Who doesn’t love summer? It’s the time for family holidays, trips to the beach, days off work and long days of sunny fun. However, there’s a big difference between loving the warm weather and melting in a heatwave! There is little more uncomfortable than the inability to cool down, being constantly sweaty and exhausted. Too much sun can also become dangerous, whether it’s from sunburn or dehydration. Heat exhaustion can occur quickly, and the resulting dehydration puts extra pressure on the heart. Heat stroke is an even bigger threat. So, what exactly happens inside our bodies when we just get too hot?

Goosebumps

Whilst these are normally associated with fright or being cold, the body can also feel chilled at the point when it is overheating. The goose bumps are a sign of a defence mechanism, as the body produces inflammatory proteins to protect itself. The thermoregulatory systems in the body get confused and this is why you can experience goose bumps even when you’re too hot.

Tingles

A sensation on the skin like tingling can be a sign of both heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The odd sensation is caused by sweat becoming trapped underneath the skin. Should you notice this feeling, it’s important to move to a cooler, shadier area.

Headache

A common complaint during hot weather is a headache. Heat and humidity are major triggers for a dull, thumping headache. If you’ve been overexerting yourself in the sun, a headache could also be a sign of heat stroke, where the body loses the ability to cool itself. Avoid suffering this summer with Air conditioning Gloucester from https://acecc.co.uk/

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Feeling sick

Nausea is another sign that your body is overheating and a symptom of dehydration or need for more electrolyte intake. To be able to control temperature, the body needs sodium, electrolytes and potassium. Nausea

Dizziness

When the body gets too hot, it sends more blood to the skin’s surface, making the blood vessels dilate and increasing the flow of blood. When we sweat, our blood is losing volume though and this leads to a lowering in our blood pressure. Low blood pressure means less oxygen reaching our vitals, making the heart work harder and sending less oxygen to the brain.

Muscle cramp

This is a painful condition that you may have seen athletes suffering with. They occur in hot and humid conditions, particularly when dehydration is also present. The cramps are involuntary actions that occur due to insufficient fluid replacement.

Sweating

Whilst annoying, often uncomfortable and sometimes embarrassing, sweating is the body’s way of keeping you at a regular temperature and helping you to cool down. Sweat removes toxins from the body, as well as evaporating and cooling the body down.

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Not sweating

As strange as it sounds, when a person gets dangerously hot, they can stop sweating completely. This is a worrying sign of heat stroke, suggesting that a person’s sweat glands are no longer working effectively. Medical help should be sought straight away.