Guarding Yourself Against Heat Exhaustion

The upcoming warm summer months can provide many opportunity for us to spend our time outdoors doing things that we like. While it can be some of the best months ahead for outdoor enthusiasts, it can quickly turn dangerous for us if we do not take care of ourselves under the sun.

One potential danger is with heat related illnesses, sunburn is a mild example when you can be getting heat stroke or heat exhaustion. Knowing and understanding signals of a heat exhaustion can help prevent the chances of it developing into a full heat stroke, here are the signs to look out for:

* Muscle cramps
* Headache or feeling dizzy
* Vomiting and nausea
* Dark urine
* Excessive sweating
* And in some cases, fainting

It can occur anytime and everywhere because of constant exposure to high temperature, especially continuously for a few days. The most susceptible group are young children and elders, while not exclusively to them. Those with a history of high blood pressure are also put at the most risk and therefore preventive measures must be taken.

The most obvious way to prevent heat exhaustion is to stay away from the sun, especially on very hot days. Generally, if the temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, it is more advisable to stay at home.

However if you can not do that, you must quickly replenish the loss of water in your body by drinking a lot of water and staying away from any drinks that can deplete your water level such as alcohol, and any caffeinated drinks.

Avoid staying out in the sun during the most harmful period, mid day sun can emit a high level of UV ray and therefore it is the most potent of them all and can caused skin cancer in the long run. Try to stay indoors between 11am until 5am.

Another good way to avoid overheating yourself is by wearing light color clothing, they can disperse heat better than a dark colored one. If you must go out, always apply sunscreen as it can help repels the UV rays as well as keep you safe from sunburn.

Another important thing to take note of is that if you start noticing signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion, you must take a break and quickly cool yourself off. Stay in shades and have plenty of water in your system to help disperse the heat faster.

If the symptoms persist even after you've taken a break, then it is better to seek medical attention before it develops into a full heat stroke.

Taking care of yourself is needed especially under hot weather, because if you're not careful it can quickly lead to life threatening situation. Summer are meant to be fun, not one that can cause you pain and unpleasant experiences.