SAFETY WHEN EXERCISING IN SUMMER HEAT

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SAFETY WHEN EXERCISING IN SUMMER HEAT
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Sunny days and warm weather are here to enjoy but
we also need to be cautious exerting in the heat.
If you want to exercise in the hot days of
summer, your body must be able to handle the
elevated temperature and you should know the
warning signs of dehydration and heat
exhaustion.    Acclimating to the Heat The human
body has an amazing ability to react and adapt to
different situations and varying climates. As
temperatures rise your body can adjust as long as
you give it time to acclimate. Acclimatization is
the ability to adapt physiologically with
repeated exposure to a different environment,
such as higher temperatures. As your body adapts
to higher temperatures, you will sweat earlier
and more efficiently, and your body will also
regulate your heart rate and increase blood flow
to your skin to aid in the release of heat. These
adaptations enable you to do the same work with a
lower core temperature. Aerobic conditioning and
fitness determine how fast you can acclimate to
exercising at an elevated temperature. These
physiological changes usually take about 10 -14
days. The more in shape you are, the faster your
body will adapt!
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Stay Hydrated! The most important thing when
exercising in higher temperatures is to stay
hydrated. Signs of dehydration include thirst,
fatigue, headache, dry mouth, weakness, muscle
aches, dizziness, nausea, and dry
skin.   Dehydration can easily be prevented by
drinking plenty of water before and during
activity.  You can also stop the activity and
rest in the shade or cool indoor space. You
should also avoid the extreme day temperatures by
doing the outdoor activity earlier and later in
the day.
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• How to Exercise Safely in the Heat
•  ( Check with your physician if you have any
  other medical conditions)
• If you are intending to exercise outside in the
  heat, make sure to take the proper steps and
  precautions to protect your health and safety!
• Avoid Exercising Mid-day  Exercise during cooler
  times of the day, before 7 am and after 6 pm, and
  avoid mid-day(10-4) when its the hottest.
• Begin Slowly  Begin with about 15-20 minutes of
  exercise and slowly increase your time over 14
  days.
• Wear lightweight breathable clothing  Wear the
  least amount of clothing possible that is
  lightweight and breathable, so moisture is lifted
  rather than socked into the material.
• Stay hydrated  Stay hydrated before and after
  exercising
• Limit time with high heat index  Limit your time
  outside to 1 hr when the heat index is over 100
  degrees F or in the Danger zone, as mentioned on
  the local news.

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Exertional Heat Illnesses Not only is
dehydration an issue with exposure to elevated
temperatures, but exertional heat-related
illnesses can also come into play. In hot
weather, your body cools itself mainly by
sweating. The evaporation of your sweat regulates
your body temperature. However, when you exercise
strenuously or otherwise overexert in hot, humid
weather, your body is less able to cool itself
efficiently. As a result, your body may develop
heat cramps or even heat stroke.   There are 5
different exertional heat illnesses (1)
exercise-associated muscle cramps (2) heat
syncope (3) heat exhaustion (4) exertional heat
injury (5) exertional heatstroke.
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• Exercise associated muscle cramps (EAMC) or heat
  cramps.
• Heat cramps occur in muscles of your extremities
  either during or following exercise. Muscle
  cramps can also occur without an elevated body
  temperature in both warm and cool environments.
  Heat cramps are usually painful, involuntary
  contractions in the affected muscle. They can
  feel like a twinge, tremor, contracture, or
  stiffness. They can come on suddenly and may
  progressively worsen over time. The muscle
  cramping may become so severe causing the person
  to be unable to move the body part (e.g., lower
  leg/calf). The exact cause of these cramps has
  not been confirmed, but there are contributing
  factors that have been identified including
• Dehydration
• Electrolyte imbalances
• Altered neuromuscular control
• Fatigue
• These factors may act alone or in combination
  with one another, therefore it is important to
  stay well-hydrated, maintain electrolyte balance,
  maintain a proper, well-balanced diet, and
  focusing on attaining adequate rest to let your
  body properly recover.

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Heat Syncope Heat syncope (orthostatic
dizziness) is when an individual faints or passes
out because they do not have enough blood supply
to the brain as a result of overheating or
exercising in temperatures that the body is not
accustomed to. It is caused by blood vessels in
your extremities dilating and thus reducing blood
to the brain and dehydration. Individuals
experiencing heat syncope may faint while in
elevated temperature after long periods of
exercise, standing, or sudden changes in posture
such as getting up from sitting. Dehydration,
venous pooling of blood, reduced cardiac filling,
and/or low blood pressure are all factors that
can contribute to incidents of heat
syncope.   Heat syncope most commonly affects
individuals who are unfit or unacclimatized to
the heat. Usually, it occurs during the first 5
days of exposure to heat to which a person is
unaccustomed. For this reason, it is important to
slowly increase your exposure to the heat, limit
the time of your exposure to the heat, and wear
light, cool clothing.
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Heat Exhaustion Heat exhaustion is a result of
the body overheating and may include heavy
sweating and a rapid pulse. Symptoms may also
include cool, moist skin with goosebumps when in
heat, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, headaches,
muscle cramps, and low blood pressure upon
standing. Similar to heat syncope, individuals
experiencing heat exhaustion are most commonly
unacclimatized to the heat and/or may also be
dehydrated.  If you are experiencing heat
exhaustion, it is important to stop activity and
rest, move to a cooler place, and drink water.
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Exertional Heat Stroke Exertional heatstroke is
a life-threatening medical emergency. It is the
result of your bodys core temperature being too
high (rectal temperature over 105 degrees). If
left untreated the elevated core temperature will
lead to organ damage. Symptoms can include any of
the following erratic pulse, lack of
coordination, collapse, low blood pressure,
vomiting, headache, loss of consciousness and/or
seizures, shock, irritability, confusion,
disorientation, sweaty skin.   An exertional
heatstroke occurs because of an overwhelming of
the thermoregulatory system from a combination of
metabolic heat production and environmental heat.
It is also brought on by physical exertion.
Classic heat stroke, also known as non-exertional
heatstroke, occurs from simply being in a hot
environment for a prolonged period of time which
leads to a rise in core body temperature.  Early
recognition and treatment are vital to preventing
death from exertional heatstroke. Treatment
involves lowering the core body temperature to
less than 102F immediately (within 30 minutes or
less following initial collapse).
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