I think you will all agree with me when I say that the recent heatwave we have been having has been nothing short of exhausting. From constant high temperatures to sleepless nights, we have all been affected one way or another. Staying safe in the sun should be everyone’s number one priority and there are lots of different ways of doing this. Below, you will find different ways/approaches of how to keep safe whilst having fun in the heat.
- Make sure you keep up to date with the weather forecasts for information relating to the weather
- Stay in the shade between 11am and 3pm as this is when the weather is hottest from March to October
- Wear loose clothing, sunglasses and a hat – make sure you also apply 30+ or higher SPF sun cream to protect your skin before leaving the house.
- Drink lots of water (1.5 to 2 litres is recommended) each day and do not drink too much alcohol
- Move to somewhere cooler
- Drink cold drinks, eat ice lollies
- Take off any extra clothing like socks and jackets
- Close any windows or curtains facing the sun
- Over 65s
- 5 and Under
- Long Term Health Conditions
- Vulnerable, living alone or homeless
- mental health problems, addiction problems
If people are in the sun for too long, they may start to develop heat exhaustion. This is not an emergency but this could turn into heatstroke if not treated quickly by cooling yourself down. Symptoms of heat exhaustion to look out for are:
- feeling tired, faint or weak
- headaches
- muscle cramps
- feeling or being sick
- heavy sweating
- intense thirst
Heatstroke:
This happens when the body is unable to cool down. Confusion, seizures, lack of coordination can all be symptoms of heatstroke. If any of these occur, please call 999.
Now you know all the signs and symptoms to look out for during the hot weather, go out and enjoy yourself whether it be a walk in the park, hiking or cycling with the family or a Saturday afternoon BBQ.