The human body is an amazing machine. But, you can only push it so far. This is especially true in regards to extreme weather and heat. Today, the temperatures are soaring and heatwaves are a familiar phenomenon. Summer heatwaves are especially common in India and harmful as well. Did you know that heatwaves worldwide kill more people than hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes combined?
Certainly, a summer heatwave can cause a number of problems for the human body. In this blog, we’ll take a look at the various detrimental effects of summer waves on the human body.
Dehydration
Exposure to heatwaves can cause dehydration. You will experience dehydration when the body loses more fluid than it takes in. It can happen because of excessive sweating, vomiting or diarrhoea, fever, and heavy exercise. Symptoms include:
- Thirst
- Dry skin, mouth, and eyes
- Headaches
- Lightheadedness
- Weakness or fatigue
- Irritability or confusion.
If you don’t have enough fluids to replace what you’ve lost due to perspiration and other causes (such as vomiting), dehydration can occur after just a few hours in hot weather conditions.
If left unchecked over time, dehydration can lead to heat exhaustion and heat stroke — both of which are serious medical emergencies that require immediate medical attention!
Here are some tips for staying hydrated:
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day—at least eight 8-ounce glasses (a little more if you’re exercising). If water doesn’t appeal to you, there are other options that also count toward your daily intake: fruit juice, milk, soup, & coffee/tea/juice without ice cubes. Avoid adding sugar or salt!
- Use caution when consuming caffeinated drinks since they may cause great thirst but not necessarily replenish any fluid loss – caffeinated drinks should be used only occasionally by those who need extra energy during an active lifestyle such as runners or weight lifters etc.
Negative Effects on Mental Health
A summer heatwave can have a negative effect on the brain too. When your body temperature rises, you may feel stressed, anxious and irritable. You may even experience headaches or dizziness as well as exhaustion.
You can keep your mental health intact during a heatwave by staying cool indoors and out of direct sunlight. Moreover, avoid strenuous physical activity during very hot periods. Refrain from drinking alcohol or caffeinated drinks as well.
Heat Exhaustion
Heat exhaustion is a heat-related problem that can occur after you’ve been exposed to high temperatures, and it often is accompanied by dehydration. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include rapid pulse and heavy sweating, a result of your body overheating.
Your skin may feel clammy. You can develop headaches, muscle cramps, or nausea from the stress on your body.
If left untreated, this condition can ultimately lead to heatstroke. Unfortunately, there isn’t much that can be done once someone has reached this state except to take them to a nearby hospital as soon as possible so they aren’t killed by their own body temperature rising too high.
Heat Stroke
Heatstroke is a life-threatening condition. It occurs when the body’s temperature-regulating mechanism breaks down and the body overheats. The body’s normal response to heat is to release water from the blood vessels and sweat to allow heat to escape through evaporation.
If this fails, however, the body cannot lose heat fast enough and it goes into heatstroke. Heatstroke can be fatal within minutes if left untreated, so it is important that people know how to stay safe in hot weather.
If you suspect someone has heatstroke, it is important to act quickly before the condition worsens. The signs and symptoms include:
- An unusually high body temperature (above 40°C or 104°F) – this may not be easy to determine due to factors such as dehydration or sunburn
- Reduced sweating (as a result of dehydration)
- Confusion/disorientation
- Rapid pulse rate
- Dry skin
- Nausea/vomiting
- Headache/dizziness
Respiratory Conditions
The summer heat can enhance the risk of respiratory conditions, including asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. If you already suffer from these conditions or have known allergies or other lung-related health issues such as shortness of breath or wheezing when exercising, be sure to take extra precautions during summer waves.
Children and elderly people have relatively weaker immune systems than adults and they are more susceptible to respiratory problems such as asthma attacks and pneumonia during a summer heatwave.
The high humidity in summer makes breathing difficult by trapping moisture in the lungs, making it hard for the body to expel carbon dioxide through exhalation (breathing out). This can lead to hyperventilation (over-breathing), which further exacerbates symptoms of asthma in children and elderly people.
Stroke
A stroke is a serious medical emergency. This happens when something interrupts the blood supply to your brain, either because of a blockage or bleeding. The heatwave is the worst time to be a stroke patient.
The risk of stroke is higher in hot weather, and it’s likely that more people have strokes during summer. This is because strokes are caused by blood clots forming in the brain. In cold weather, they tend to dissolve, but with soaring temperatures, they can get stuck and cause a stroke.
Stroke can affect anyone, but certain risk factors increase your chances. These include high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking.
Cardiac Arrest (Heart attack)
Summer waves can be fatal, especially for people with heart disease. The risk of dying from a heatwave increases with age, so the elderly are at greater risk. When your body becomes overheated and dehydrated, your blood flow changes from rapid to slow and thickened.
This puts pressure on arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle. Blood flow is further reduced as sweat evaporates off your body, leaving salt in its place on your skin—salt attracts water and causes swelling in many organs of the body including the heart muscle itself!
Kidney Failure
If you’re experiencing signs of kidney failure, it’s important to seek medical attention immediately. Kidney failure is a serious illness that can have fatal consequences if not treated properly. Symptoms include nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, feeling tired, and decreased urination (or no urination at all).
The main symptom that suggests heatstroke may be causing kidney failure is when your skin turns bright red. If this occurs without any other symptoms—such as nausea or vomiting—you should seek immediate help from a doctor or hospital because you may be suffering from heat stroke-induced kidney failure.
Factors That Make Someone More Or Less Likely To Be Affected By Heatwaves
- Age
- Preexisting conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease
- Medications you take, including those that affect blood pressure or body temperature
- Alcohol and drugs (including over-the-counter medications)
- Stress levels and how it affects your health
- Poor nutrition, lack of exercise, and obesity can make you more likely to suffer from the heat. If you have a medical condition such as diabetes or heart disease, you may be at a higher risk of getting sick during hot weather.
What Can You Do To Protect Yourself From Summer Heatwaves?
You can avoid heat exhaustion by drinking lots of water, staying inside as much as possible, and closing your curtains or blinds to keep the heat out. You should also use a fan or air conditioner. For example:
- Drink plenty of fluids and eat salt-rich foods such as salted crackers and pretzels (but don’t eat salty foods that contain potassium; they can make things worse).
- Use a cool shower or bath every hour or two during periods when you’re not sweating heavily. Don’t use hot water; it makes your body lose more fluid.
Increase Your Water Intake To Prevent Heat-Related Illnesses.
In order to help you prevent heat-related illnesses, it is important to drink more water. However, your body can only absorb about 20-40% of the water that you consume at one time, so try to spread out your intake throughout the day as much as possible.
You should try drinking 16 ounces in the morning and another 8 ounces before any physical activity; if you are sick or indirect sun exposure then it is best to increase this amount even further! Additionally, there are some other factors that may increase the amount of water intake needed due to climate conditions:
- At higher elevations such as mountains or hillsides (roughly 4500 feet above sea level) where air pressure drops due to lower oxygen levels.
- In dry areas with little humidity such as deserts where there aren’t many clouds present which would normally keep temperatures down.
- Outside during hot weather without shade (like standing next door while watering plants) because this will cause body temperatures to rise faster than normal.
Visit Amandeep Group Of Hospitals For Expert Treatment This Summer
The physical effects of heat waves on the human body are not a surprise to anyone. Perhaps the most effective way to save yourself is to stay hydrated and take an appropriate diet.
Ideally, you can opt for dietary services from a reputed Dietician if your body experiences troubles this summer. Amandeep Hospital is the best hospital in summer and its related problems in the region. With a dedicated team of Dieticians, we offer bespoke diet planning of meals according to therapeutic needs along with a range of dietary services.
Have a healthy summer this year! Book an appointment with us today.