Know How To Acclimatize Your Body To Heat
You cannot perform any task especially that entails physical effort in hot and humid conditions if your body is not used to heat. If you go on performing jobs without acclimatizing your body to heat you will certainly suffer dehydration and other heat-related illnesses.
Therefore acclimatization to hot weather is first and foremost requirement for your body to carry out works requiring physical efforts. Once your body is acclimatized you will feel comfortable working under hot and humid condition because heat will not longer cause overheating in your body or result dehydration.
For acclimatizing your body to heat you will need to increase your fluid intake in accordance with the increase in sweat rate. Remember that you may be at the risk of heat related illnesses including dehydration if your sweat rate goes up.
How to acclimatize?
Your body will adjust or become used to heat only when you continue to work or perform exercise in heat for minimum 10 to 14 days. You must avoid exercising vigorously during these first 10 to 14 days. After acclimatization you will experience increase in the amount of sweat which is produced by your body. You will also experience increase in the loss of total body fluids.
Drink for Hydration
You must start drinking fluid before your thirst because dehydration in your body starts when you become thirsty.
Prepare a schedule for drinking when you feel hot outside. Do not drink caffeine containing fluid or other liquid that contains alcohol especially when you are exposed to sun or heat and humid weather.
Alcoholic and caffeine containing drinks often trigger the production of urine thus promoting dehydration. You can drink water or sports drinks that are easily available in the market.
According to a research sports drinks help make up for electrolytes which are lost through sweating besides supplying carbohydrate energy to your muscles.
Amount of fluid needed for prevention of dehydration
For adults minimum 20 ounces of fluid are generally recommended before start of activity in addition to 10 ounces in every 20-minute gap during activity. Your fluid requirement remains unchanged even when your activity is over. You must take 24 ounces of liquid in the next two hours after performing outdoor activity.
For children 8 ounces of fluid are recommended before they start outdoor activities. They should also take minimum 9 ounces of fluid in every 20-minute gap during activity.
