Southern Europe and other regions of the northern hemisphere are experiencing a heat wave with extreme temperatures.
In Italy for example, where temperatures close to 47°C In Sardinia and Sicily, most major cities are on red alert due to extreme heat.
The heatwave in southern Europe is expected to last until Wednesday, but the UN Climate Change Agency is warning that such extreme temperatures are already happening, according to the UN Climate Change Agency “the new normal” in a world heated by climate change.
But what effects can extreme heat have on our bodies? We explain what happens to your body when exposed to high temperatures and how you can take care to reduce the effects.
What does extreme heat do to our bodies?
As the body warms up, the Blood vessels dilate, open. That makes us one low blood pressure and make the heart work harder to pump blood around the body.
This can lead to mild symptoms like an itchy rash or swollen feet.
At the same time, we begin to sweat, which leads to dehydration and loss of salt, significantly altering the balance between the two in the body.
This, combined with low blood pressure, can lead to heat stroke or heat exhaustion. Symptoms include:
- dizziness
- nausea
- fainting
- mental confusion
- muscle cramps
- Headache
- heavy sweating
- fatigue
If blood pressure is falling too quickly, raise it risk of heart attacks.
Why does our body react like this?
Our body strives to maintain an internal temperature of approx 37.5°Cwhether we’re in the middle of a snowstorm or a heat wave.
It is the temperature at which our body is used to working.
However, when the weather gets warmer, the body has to work to keep its internal temperature down.
Therefore, the blood vessels closest to the skin dilate to dissipate heat and you begin to sweat.
As sweat evaporates, heat loss is dramatic and the skin becomes cooler.
How can I protect myself from the heat?
The health authorities give some advice in this regard:
- Be aware of people who may have trouble keeping their cool, such as old peoplepeople with underlying health problems or live alone.
- Keep the inside of your home cool by closing the curtains in the rooms exposed to the sun.
- Drink much water and avoid alcohol.
- Do not leave anyone, especially babies, small children and animals, in the closed vehicle.
- Stay out of the sun between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. when the sun’s rays are strongest.
- Try to stay in the shade, use sunscreen with a high protection index and cover your head with a hat or cap.
- Avoid exercising during the hottest hours.
- Take water with you when you travel.
- Be aware of the risks that can exist if you decide to swim in a river or open water to cool off.
What foods should we eat or avoid during heat waves?
It is best to follow a varied and balanced dietwith a Mediterranean pattern (which includes seasonal products, mainly from Vegetables such as fruits, greens, legumes, grains and olive oil), as explained by Carmen González Vázquez, Professor of Human Nutrition and Dietetics at the International University of La Rioja, Spain, in an article in The Conversation.
GETTY IMAGES: Try to eat raw foods as much as possible.
It is preferable to do this light and fresh intake Throughout the day, avoid very heavy and high-fat meals and avoid excessive consumption of proteins from large animals such as beef or lamb.
It is also important to choose foods that contain more water and if possible, choose foods that will be consumed raw or that require little cooking.
How can I sleep well at night?
Used thin sheetsAnd if you’re one of those people who can’t sleep without socks, put them in the fridge to cool before putting them on and follow your usual routine before bed, experts recommend.
If the heat is very strong even at night, use a Turn on the fan and open the windows create air currents.
What should I do if I see someone suffering from heat stroke or heat stroke?
If the person can cool down and return to a lower temperature within half an hour, heat stroke is not serious.
The health authorities advise:
- Take it to a cooler place.
- Have him lie down and slightly raise his feet.
- Make him drink lots of water. Sports or rehydration drinks are also good options.
- Cools your skin. You can spray them with water, a sponge or cloth previously dipped in cold water, or fan them out. Cold compresses around the neck and under the arms are also good.
If you don’t restore this after doing all this 30 minuteswhat follows is sunstroke.
This is a medical emergency and you should call emergency services.
People who suffer from sunstroke or heat stroke stop sweating even if they are too hot. Their temperature may exceed 40°C and they may have seizures or lose consciousness.
Who is most at risk?
GETTY IMAGES Older people are particularly at risk.
The age or some chronic ailmentsHealth conditions such as heart disease can make people less able to cope with the stress that heat puts on their bodies.
The diabetes It can cause the body to lose water more quickly, and some complications of this disease can affect blood vessels and the ability to sweat.
The Children and those who are less mobile may also be more vulnerable.
The diseases of the brainLike dementia, some people can experience an inability to feel or do anything about heat.
The homeless will also be more exposed to the sun.
Are there drugs that increase the risk?
The diureticsSometimes called “water pills,” they increase the amount of fluid the body expels. They are often used, including in heart failure. High temperatures increase the risk of dehydration and an imbalance of some important minerals in our body.
The antihypertensive drugsthat lower blood pressure have an effect that, when combined with the widening of blood vessels from heat, can lead to dangerous drops in blood pressure.
Some epilepsy and Parkinson’s medications can block sweating and make it harder for the body to cool down.
Other drugs, such as lithium and statins, can build up more in the blood and become more problematic when a excessive fluid loss.
GETTY IMAGES It’s important to make sure kids stay cool and hydrated.
Can heat kill?
GETTY IMAGES Temperatures have topped 40C in many parts of Europe.
Yes, for heat stroke, which occurs when your body temperature suddenly rises and can’t be lowered, according to the Mayo Clinic in the US.
Most deaths are usually caused by heart attacks and strokes This, in turn, is caused by the body’s efforts to keep body temperature stable.
Evidence suggests that a majority of high temperature deaths occur in spring or early summer, rather than during the ‘summer peak’.
This may be because we haven’t acclimatized to begin with, and then as the summer progresses, we adjust our everyday behavior, habits, clothing and get used to dealing with the heat.
Previous heat waves show that the increase in deaths occurs very quickly, within the first 24 hours after the heat wave.