The key to beating the heat, of course, is prevention.
"Be extra careful when the heat index is 90 degrees or above. (The heat index tells you how hot it feels in the shade when relative humidity combines with the air temperature.) Always, always drink plenty of water when the heat index is high and avoid caffeine and alcohol. If you must be outdoors, take frequent breaks inside or in the shade," says Marilyn J. Heine, MD, a Bucks County emergency physician and member of the Pennsylvania Medical Society.
"If you take precautions and know the warning signs, you generally can prevent heat stroke. Keep a close watch on the elderly and infants, people on certain medications, athletes and outdoor workers," she adds.
Dr. Heine offers the following tips for keeping cool and healthy despite the sweltering sun and humidity.
- Don't overexert yourself.
- Drink a quart of fluids an hour.
- Wear loose clothing light in color and fabric, as well as a hat and sunblock, and stay in the shade or indoors if possible.
- Open windows and use fans, or turn on air conditioning. If you don't have air conditioning, go to a public place that does, like a mall, library, or movie theater.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can speed up dehydration.
- Finally, be a good neighbor—check on the elderly and chronically ill persons regularly to make sure they're bearing up under the heat.
Having heat exhaustion or heat stroke makes you more sensitive to hot conditions for about a week afterwards. Be especially careful not to exercise too hard, and avoid hot weather. Ask your doctor to tell you when it is safe to return to your normal activities.
According to Dr. Heine, there are two types of heat stroke, and everyone is susceptible, athletes and couch potatoes alike. Classic or non-exercise-induced heat stroke affects those exposed to extremely hot environments for an intolerable length of time.
The other type of heat stroke—exertional or activity-induced—primarily affects athletes, laborers, and soldiers. These groups are likely to overdo physical activity in very hot temperatures.
Here are recommendations for groups likely to be affected by
classic non-exercise-induced heat stroke and those likely to be affected by
exercise-induced heat stroke.