Extreme heat calls for extra precautions

With some of the hottest months coming our way, it is important to stay safe in the heat this summer and on July Fourth.

When temperatures reach 90 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, overexposure to the heat can be hazardous.

People suffer heat-related illness when the body’s ability to control its temperature is overloaded.

Your body normally cools itself by sweating, but sometimes this isn’t enough and a person’s body temperature rises quickly, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Humid conditions, frequently experienced in Indiana, can add to the discomfort and danger of high temperatures.

“When humidity is high, sweat cannot evaporate as quickly. This prevents the body from rapidly releasing heat,” Center for Disease Control and Prevention-INFO said.

Other factors that affect the body’s ability to cool itself during extremely hot weather include: old age, youth up to 4 years old, obesity, fever, dehydration, heart disease, mental illness, poor circulation, sunburn, prescription drug use and alcohol use, Carrie Lawrence, health educator for IU Student Health Center of Health and Wellness, said in an email.

“Be aware that alcohol is a diuretic — meaning that it promotes dehydration — and interferes with your body’s ability to regulate its own temperature, thus a higher risk for passing out,” Lawrence said.

She added that the body loses fluids through the urination alcohol induces, and if fluids are not replaced in the body, dehydration can be life-threatening.

“Alcohol can affect the central nervous system,” Lawrence said. “It impairs a person’s judgment, which can interfere with the ability to make smart choices. Impaired judgment causes a loss of inhibitions and may lead to dangerous behavior such as drinking and driving or not recognizing heat related illnesses.”

Alcohol also influences balance and coordination and its effects are heightened by sun exposure and heat.

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security provides several tips to stay safe in extreme heat.

First, keep yourself hydrated and nourished. Drink fluids regularly, regardless of your activity level and avoid sugary, caffeinated and alcoholic beverages as they will dehydrate you faster. Despite the heat lessening your appetite, eat smaller meals more frequently because your body needs proper nutrition to function properly.

Second, take time to cool off. If possible, spend time indoors in an air-conditioned building. Even a few hours spent in the air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat.

Third, never leave animals, children or the elderly inside a vehicle. Even if you will be only gone a few minutes and all the windows are down, it is extremely dangerous to leave a person or animal inside a vehicle during extreme heat temperatures.

Lawrence also offers these tips to stay safe in the heat.

Wear lightweight, light-colored and loose-fitting clothing, limit your outdoor activities to morning and evening hours, spend time resting in shaded areas or cool indoor places, protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat as well as sunglasses and finally, make sure to apply and reapply sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher.

The CDC-INFO email said, some signs of heat exhaustion are feeling faint or dizzy, nausea, heavy sweating, rapid and weak heartbeat, moist and pale skin, headache and feeling fatigue.

If you or your holiday guests suspect heat exhaustion, get out of the sun and into a shaded area immediately, lay down and elevate the legs and feet slightly, loosen or remove clothing, slowly drink cool water or other nonalcoholic beverages without caffeine, cool down by spraying or sponging yourself with cool water or fanning and monitor the person or self carefully.

Be cautious. Heat exhaustion can quickly become heatstroke.

Call 911 or emergency medical help if the person’s condition deteriorates, especially if fainting, confusion or seizures occur, or if fever of 104 F or greater occurs with other symptoms.

For more information on extreme heat, please visit CDC website at www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/faq.asp.