5 Ways To Stay Safe In Extreme Heat

Extreme heat can affect anyone, but many heat illnesses can be prevented. Acting early can help you stay safe and avoid a trip to the hospital.

You do not have to wait until you feel sick to protect yourself. Drinking water, staying cool and knowing the warning signs can help stop heat illness from becoming an emergency.

Here are five ways to stay safe when it’s hot outside.

1. Drink water before you feel thirsty

When it’s hot, your body can lose water quickly. A few simple steps can help you stay safe.

Try to:

• Drink water throughout the day
• Take breaks in the shade or air conditioning when you can
• Wear light, loose-fitting clothes

Carrying a water bottle and cooling off often can help lower your risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

2. Plan around the heat when you can

When it’s hot, your body can lose water quickly. A few simple steps can help you stay safe.

Try to:

• Limit outdoor physical activity, like sports or exercise, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when temperatures are typically highest
• Take breaks in the shade if you need to be outside
• Drink water often
• Go inside, find shade and drink water if you start to feel dizzy, weak or sick

Paying attention to when and how long you are outside can help stop mild symptoms from becoming more serious.

3. Know the warning signs and act quickly if you start feeling sick

Heat illness can start with mild symptoms. Acting early can help prevent a medical emergency. Heat rash, sunburn and heat cramps can happen after spending too much time in the sun or heat. Here’s what to look for and what to do:

• Heat rash appears as red clusters of small blisters that may look like pimples on the neck, chest, groin or in elbow creases
  • What to do: retreat to a cool, dry place as possible; keep the affected area dry; use powder, like baby powder, to help reduce irritation
• Sunburn: painful, red or warm skin, and in more serious cases, blistering
  • What to do: stay out of direct sunlight until the skin heals, as possible; use cool clothes or take a cool shower or bath to cool down; apply aloe or moisturizer to soothe the skin; do not break blisters
• Heat cramps: muscle pain or spasms, potentially paired with heavy sweating, often during or after physical activity
  • What to do: stop activity and move to a cool place if possible; drink water or a sports drink; wait for cramps to subside before resuming outdoor activity

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are more serious.
 

Common signs of heat illness include:

• Heavy sweating
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Feeling weak or very tired
• Nausea or feeling sick to your stomach
• Muscle cramps

If you notice these symptoms, move to a cooler place, rest, and drink water. Get care right away if you or someone else has:

• Confusion or trouble thinking clearly
• A very high body temperature
• Fainting or loss of consciousness
• Seizures

Knowing when to act can help prevent more serious health problems.

4. Choose the right level of care for your symptoms

If you are worried about heat illness, getting help early can make a difference and help you avoid a trip to the emergency room.

• Virtual care can help with mild symptoms and give advice on what to do next
• Urgent care may be right for symptoms like a headache, dizziness or nausea that do not go away
• Emergency care is needed for serious symptoms, including confusion, fainting, or signs of heat stroke

When in doubt, it is always better to seek medical help.

5. Use places near you to stay cool

Air conditioning can help protect you during very hot weather. Look for places nearby where you can cool off.

You can try:

• Cooling centers – call 211 to find one near you
• Libraries or community centers
• A trusted friend or family member’s home

Spending time in a cool place can help lower your risk of heat illness. If you don’t know where to go when temperatures are high, visit resources like heat.gov and findhelp.org.

Extreme heat can affect anyone. Older adults, young children, people who are pregnant, people with long-term health conditions and people who take certain medicines may have a higher risk. Knowing the signs and acting early can help prevent heat emergencies.

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