Exercising in hot weather puts added strain on your body. This is because heat-related illnesses – such as heat stroke as well as sunstroke – take place when your body is unable to keep itself cool. On its own, sweating isn’t enough to cool your body.
What are the symptoms of heat-related illnesses?
If you are of the suspicion that you may be suffering from a heat-related illness, check out this list. If you’re exhibiting one of these symptoms then you’re probably suffering from such an illness:
- Irritability
- General discomfort
- Weakness
- Headache
- Nausea
- Cramps
Suggestions to avoid illnesses from exercising in hot weather
Don’t think that just because it’s hot you must avoid doing any exercise as you’re afraid that you’ll contract a heat-related illness. Follow these tips to make sure that you keep fit AND healthy:
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Drink plenty of water before, during as well as after exercise
It is possible for you to lose around one and a half litres of fluid for every hour of exercise. One of the main indications of dehydration is fatigue which causes a significant drop in performance.
To ensure that you take in enough water during your exercise sessions, we suggest that you do the following:
- Avoid starting exercise when you are dehydrated. Drink plenty of fluids for a number of hours before exercise.
- Drink at least 500 ml (two cups) an hour before you exercise.
- Consume at least 150 ml at every 15-minute interval during exercise.
- During exercise, take advantage of all breaks to drink up.
- After exercise, drink more water to ensure that you are fully rehydrated.
- Wear light-weight, light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing.
- Protect yourself from the sun by wearing clothing such as long-sleeved tops, full-length trousers, a hat and sunglasses as well as a large umbrella.
- Exercise during the parts of the day which are cooler, preferably before dawn or after sunset.
- Reduce your exercise intensity. Take frequent breaks as well as drink water or, alternatively, other fluids every 15 to 20 minutes even if you don’t feel thirsty. If you have clear as well as pale urine you are probably drinking a sufficient amount of fluids.
- Don’t drink alcohol, tea or coffee prior to or after exercising because these drinks promote the loss of fluids.
- If you have travelled to a climate that is hotter than the one that you are used to, remember that it may take about 10 days of exercising before you fully acclimatise.
Many people head outside in their droves when the weather warms up to jog, play netball or do work in the garden. However, when the temperature rises, “easy” exercise is turned into a huge physical undertaking. Intense exercise can turn out to be deadly. So, if your body’s temperature regulation system is overtaxed, you’re at risk of developing a heat-related illness.
Knowing how to exercise properly is one of the fundamental parts of keeping fit and healthy.
Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy
If you enjoy teaching others about the correct way to perform an exercise routine then you should become a personal trainer. Follow this link to read about how to do this.
