In the face of the global heat wave fueled by climate change, I wanted to compile some resources and tips I've found online to help protect your health and keep cool.
The Basics
This graphic with information from the Centers for Disease Control and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration illustrates some common symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke, as well as action steps to take. Please note: I have some more commentary below on how cooling someone with lukewarm water may be better than using freezing cold water.
Some stand-out Instagram posts
Both of the Instagram posts below also discuss the importance of keeping yourself cool, checking on family/friends/neighbors, identifying cooling centers, assisting unsheltered or unhoused people, and contributing to community efforts to adapt to rising temperatures. Heat waves disproportionately affect individuals who do manual labor outdoors and are therefore exposed to more deadly temperatures and environments, re-emphasizing the importance of supporting workers' rights in the years to come.
From the Climate Resilience Project (Kylie Flanagan):
Here are some key points Kylie brings up that I want to expand on:
Close windows and doors while drawing shades to block as much sunlight as possible from outside, particularly from south- and west-facing windows. Rooms that face north tend to be cooler, so you might want to lay down a bamboo mat on the ground in this room to sleep in, and spend as much time there as possible. Babies, elderly folks, and anyone with chronic health conditions will be more prone to overheating, and should be monitored carefully.
Drink more water than usual, and replenish electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, etc.) and sugars which are also lost through sweating. Being low on electrolytes and sugars can make you dizzy or lightheaded, so drinking some juice/Gatorade and having some salty snacks is just as important when staying hydrated.
A lukewarm bath, NOT an ice-cold bath, is safer for someone who is experiencing heatstroke. If you dunk someone in ice-cold water, they are going to start shivering as a reflex to stay warm. My impression is that because water has a high specific heat, even warm water will help dissipate heat away from the human body. There seems to be a debate about this on Reddit, but this StatPearls source backs up the lukewarm assertion, and it's what I'm sticking to in regards to recommendations until proven otherwise.
From Brown Girl Green (Kristy Drutman):
Kristy's post provides more links to small local organizations doing mutual aid and providing more social resources to help people in U.S.-based communities suffering from heat-related illness and exposures.
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Some Initial Thoughts
In my personal experience, I've found that using an umbrella to shade yourself from the sun when walking outside can be good during dry heat spells. UV parasols are commonly used in many East Asian countries. Unfortunately, in humid heat, shading yourself while outdoors does not help because sweating no longer cools down the body in these conditions. Basically, humans sweat to keep cool because water evaporating from the skin cools down the body - just imagine the chill that you feel when getting out of a swimming pool. That's what sweating is supposed to do. If the air is already saturated with water, sweat won't evaporate or help you release any more heat to the air. In these situations, it's just best to get indoors or underground if possible.
The Philadelphia Inquirer suggests using air conditioning for a few hours in the middle of the night. One of the deadliest aspects of the current heat wave is that temperatures at night do not cool significantly, which tires out the body and makes it harder to cool down the next day, when daytime temperatures rise again.
Keep reading for some more items I've thought about as a healthcare provider.
Medications
Some medications are associated with a greater risk of hospitalization for heat-related illness. According to this article by Scientific American, medications classified as diuretics, beta blockers, antihypertensives, antipsychotics, stimulants, and anticholinergic medications such as Parkinson's and bladder control medicines may impair the body's ability to regulate temperature.
Diuretics may be at fault because they deplete water and electrolytes from the body, as a way to prevent fluid overload in the lungs and legs. Beta blockers may act accordingly because they decrease heart rate and force, therefore reducing perfusion to the skin which usually naturally helps humans radiate heat, theorizes Kai Chen, an assistant professor at Yale School of Public Health.
Any medications that have anticholinergic properties can cause dry mouth and prevent sweating, which interferes with the body's natural cooling response (but of course, only in situations with less humidity in the air).
People taking these medicines will be at higher risk of overheating, so if you take any one of these, make it a priority to keep cool. Many of these medicines are life-saving or promote a decent quality of life for people, and it's necessary to recognize the benefits and risks of taking them.
For example, individuals with heart disease or high blood pressure are at higher risk of heart attack or stroke during heat waves too, and I definitely wouldn't recommend discontinuing any high blood pressure medicines that are helping to protect the heart and brain. The American Heart Association explains it in more detail at this link. Mayo Clinic also has some information on this topic here.
Local Governmental Resources
In the United States, many cities and towns will open up cooling centers for people to access. For example, New York City has a map and cooling center locator available here: https://finder.nyc.gov/coolingcenters/. Many of these are only available for older adults, but they do provide some options.
Large metropolitan areas will most likely have more funding and resources to prepare maps and public health hotlines for individuals to call if they have trouble beating the heat.
Knowing your Neighbors
The role of community is extremely important during heat waves and other natural disasters. In fact, In Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago, author Eric Klinenberg explains how social isolation was an important factor responsible for the staggering death toll of 739 people over the course of five days in July 1995. Many individuals who died in the extreme heat were older individuals who lived alone and didn't have meaningful social connections with neighbors, family, and friends. I imagine that anyone with mobility issues and/or cognitive deficits would be especially vulnerable in a massive heat wave. It is easy but horrifying to imagine how a failure of the electrical grid and therefore, air conditioning, can leave hundreds of people to suffer and die in silence, especially in poor neighborhoods.
Many communities are adopting the approach of mutual aid, especially when the government does not or cannot deliver resources appropriately during a public health emergency. In the face of more and more extreme climate events, getting to know your neighbors and friends who live within walking distance of your residence could be a great help. At the very least, you might be able to find someone with a spare flashlight in a power outage, and in the worst-case scenario, you could help save a life.
In Conclusion
I will check back on this post from time to time if I think of anything else I'd like to add. Please share widely amongst your family and friends as needed!