Plan to survive summer heat

#MiddleburyCT #SummerHeat #CoolingCenters #HeatExhaustion

While winter cold can cause health problems for seniors, the summer heat can be just as dangerous.

Heat that’s too high can lead to heat exhaustion. Nausea, feeling weak or dizzy, being thirsty, having a rapid pulse – those are all signs that we’re too hot. Then there is heat rash, heat edema (swollen ankles and feet), heat cramps, heat stroke … all with their own list of serious medical results.

The risks can come not only from the temperature, but from some of the prescription drugs we take, drinking alcohol and caffeine, living without air conditioning and having certain medical conditions. The National Institutes for Health offers the following list of suggestions for dealing with summer heat:

• Consult with your doctor about how many ounces of water you need to drink on a daily basis. Ask if it needs to be only water, or if juices count in your daily intake of liquid.
• Keep the drapes closed to block the sun.
• Go somewhere else during the heat of the day, ideally a cool place with air conditioning. Think about the library, a movie theater or the mall during the heat of the afternoon until the sun goes down.
• Ask the rec center, senior center, town government or health department if they have cooling centers.
• Wear lightweight cotton clothes instead of synthetics. It’s not just the heat, humidity adds to the temperature as well. Seniors don’t produce as much sweat as we used to, so there’s little natural cooling as breezes blow over us.
• Keep an eye on the news for advance notice about heat waves in your area. Plan ahead for where you might go to cool off and for meals that don’t heat up the kitchen.
• And remember: If you do have air conditioning, use it! A heatwave is not the time to worry about the electric bill!

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.