Do you tolerate heat badly? Then never do it. Many people make a common mistake
The heatwave is a difficult time. When the heat pours from the sky, we try to cool the body by all possible means. Some of them can be counterproductive and hurt rather than help.
Poland is once again struggling with a heatwave. Thermometers in many parts of the country indicate over 30 degrees Celsius. Such weather conditions are especially dangerous for seniors, children and people who struggle with hypertension, diabetes or circulatory disorders. It is worth noting that not all popular methods of cooling the body are effective and, above all, safe. We make one mistake all the time.
Heat and opening windows
When it is hot outside, many people open the windows to let fresh air into the house or apartment and lower the temperature inside the rooms, and thus ensure greater comfort. In the meantime, quite the opposite is happening. This action allows more hot air to flow inside. As a result, the living room or bedroom becomes a kind of oven. Staying in hot rooms for a long time can cause heatstroke, as well as excessive exposure to sunlight, as mentioned by Dr. Michał Sutkowski, president of Warsaw Family Doctors, in a recent interview with WPROST.
Heat accumulates in the human body, which leads to overheating. How to recognize this dangerous condition? A person who experiences heatstroke can manifest many different symptoms. The most classic symptoms are: dizziness, nausea, vomiting, increased heart rate, dry skin and muscle weakness. The patient also has disorders of consciousness and movement coordination. His gait becomes unsteady and unsteady. It is worth noting that the summoned signals do not appear immediately. They often do not appear until several hours after exposure to heat.
How to prevent heatstroke in hot weather?
Are you wondering what to do to reduce the risk of overheating of rooms during hot weather? Use roller blinds and blinds and cover the windows during the hours of the highest temperatures and the greatest sunlight, i.e. between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Also, do not open them in the morning. In this way, hot air will not flow into the apartment and it will be much cooler in individual rooms than outside. Experts from the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management – IMGW PIB advise to open windows only in the evening and at night, when the heat subsides a bit and the air temperature drops to 21-24 degrees Celsius.
The air in a closed room on a hot day will heat up if additional curtains are not used. Windows act as partitions – depending on their specifications – they limit heat transfer to the inside. On the other hand, even a slight tilting of the window – on 1/6 of its surface – can cause that after several hours of such ventilation, the air temperature inside will be higher and almost 2 degrees (relative to the variant with a closed window) and at the level of the outside. These two degrees can make a big difference in your comfort. It is not worth leaving the window open during the heatwave – specialists remind in one of the posts shared on social media.
It is also worth limiting exposure to the sun’s rays and taking care of proper hydration of the body. Avoid working outdoors. Avoid baking, cooking and frying as much as possible. Choose low-processed foods that do not require heat treatment before consumption, such as salads or cold soups. Do not use electronic devices (computers, smartphones, etc.) too often. They also heat rooms, although many people are not aware of it.
