Beat the Summer Heat
Rising temperatures are arriving and everyone is looking for ways to stay cool. Beach days, water activities and barbecues with family and friends are some of the best parts of summer. Don’t let preventable things like heat exhaustion or sunburn cancel out all the fun. Here are ways to stay cool while you lay by the pool.
Stay hydrated! fluids, fluids and more fluid.
Wear loose comfortable clothes.
Remove excess clothing in extremely hot and humid weather.
Avoid outdoor activities during the hottest part of the day.
Avoid alcoholic beverages. It is not your friend when staying hydrated.
Expose yourself to high heat temperatures as briefly as you can.
If heat exhaustion does occur, make sure the person is in a cool room and excess clothing is removed. Laying down on their back with their feet elevated, compress a cold sponge or washcloth on their forehead. Drinking water and juices and staying relaxed will cause their temperature to go down. If these treatments do not cause improvement, seek medical aid immediately after an hour has gone by.
Elderly Advice for Staying Cool
Excessive heat is a tough battle for the elderly due to their weakened cardiovascular system. As you get older, the heart becomes less efficient, heart rate is decreased and less blood is pumped through the heart during each beat. Arteries lose their elasticity which is known as arteriosclerosis. Musculoskeletal flexibility also occurs as the body ages which diminishes the lungs ability to expand and take-in oxygen. These setbacks in elderly adults cause shortness of breath and poor endurance during times of extreme heat.
Sweat is no longer a way to cool off for the elderly because the subcutaneous tissue and the oil-producing glands decrease in size, therefore producing much less sweat in order to cool the body off. This also causes heat loss in the elderly when exposed to colder temperatures, as well.
Aging is unavoidable but along with more wisdom and appreciation for life, there are ways to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system as well. Living an active lifestyle in our younger years will make a huge difference in our ability to protect ourselves from the heat. Daily exercise will create cardiovascular fitness and expanded lung capacity, carrying over to our older bodies. Take care of yourself now and your older, wiser self will be very thankful you did.
Make staying cool a priority and the summer will be yours to enjoy. Drinks plenty of fluids, exercise, stay in the shade, wear sunscreen and make sure you get grandma a nice sun hat. We can can beat the heat together.