As your body becomes hotter, your blood vessels begin to open up, leading to lower blood pressure
With summer arriving early this year, the Indian Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for a heatwave across north India for this week. Most metros and cities have been recording above-normal temperatures, with mercury soaring past 40 degrees Celsius. Hot weather can affect anyone - but some people run a greater risk of serious harm—especially older people and small children.
What does extreme heat do to your body?
As your body becomes hotter due to high environmental temperature, your blood vessels begin to open up, leading to lower blood pressure. It then makes your heart work harder to push the blood around the body.
Doctors say this can lead to mild symptoms like an itchy heat rash or swollen feet as blood vessels become leaky. However, at the same time, you may be sweating a lot, which leads to the loss of fluids and salt, and, crucially, the balance between them in the body changes. And combined with the low blood pressure, the situation can cause heat exhaustion.
Why does your body react to heat this way?
According to experts, in severe cases, extreme heat can lead to heatstroke—when your body temperature rises above 40 degrees Celsius, organ failure, and even death. Doctors say human bodies always strive to keep a core temperature of about 37 degrees Celsius whether you are in a snowstorm or a heatwave, as it is the optimal temperature at which the bodies have evolved to work.
However, if the weather becomes hotter, your body has to work harder to keep its core temperature down—opening more blood vessels near the skin to lose heat to the surroundings and start sweating. As the sweat evaporates, it dramatically increases the heat lost from the skin.
Troubling signs of heat illness or hyperthermia
Heat-related illnesses can occur on a spectrum from mild to severe, with heat rashes and cramps, which usually go away with rest or at-home treatments. However moderate or severe heat-related illnesses, like heat exhaustion and heat stroke, do require urgent medical attention to avoid serious complications.
Five potential signs and symptoms of heat illness include:
Headache
You may have a severe headache the day the temperature is high - often accompanied by dizziness, which, according to doctors, is a sign of heat illness.
Dizziness
Feeling dizzy or fainting indicates that your body is struggling to regulate its temperature.
Nausea and vomiting
Feeling nauseous or vomiting is an important sign that your body is overheating and struggling to cope with the heat. Drink water and hydrate with fluids to feel better immediately.
Muscle cramps
Cramps in your arms, legs, and abdomen are a sign of heat cramps or a precursor to more serious heat-related illnesses like heat exhaustion or heatstroke.
High body temperature
A core body temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit or 40 degrees Celsius - or higher—is a primary sign of heatstroke, a life-threatening condition.
Who is at a higher risk of heat illnesses?
Doctors say old people, or those with long-term conditions like heart issues, will have a tough time coping with the strain heat puts on the body. Also, diabetes and high blood sugar levels make your body lose water more quickly, and some complications alter blood vessels and the ability to sweat.
Small kids and those who are less mobile may also be more vulnerable. Apart from that, those battling cognitive decline conditions like dementia can also leave them unaware of the heat or unable to do anything about it. People who are homeless will also be more exposed to the sun. Those living in top-floor flats will also face higher temperatures.
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