Heat Exhaustion, Don’t Fall Victim

Signs of Heat Exhaustion and What To Do

Sweating is normal when we are hot. But as the temperature and humidly rises, so does our risk for heat exhaustion. Humidity actually makes things quite worse for our cooling mechanisms as the heavy air prevents the sweat evaporation (cooling) our body is trying to create. Keep an eye on the local news for the “heat index” or “feels like” temperatures for each day. The heat index is the temperature we experience when heat and humidity are both in our air. Anything above 90 degrees for a heat index forecast in your day’s plans should be approached with caution.

Use your time outside wisely. Do your most taxing work outside in the early morning or late evening and avoid those dreadfully hot hours such as around 1 pm to 4 pm in the afternoon. In July and August, those time frames are sometimes as early as 11 am and as late as 6 pm. Reserve these high-risk times for indoor activities if at all possible.

Some signs or symptoms of heat exhaustion to watch for are dizziness, feeling like you are going to pass out, fainting, rapid heart rate that does not improve with resting, pounding headache, weakness, cramps, facial paleness, nausea, or vomiting. If you or someone near you is experiencing these type symptoms, a cool spot needs to be found right away and water or fluids need to be given (but not soda). Have someone stay with the person who is having symptoms and make sure they resolve within a few minutes. If not, they may be experiencing something more serious like heat stroke or another medical condition and should be taken to an ER or Urgent Care setting that can provide a medical exam.