fit&HEALTHY Exercising Outdoors in the Summer Months Michele DiCarlo, Sports, Recreation and Activities Director
W
hether you are jogging to the Fitness Center, riding your bike, or playing tennis, be mindful of how your body feels and stay ahead of heat related issues.
Exercising in hot weather puts added stress on your body. Letting your core body temperature rise significantly can put you at risk for heat related illnesses. To help cool itself, your body sends more blood to circulate through your skin. This leaves less blood for your muscles, which in turn increases your heart rate. If the humidity also is high, your body faces added stress because sweat doesn’t readily evaporate from your skin. That pushes your body temperature even higher. Take care of yourself through the summer months and stay well ahead of dehydration by drinking more water than usual as you will be sweating more.
Some heat related illnesses to be aware of: • Heat Cramps – Heat cramps can be painful, involuntary
muscle spasms that usually occur during heavy exercise in hot environments. The spasms may be more intense and more prolonged than are typical of nighttime leg cramps. Fluid and electrolyte loss often contribute to heat cramps. With heat cramps your body temperature may be within normal limits.
• Heat Exhaustion – Heat exhaustion is the body’s response to an excessive loss of the water and salt, usually through
excessive sweating. People most prone to heat exhaustion are those that are elderly, have high blood pressure, and those working in a hot environment, so be kind to your landscapers. • Heatstroke – Heatstroke is caused by the body
overheating. This is a condition marked by fever and often by unconsciousness, caused by failure of the body’s temperature-regulating mechanism when exposed to excessively high temperatures. A person’s core temperature is usually above 104. A person will usually be pale and may not be sweating.
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Zumba
Watch for warning signs and symptoms including: • Excessive sweating
• Increased heart rate
• Visual problems
• Low blood pressure
• Muscle cramps
• Irritability
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Vomiting
• Confusion
• Cramps
• Weakness
If you feel any of these symptoms, you will need to lower your body temperature right away. Stop exercising immediately and get into an air-conditioned area and drink water immediately. Remove sweaty clothing. You can place cool towels, fan your body, apply ice packs to neck, drink sports drink or water. If you don’t feel better within 15-20 mins call 911 or seek medical attention. Evaluate the weather before exercising, wear appropriate clothing, drink plenty of fluids, avoid mid-day exercising as it is the hottest time of day, wear sunscreen and knowing your fitness level are all ways to avoid heat related illness. You can always workout at the Fitness Center indoors in the luxury of air conditioning. Your workout doesn’t need to be ruined by the heat. If you are training in the heat, ease into your workouts. Stay in the heat for a period and then incrementally increase your workout time. Again, drink plenty of fluids and stay safe.
