With warmer weather comes an increased risk of sun exposure, heatstroke, and water injuries, among others. Here’s how you can prevent them.
Summer’s here, and with it comes longer days, summer Fridays, and weekend getaways. It’s time to get outside, hit the beach, and go on that camping trip you’ve been putting off because of uncooperative weather.
But just because flu season, snow, and ice-covered streets are behind us, doesn’t mean you can let your guard down when it comes to health. The summer season and rising temperatures comes with plenty of health risks too.
“That whole ‘school’s out’ mentality continues through adulthood, with patients more likely to cut corners when it comes to health during the summertime,” says Nitin A. Kapur, MD, a primary care physician with Cedars-Sinai Medical Network in Santa Monica, California. “It’s still important for people to be conscientious and aware,” even when summer fun is the season’s top priority.
Here, experts share the most common summer health hazards, symptoms to look for, and how to prevent them so you can stay safe and healthy all summer long.
Heatstroke and Heat Exhaustion — Limit Strenuous Outdoor Activity
When temperatures reach sweltering, it’s not just uncomfortable — it’s also dangerous and potentially deadly. Extreme heat sends an average of 65,000 Americans to emergency rooms annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Heat exhaustion and heatstroke, the most dangerous of the heat-related illnesses, can occur when the body is unable to properly cool down after prolonged exposure to excessive heat (such as working or exercising outdoors). Heatstroke is a more severe case of heat exhaustion, Dr. Kapur explains. The good news? It’s preventable.
Prevent It
Kim Knowlton, PhD, assistant professor of environmental health sciences at Columbia University in New York City, advises people to slow down and adjust work and activity schedules to keep cool during midday, when the sun tends to be the strongest.
Dr. Knowlton recommends checking on friends and neighbors to make sure they’re okay. This is especially important for the young and the elderly, who are most at risk for heat-related illnesses, according to a study published in the July–September 2015 issue of Advanced Emergency Nursing Journal. Above all, be on guard, says Knowlton, who studies the impacts of climate change on public health. “If you start feeling sick, take the heat seriously.”
Here are some symptoms to look out for, according to the CDC:
- A body temperature of 103 degrees F or higher
- Hot, red, dry, or damp skin
- A fast pulse
- Headache, dizziness, or confusion
- Loss of consciousness
- Heavy sweating
- Cold, pale, clammy skin
- Nausea or vomiting
- Muscle cramps
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