How serious can be humid head?

With the temperatures soaring and giving a good boil to everyone; health is the commodity that is at the peak of its vulnerability. Adding the surplus of humidity around the coastal areas, it gets further tougher to beat the heat. The exposure to extreme temperatures under highly humid conditions can get life-threatening.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), heatwaves or hot weather that can last for several days, can have a significant impact on society, including a rise in heat-related deaths. Heatwaves are among the most dangerous of natural hazards but rarely receive adequate attention because their death tolls and destruction are not always immediately obvious. Without further ado, let's delve in to make this heat less unbearable.

Our bodies have temperature regulator mechanisms through perspiration or sweating by cooling down the skin. The hypothalamus situated in the brain responds to the outside temperatures and accordingly, this regulatory mechanism is put into action. But if the outside hot air is laden with moisture, it hinders the cooling off of the sweat and hence, the body doesn’t cool down efficiently through sweating itself.

This is measured through heat index, which is a measure of air temperature along with relative humidity, wind speed, angle of sun, cloud coverage, etc. We can’t skip this variable to understand human comfort levels and health outcomes in response to outside temperatures. To put it simply, a temperature of 35 with high relative humidity (70-80 per cent) can feel intolerable than a temperature of 45 degrees with low relative humidity (10-20 per cent).

That being said, these moisture particles suspended in the air act as irritants and escalate the occurrence of nasal allergies, colds, coughs, and breathing difficulties. Profuse sweating increases the chances of dehydration, heat exhaustion, muscle cramps, heat stroke, and skin rash because of heat.

The question arises; who is at greater risk of this heat? Children, the elderly, pregnant and lactating mothers, and outdoor workers, come foremost in response to their increased nutritional and fluid demands. Then hypertensive patients; or on medications that increase the urine output need particular care. People with weakened immunity too suffer the brunt of high humidity as moisture favors the growth of molds, bacteria, and fungi in the environment.

Summing up, what can be done to minimize the heat effects on the body?

• Drink water even if you are not thirsty. In case of dehydration, use ORS.

• Avoid strenuous physical activities. Workouts include those that cause heavy sweating. Stay vigilant and take timely rest. It is better to get that done in the early morning hours (4-7 am)

• Wear loose-fitting and light-colored stuff to allow air ventilation.

• Your sunscreen is a must-have. Putting an adequate amount is equally important along with the sun protection factor (SPF) to avoid sunburns.

• The American Academy of Dermatology Association recommends your sunscreen be SPF 30 or higher. It also recommends you look for sunscreen that has broad-spectrum protection (it protects against UVA and UVB rays) and make sure it's water-resistant.

• It could be better if you can minimise your exposure to the sun. Avoid midday sun hours and visit beaches during.

• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, instead of spicy, sugary, and oily stuff. That lemon minty drink, with some honey and black salt, is a total respite to electrolyte imbalances.

• Go a little easy on consuming animal protein, as it is harder to digest. Small portions and light frequent meals will aid your digestion system to prevent diarrhea or a gastric upset.