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The dog days of summer mean more heat and humidity in Ontario this August.
Before you head outside on a scorching day, experts on the Red Cross Health in Emergencies Team break down what you need to know about how the body handles the heat.
How hot is too hot?
The answer is complicated, and depends on the individual, according to Mubariz Tariq, Red Cross Director of Health in Emergencies (Ontario).
Warm weather will cause your internal temperature to rise, forcing the body’s cooling mechanisms to kick in. The process is just like the way an air conditioner starts up when hot weather increases the temperature inside a home.
How much heat
YOU can safely withstand depends on how well your body cools, which is based on several individual factors including age and overall health.
A person in middle age has a strong and quick mechanism to reduce internal temperature, but the response is slower in children and the elderly, making them more susceptible to heat-related illness.
Location is also a factor.
“Human beings have the capacity to adapt to environments and to circumstances around us,” he says, who grew up in Western Asia where temperatures could often climb to 40-50 degrees Celsius.
Compared to those living in cooler climates, people who call Jalalabad home can withstand warmer weather for longer because their bodies have been fine tuned for the heat. Over time, their body has gradually adjusted the cooling system to drop internal temperatures more effectively.
The key is watching for temperatures that are dramatically higher than normal for your area, which could catch your body by surprise.
“If you know the enemy is attacking you, you would be prepared for it. If the attack was sudden, then you are not ready for a response or to defend yourself,” he says. “The body is exactly the same. If the body is used to heat, it would have certain mechanisms developed to adapt.”
Although some can handle the heat better than others, a body that is too hot for too long is a dangerous and potentially fatal situation for everyone.
“The body can get overwhelmed by the heat. Our vital organs such as our heart, our brain, and our kidneys stop working (and) that could lead to death,” he says.
How will I know when I am dangerously hot?
Heat Cramps are the first sign of trouble.
“You may start to get muscle cramps in your legs and your stomach. Your internal temperature might be slightly elevated,” he says. “If you continue to ignore heat cramps what can happen is that your body will get further dehydrated.”
It’s important to recognize the warning signs because, at this stage, you have options.
Heat cramps are reversible. Your body still has the capacity to cool down, but if no action is taken, heat cramps can progress to
Heat Exhaustion.
“You would have a bit of dizziness, you would start to get a headache, you would start to feel a bit nauseous and at some point you may also vomit and when you start to vomit you will become dehydrated further,” he explains.
“If you do not stop (the rising internal temperature) if you do not seek help or go cool down your body temperature, that will lead to the more severe situation which is
Heat Stroke.”
He says someone who is experiencing heat stroke might feel confused and could fall unconscious.
How long do I have to cool down?
This also depends on several factors, including how well your body can handle the heat and how much water you drank before going outside.
Acting at the first sign of heat cramps (muscle cramping in the legs and stomach) gives you the best chance.
“You may have lost some degree of water but your body may not be severely dehydrated. That’s very reversible,” he says. “Get into the shade quickly and drink plenty of water, get a fan or go into air conditioning.”
Things start to get more serious when heat cramps turn into heat exhaustion (dizziness, headache, vomiting).
He says you should try and go into a bathtub or pool (if available) of cold water to lower your body temperature. If nothing is working and your condition is getting worse, you’ve run out of time.
“You immediately need to call 911. Let the professionals deal with it.”
Why is drinking water so important?
Water is like fuel for your internal cooling system.
He says “sweating is the best mechanism” to lower your body’s temperature. “Through sweating, water would be put on your skin and your body temperature will be brought down to a level that is bearable.”
“Dehydration is the big factor here. If you are losing water and not replacing it with drinking water your body starts to lose the compensatory mechanisms to cool down.”
A person who is well-hydrated will be able to handle the heat longer than someone who hasn’t been drinking enough water.
How do I know I am drinking enough water?
If you wait until you feel thirsty to drink water, you are waiting too long.
“We do not feel thirsty until we have reached significant levels of dehydration,” he says. “At some point if you are extremely dehydrated, you lose the feeling of thirst. That’s why you need to regularly drink water even if you are not feeling thirsty. For a normal human being you would require somewhere between 3-5 litres of water per day.”
He’s suggestion works out to between 6-10 500mL bottles of water per day.