Summer sun certainly makes exercising outdoors more fun. But if you don't take
precautions, getting physical in the heat of day can be hazardous to your health.
Sweating is the body's way of staying cool during exertion; you'll sweat off
from 1 to 1.5 quarts of water an hour in the process. But if you don't drink
enough fluids to replace what you've lost, you may expose yourself to heat injury.
The mildest type of heat injury is heat cramps - when your muscles cramp
up painfully from losing too much salt and not drinking enough fluids while
exercising. As soon as you notice cramping, have something to drink (either
water or a sports drink) and eat some salted foods; you should feel better soon.
Heat exhaustion is a more serious condition, brought on by sweating
heavily, along with not getting enough fluids. The body can't deliver enough
blood to the brain, skin, and muscles, leading to dizziness, weakness, and fainting.
If the body becomes dehydrated (runs out of fluids), you can end up with life-threatening
heat stroke, which can show up suddenly. As the sweating mechanism shuts
down, the skin becomes hot and dry, and the body temperature soars, leading
to convulsions and permanent brain damage. If you think someone is suffering
from one of these heat injuries, get medical help right away. Meanwhile, move
the victim to a shaded area, take off extra layers of clothes, wet and fan the
body, and raise the person's legs and buttocks. Make sure to provide him or
her with as much water to drink as possible.
Here are some tips to help you avoid heat injury in the first place:
- Drink plenty of fluids while you're exercising - whether you're thirsty
or not. Before, during, and after the activity, aim for roughly a cup every
half-hour.
- To help your body cope with the heat and humidity, get into shape before
the season.
- Don't overexert yourself in hot weather - take a lot of breaks. This is
especially true if you've only recently taken up a sport or a particular exercise;
your body's more likely to feel the extra stress.
- Schedule your sports for the coolest parts of the day, either morning or
late afternoon. The sun's rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Better
yet, exercise indoors in an air-conditioned gym.
- Exercise at a slower pace - working out for a shorter time, but more intensely,
won't protect you from heat injury.
- Dress for the weather - wear lightweight, breathable, light-colored clothes.
And don't forget to protect your head, eyes, and skin: wear a hat and sunglasses,
and make liberal use of sunscreen.