It is difficult for us to face the days in full heat wave. The high temperatures that are projected on our house and, in the worst cases, on our heads make it impossible for us to carry out certain tasks. In a nutshell: we can’t take it anymore with so much embarrassment and sunshine.
Las heat waves that have been experienced this summer are the most extreme in Spain since there are records. In these circumstances, dehydration and an increase in body temperature would cause a failure in our thermoregulation mechanisms, causing problems that can become serious. Hence, as Dr. Marco Antonio Strocchia, traumatologist at Hospital Nuestra Señora del Rosario, warns, “the first thing we have to try is to anticipate and prevent the dreaded heatstroke», and obviously that this does not catch us practicing sports.
For this it is essential to know how to identify the symptoms. The most common are:
·
Fatigue
· Headache
Dizziness
Nausea and vomiting
· Instability
Redness and dryness of the skin
“One of the first symptoms of dehydration can be nausea, which can be confused with gastrointestinal problems. In these cases, we have to try to continue drinking and eating in small doses, to prevent dehydration from advancing and our stomach from closing, making it increasingly difficult to ingest food and drink. This would cause an aggravation of dehydration, “abounds the specialist, who adds that” the greatest danger is to underestimate these symptoms and let the syndrome progress to coma and even death.
Prevent heat stroke during exercise
Dr. Strocchia, from Hospital Nuestra Señora del Rosario, suggests taking these measures to avoid being surprised by heatstroke while practicing sports:
– Hydrate ourselves perfectly before, during and after exercising with water and also with mineral salts in the event that the duration is estimated to be greater than one hour or the exercise is going to be very intense. “The intake of liquids has to be gradual and in small doses, never in large amounts suddenly, and very importantly, without waiting until you are thirsty.”
– Adapt the exercise to our state of form and, if we are not used to it, avoid the hottest hours and exposure to the sun (central hours of the day, where temperatures are extreme). “Even if you are fit, it is advisable not to make strenuous efforts in very high temperatures.”
– Wear technical garments that help us to perspire and ventilate correctly.
“These preventive measures are common sense, as well as the principle of prudence that must be present whenever we carry out physical activities, especially in nature or outdoors, when we know that we are going to endure extreme temperatures,” insists the expert.
Although you have to pay special attention to temperatures, especially at this time of year, Ignacio Iglesias, CEO of BLNZ (Balanze), points out the importance of doing sports outdoors:
– It’s good for the brain. Outdoor training offers mental stimulation that exercising at home or in the gym cannot, since you will always be surrounded by the same mental/visual walls and stimuli. “Training outdoors you will be constantly changing scenery,” she says.
– Biomechanically more beneficial. It is more productive to do certain exercises outside. For example, if we run in natural circuits, we will find unevenness and irregularities in the terrain that will force us to change the pace of the march and exercise all the muscles, so the training will be of greater intensity.
– biophilic effect. Human beings are believed to have a deep and innate affinity for nature as well as an intrinsic and emotional connection with other organisms and animals. Since outdoor exercise exposes the body’s sensory systems to nature’s multitude of stimuli, it’s highly likely that those innate biophilic human needs are met.
– decreases anxiety. Going to the gym can be overwhelming as it is a new environment, closed, full of people and using material that you know. As Ignacio Iglesias says, outdoors you can eliminate this type of anxiety by exercising in places with a large space, with fewer people and possibly in an environment that you already know.
– It is better for health. “In closed environments, pollution can be more than twice as high as outside, aggravating with aerobic activities and lack of ventilation. Training outdoors in a natural space and away from traffic can also improve mental health and brain function », he concludes and expert.
Guidelines for action against heat stroke
As soon as we notice the first symptoms (tiredness, headache, nausea), we should be alarmed and act. If we react in time, we can reverse the situation, which is why it is important to know what to do in the event of a heat stroke. These are the action guidelines recommended by Dr. Strocchia:
– Place the affected person in a cool place, in the shade and where there is fresh air, lying down with their feet up.
– Refresh the skin and, especially, the head, with moist compresses.
– Drink water little by little, adding salts or isotonic drinks, if available, to also recover electrolyte losses with sweat, such as sodium and potassium, essential for cellular processes.
– We should not drink very cold liquids, quickly and in excess because we could suffer hydrocution or differential thermal collapse, that is, a sudden change in body temperature, which can trigger a reflex inhibition of breathing and circulation, generating an overload heart rate that could lead to cardiorespiratory arrest.
– Remove clothing and massage to stimulate skin circulation that also contributes to thermoregulation.
– Rest between 20 and 30 minutes, at least, to recover the situation.
If there is no notable recovery and the progression towards more serious symptoms continues or we do not have the means to lower the temperature, we have to notify the emergency services immediately.