Planning to be outside on a hot day? Take these precautions

If you're emotion basking and request a speedy measurement to cool down, submerge yourself successful a assemblage of water. If that's not feasible, dunk your feet and arms successful acold water. It tin "lower your halfway assemblage temperature," says Ashley Ward, head of nan Heat Policy Innovation Hub astatine Duke University. Dajah Callen for NPR hide caption

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Dajah Callen for NPR

The first important power activity of nan summertime is expected to deed overmuch of nan United States this weekend, impacting regions from nan Midwest to nan East Coast. Temperatures are forecasted to beryllium good into nan 90s, according to nan National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

So if you're readying to beryllium outside, whether it's for nosy aliases for work, return measures to enactment cool and protect yourself against heat-related illness, says Ashley Ward, head of Duke University's Heat Policy Innovation Hub.

If there's a power advisory successful your area, you'll want to avoid outdoor activities. But moreover if location isn't one, return be aware erstwhile extracurricular connected a basking day, she says. " It's 1 of nan large misconceptions astir power to think, 'I'm only successful threat erstwhile there's a power activity occurring."

Extreme power is nan No. 1 weather-related slayer successful nan United States, according to NOAA and experts opportunity its risks are apt underestimated It tin origin power exhaustion, "your body's measurement of telling you to get retired of nan power immediately," aliases power stroke, a life-threatening illness that tin hap if power exhaustion isn't treated, says Dr. Renee Salas, adjunct professor of emergency medicine astatine Harvard Medical School.

Warmer-than-normal temperatures are expected passim nan summer, according to NOAA. Heatwaves and longer, hotter summertime seasons are intensifying because of human-caused ambiance change, according to nan World Health Organization.

Here's really to scheme for outings successful basking weather.

Don't conscionable trust connected nan aerial temperature. Check nan power index. 

Before starting your lifeguard displacement aliases going to that barbecue, return a infinitesimal to cheque nan power index. It includes humidity arsenic good arsenic nan aerial temperature, giving you a much meticulous publication connected really basking it will consciousness outside, Ward says.

Also return statement of nan unreality coverage, upwind travel and clip of time you scheme to beryllium outdoors. When it comes to heat-related illnesses, "if it's a very humid time and there's nary upwind speed, past you are much astatine risk, moreover if nan aerial somesthesia is lower," Ward says. For example, a very humid 88-degree time pinch nary upwind could beryllium much vulnerable than a 94-degree time pinch debased humidity.

If you can, scheme outdoor activities earlier successful nan day, earlier nan hottest clip of time successful your area. "Three to 5 p.m. successful nan day is 1 of nan astir vulnerable times of day," says Ward.

Consider what you're wearing.  

Whether you're headed to nan excavation aliases going for a walk, deterioration lightweight, breathable garments. Opt for fabric aliases linen fabrics, which person large pores successful their woven threads that let for aerial circulation, aliases moisture-wicking materials, which tie sweat distant from your skin, helping it to evaporate much quickly, Ward says.

Choose loose-fitting silhouettes, Salas says. If your apparel are excessively tight, nan sweat connected your tegument can't evaporate, which is cardinal to keeping your assemblage cool. "I'm judge group don't emotion sweating profusely, but sweating is really our friend erstwhile it comes to heat."

Don't hide sunscreen and a wide-brimmed chapeau to forestall sunburn, says Alyssa Provencio, a professor astatine nan University of Central Oklahoma who researches emergency and disaster management.

Opt for shady, earthy environments. 

Your location tin make a large quality successful really basking it feels. Dark surfaces for illustration asphalt thin to sorb much power than earthy environments. And because shaded areas person little star exposure, they tin consciousness overmuch cooler. "You tin trim nan somesthesia astir you 10 degrees aliases much by conscionable moving to an area that's shaded."

So if you're a canine walker and it's a basking day, locomotion those pets down a tree-lined parkland aliases a wooded way alternatively of nan sidewalk. Or if you're headed to nan pool, bring a sun umbrella aliases a pop-up shelter to supply immoderate coverage, Provencio says.

Know nan symptoms of power exhaustion.

If you're retired pinch a group of friends connected a basking day, support yourself and others safe by looking retired for signs of unwellness among each other. "Somebody whitethorn announcement thing successful you that you don't notice," Salas says.

Heat exhaustion is your body's informing motion that you're starting to overheat, Salas says. Generally, symptoms see sweating much than usual, weakness, dizziness, fainting, ray skin, nausea, vomiting and fatigue.

Pay typical attraction to seniors, children, group pinch definite pre-existing aesculapian conditions, and group connected commonly prescribed medications to thief negociate humor unit and intelligence wellness conditions. They are astatine higher consequence of heat-related illnesses, Salas says.

If you aliases personification you cognize is experiencing signs of power exhaustion, Salas recommends going into an air-conditioned room. Provencio recommends nationalist libraries because they're free and unfastened to everyone.

If you're still experiencing symptoms of power exhaustion aft removing yourself from nan heat, activity aesculapian care.

Water is your friend. 

On basking days, bring h2o pinch you wherever you go. Salas says drinking h2o tin thief your assemblage nutrient much sweat.

Beware of drinking intoxicant connected basking days, she says. You whitethorn beryllium tempted to ace unfastened a acold brew connected nan beach, but it's a diuretic that tin dehydrate you and effect your expertise to sweat and cool yourself.

If you're emotion basking and request a speedy measurement to cool down, you tin besides submerge yourself successful a assemblage of water. If that's not feasible, dunk your feet and arms successful acold water, Ward says. It tin "lower your halfway assemblage temperature."

Lower your assemblage somesthesia pinch cooling towels. 

If you're emotion hot, put an crystal pack, a bedewed towel aliases a cooling towel, which stays other acold erstwhile they get wet, connected nan backmost of your neck, nether your armpits and connected your groin, Ward says.

"Some of nan body's awesome humor vessels person to nan tegument unrecorded there," Salas says. And erstwhile you put thing acold connected those areas, "it tin thief cool nan humor moving done them."

Don't hide to return breaks. 

 "If you're being progressive outside, whether that's working, exercising or playing sports, arsenic you work, your muscles are producing heat," Salas says. So return a infinitesimal to extremity producing power and cool down successful nan shadiness aliases an air-conditioned room.

On those breaks, retrieve to portion much h2o too, Provencio says.

This communicative was edited by Malaka Gharib. The ocular editor is Beck Harlan. We'd emotion to perceive from you. Leave america a voicemail astatine 202-216-9823, aliases email america astatine LifeKit@npr.org.

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