swimsuit dermatosis. It appears as a redness in the groin or waist and can be mistaken for a simple rub.
What to do to relieve skin problems
- Use a fan. If it is portable it will be easier for you to use it regardless of what you are doing. To increase the feeling of freshness, put a plate with ice cubes in front of the fan.
- Specific hygiene. Wash areas of the skin that are damp from perspiration with fresh water and pat them dry. If the rash has already appeared, leave the area in the air, without clothes, and do not scratch.
- Wipe your sweat. For example, with an absorbent handkerchief.
- Dry yourself well. Do it especially well after going to the beach, the pool, and showering. And avoid staying too long with your swimsuit or wet clothes on.
