In southern Europe it is extremely hot. Italy is experiencing a historic heat wave and many cities are code red due to high temperatures. 15 to 25 percent of people in the Italian emergency department have heat complaints. How can extreme heat lead to a life-threatening situation?
A normal sunny summer day is fine for your body. You can only get serious complaints above 30 degrees. “Normally you can lose the heat through your skin and your breathing. But if it gets very hot then you have to lose the heat by sweating. That only happens above 30 degrees,” says Wouter van Marken Lichtenbelt to NU.nl. He is professor of ecological energetics and health at Maastricht University.
“Man has an average body temperature of about 37 degrees,” he continues. If you’re somewhere warmer than that, warm yourself up too. Your skin heat is just below 37 degrees. When the temperature somewhere is higher than that of your skin, your body looks for ways to cool down. This happens in the form of sweat. “From a certain point on, you can only lose heat through evaporation of sweat.”
Drinking water ensures that your body can cool down extra, because there is simply more fluid in your body to do that. “As long as you drink enough, your body can lose a lot of heat.”
‘Stopping sweating is very extreme’
But if you can’t get rid of enough heat, you can overheat and (eventually) get heat stroke. As a result, the brain no longer works properly. “The classic heat stroke is common during a heat wave. The amount of sweat is then not enough to cool the body. When that happens, your body temperature rises. If it gets too high and you lose a lot of fluid, you can suffer from heat problems such as dizziness, headache and muscle pain. Your heart and vessels must continue to pump enough and fluid is a requirement for this.”
Lichtenbelt states that such problems do not occur often: almost exclusively at temperatures above 40 degrees. At temperatures above that limit, breakdown of the muscle tissue can occur, which can be recognized by muscle pain, for example. Organs can also stop functioning.
What happens if you sweat too much?
So sweating is good, but too much sweating also has a risk. Excessive sweating lowers your blood pressure. Your heart then has to work hard to pump blood throughout your body.
Body temperature of 42 degrees is dangerous
In a heat stroke, the temperature of your body is around 40 degrees. A temperature of 42 degrees is dangerous. The higher the temperature, the more moisture is needed to cool the body.
In the worst case, the moisture runs out. And that is even more dangerous. “If the body stops sweating, the situation is very extreme. Then you are already considerably overheated.” That’s why it’s so important to keep drinking plenty of water. “There comes a point when the body says: I can’t take it anymore. Then your temperature shoots up and that can even lead to death.”
Tips against the heat from Marken Lichtenbeld and the Red Cross
Pay extra attention to vulnerable groups. They experience a thirst stimulus less quickly. They have to drink extra. But pregnant women and young children also have to pay extra attention. People with a chronic illness should be careful. It is also wise to ask your pharmacist whether certain medication can cause extra heat complaints. Make sure people know where you are. If something goes wrong, someone close to you can come and help you. You also want to live comfortably. Provide little effort and plenty of shade. You feel better then. Go outside in the evening. Tip for next year: look for the warmth in spring. You can train your sweat production. You shouldn’t avoid the heat, just expose yourself to it. Above 30 degrees you have to take it easy.
2023-07-21 10:05:53
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