Ah…finally summer is here! It’s time to enjoy outdoor activities – hit the beach, play outdoor sports and spend some quality time gardening. But keep in mind; while summer encourages you to get out of your home more often, the possibility of a heat stroke is quite distinct with temperatures soaring above 35 degree centigrade and the humidity levels as high as 75%.

 It happens when your body is not able to stabilize internal temperatures and the skin starts to feel hot and dry, accompanied with confusion, headaches, vomiting, muscle weakness and difficulty in breathing. Heat stroke is a serious issue and requires immediate medical attention.

However, the best policy to adopt this summer is prevention. And here are top 5 tips to protect yourself from heat stroke this summer.

Stay Hydrated

Drink water and other fluids like juices, iced tea and milk every couple of hours, irrespective of whether you are thirsty or not. It’s very important to stay hydrated in summer. Your body stabilizes internal temperature through sweating and that means you end up losing a lot of body water as well as essential nutrients. Increase your water intake in summers, and steer clear of alcohol as well as caffeinated beverages as these cause dehydration.

Also, avoid drinking liquids that are extremely cold; these can cause stomach cramps.

Keep Your Head Covered

If going out in the sun, especially of you are going for a run or want to do some gardening, cover your head. You cover your head in winters and put on your ear muffs when you head outdoors because you know you lose a lot of body heat through your head. It’s the same for summer as well – you need to keep your head cool to avoid over-heating.

Scarves, cowboy hats and baseball caps are the best. They keep the sun out of your eyes and protect your head from the sun’s blazing hot rays too.

Plan Your Outdoor Activities Better

Summer might be the best time to add more intensity to your workouts or tend to your garden more often. But make sure that you don’t spend too much time outdoors at peak afternoon hours. Make better use of your mornings and evenings. It’s always easier to wake up earlier in the mornings during summers because the temperature is comfortable enough to get out of bed. The fresh morning air is cool and invigorating, so make use of that for your run, jog, cycling and yoga sessions.

If you MUST spend time outdoors during the day, make sure you take frequent breaks to limit sun exposure. Evenings are cool and comfortable as well, so that’s the perfect time to go to the beach, run errands, play a sport or go swimming.

Choose Your Clothing Carefully

You cannot always be sitting in an air-conditioned room, especially if you are keen to spend quality time outdoors during summers. The best way to let your body breathe more naturally is to wear summer friendly fabrics. Cotton, linen and other light weight fabrics are best for summers. Prolonged direct sun exposure can increase your chances of heat stroke and dehydration tremendously, so be cautious. If you are a runner and then checkout 3 Products Every Runner Needs This Summer.

Let Your Body Adjust To The Changes 

A change in temperature brings with it external stress for your body. And if you are not used to strenuous exertions, don’t stress out your body further by pushing it beyond its limit right away. If you feel shortness of breath or your heart starts pounding, stop immediately. Incase you need a quick boost of hydration, checkout this Fatigue Beating Betroot and Berry Smoothie.

While you must make the most of summertime, ensure that you take all necessary precautions to keep yourself healthy and happy. As mentioned above, your best defense against the atrocious heat is prevention. Spend the hottest part of the day indoors where you have air conditioning to maintain comfortable temperatures. Stay wise and enjoy your summer.