A Scientific Guide for Staying Cool in A Heatwave

Heatwave makes our everyday life uncomfortable. It also poses severe risks to human health and the environment. According to scientific studies, here’s a guide on staying cool in a heatwave. 

The extreme temperatures of a heatwave can result in widespread impacts. Heatwave is detrimental to human health, destructive to plants and animals, and could increase the risk of wildfires. 

In 2019, extreme heat caused the deaths of 356,000 people globally. The World Health Organization calculated that 166,000 people died between 1998 and 2017.

Climate change is likely to make heat waves more intense in the future. BBC Future has featured many aspects of living with and enduring extreme hot weather. Below are some scientific studies that BBC has gathered over the years. 

Staying Cool in a Heatwave 

It’s essential to stay cool in hot weather as it can severely affect your health. But don’t worry, there are some simple steps to feel calm despite the uncomfortable weather. 

• Keeping out during the hottest part of the day (between 11 am and 3 pm). 
• Drinking plenty of liquid, such as hot and cold drinks, is also crucial. However, hot drinks aren’t the best idea if it’s very humid. 
• Eating foods like cucumber, strawberries, watermelon, and lettuce can keep us hydrated.
• Spicy and hot foods have also been found to help us stay cool by making us sweat more.
• A Bedouin tribes study in the 1980s shows that wearing loose-fitting clothes can help us cool down.
• Swimming or taking a cold shower can help you cool down quickly. 
• There are many ways we could adapt our houses and buildings to stay cooler in high temperatures. This includes wind catchers or towers, green roofs and corridors, and even trees, a fantastic way to keep communities cool. 

The Effects of Hot Weather on our Health

The human body’s ideal temperature is between 35.01C and 37.76C (95-99.9F), depending on how it is measured. When the surrounding air reaches or exceeds this temperature, mainly when there is high humidity, the body’s ability to cool itself weakens. 

• A 2020 study revealed the upper limit of what the human body can survive without severe health impact is a wet-bulb temperature of 35C (95F). In high humidity levels, sweat is more difficult to evaporate.
• When the body becomes too hot or finds it hard to regulate its temperature, it can lead to heat exhaustion.
• Scorching weather can also lead to heatstroke because the body can no longer manage the heat. The symptoms of heatstroke include feeling confused, vomiting or nausea, no sweating, scalding skin, and loss of consciousness or seizures.
• Heatwaves can also lead to various health problems like headaches, dehydration, heart attacks, respiratory problems, and death. 

How the Heat Affects our Brain

As the temperature increases, it would likely make us more irritable, angry, stressed, and lonely. The symptoms range from pretty simple. For instance, motorists are a little more likely to honk their horns when stuck in traffic on a hot, humid day. Or the police may notice a spike in disorderly behavior.

How to Remain Hydrated

Keeping hydrated is a constant public health reminder. Health authorities remind us to consume up to eight glasses of water daily. But the need to keep fluids up when temperatures rise is even more critical. 

Dehydration occurs faster with physical labor or exercise. Even low-level dehydration can cause fatigue, tiredness, and overheating as the body stops sweating to preserve water.

Many instinctively reach for a glass of water, but it may not always be the best choice. In some cases, milk may be better in staying cool in a heatwave. It’s because milk contains small amounts of salt and sugar. Coconut water also contains vital elements which are lost through excess sweat.

Taking Care of our Pets 

Pets, especially dogs, also need extra care when the temperature rises. On hot days, they should remain indoors, stay in the shade, and not take walks or exercise. Their paws may burn on hot surfaces. And they can’t cool off by sweating the same way humans do. In short, they are particularly vulnerable to heatstroke.

And for other news stories, read more here at Owner’s Mag!