LOCAL

Health officials offer tips to beat the heat

Daily Telegram staff
Lenawee County Health Department web logo

ADRIAN — With temperatures beginning to rise and highs expected to reach into the mid-to-upper 90s throughout the week, the Lenawee County Health Department is reminding individuals to stay cool and safe in the summer heat.

To prevent complications from heat, the health department encourages residents to follow these guidelines:

• Drink more fluids and avoid liquids with a large amount of sugar and alcohol.

• Limit outdoor activities and exercise to when it is coolest in the morning and in the evening.

• Spend time indoors in the air conditioning as much as possible.

• Wear lightweight, light-colored and loose-fitting clothing.

• Wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more to prevent sunburn. Sunburn affects the body’s ability to cool down and it can make people dehydrated.

• Keep blinds, curtains and windows closed to keep the heat out.

• Open windows during the cooler evening hours and then close them before it gets too hot in the morning.

• Set ceiling fans to rotate counter-clockwise.

• Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, they will not prevent heat-related illness. Fans create an air flow, but do not reduce body temperature.

• Use appliances in the home, such as stoves and ovens, a lot less, in order to maintain a cooler temperature in the home.

• Take a cool shower or bath to cool off.

• Check on elderly neighbors and relatives to determine if they need assistance.

In addition to the staying hydrated and out of the sun, residents are reminded to never leave children or pets alone in a car, even with the windows cracked.

“Temperatures inside a car can easily be double the temperature outside, and because a child’s body heats up three to five times faster than an adult’s, they are more susceptible to heatstroke,” the news release said.

Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are both forms of heat-related illnesses. Signs of heat-related illnesses can vary, but may include the following: heavy sweating, muscle cramps, weakness, dizziness, headaches, nausea or vomiting, fainting, an extremely high body temperature (above 103 degrees) and tiredness.

“Heatstroke occurs when the body is unable to regulate its temperature and can result in death if not treated promptly,” the release said.

For other tips on how to protect yourself and others during the summer heat, visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s website, www.cdc.gov.