Do thoughts of hot weather get you feeling stressed out? Are you starting to sweat thinking about sweating? While it can be fun to enjoy the outdoors when the weather is hot and sunny, it is also important to be safe and smart. It’s even more important to stay cool as you age. Especially when caring for adults ages 65 and older, as they are more vulnerable to heat stress. In this blog we will deal with ways to protect yourself in scorching temperatures no matter your age:

  1. Hydrate
  2. Ceiling fan rotation
  3. Eat cool
  4. Exercise wisely
  5. Recognize heat sickness

Drink water

Water helps regulate your body temperature to keep you cool and replace the water you lose through sweat. Keep that water bottle close at hand throughout the day.

Make sure your ceiling fan is spinning in the proper direction

Your ceiling fan plays a different role in the summer than it does in the winter. In the winter, the blades should rotate in a clockwise direction, gently circulating the warm air throughout the room. In the summer, it should spin in a counterclockwise direction, pushing air down, creating a breeze that helps cool you. A switch on the fan should allow you to change the blade direction each season.

Eat food that doesn’t require an oven, stove, or even a microwave

Anytime you use an appliance to cook you can raise the temperature in your house. Hot or warm foods increase your body temperature. There are plenty of great cold meals you can make including hearty green salads, inventive noodle salads, lettuce cups, hummus, cheese and crackers, fruit plates, sushi and more.

Be creative with your exercise

Because it’s cooler in the morning or evening, plan your outside activity at that time. Otherwise, think of some alternatives to keep you out of the heat. Walk in an air-conditioned mall, meet up with friends at the bowling alley, go swimming, play racquetball, check out a yoga studio. Use summer as a time to try new things and work some different muscles in the process.

Know the signs of heat-related illness

Heat sickness can be very dangerous. It’s important to be aware of how your body is responding to the heat. The CDC lists the following symptoms of heat exhaustion: heavy sweating, weakness, cold, pale and clammy skin, nausea or vomiting; fainting, or fast weak pulse. If you, or someone you know, is experiencing these symptoms, the CDC says to move somewhere cooler, lie down, loosen clothing, sip water, and apply damp cool cloths to the body. If you vomit and the symptoms persist, seek medical attention immediately. While waiting for help, move the person to a cooler place and try to reduce their body temperature with cool cloths or a bath. Do not force fluids into their system as this could make their condition worse.

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