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Hot-weather exercise: How to keep cool
Outdoor exercise can be challenging when the temperature soars. Stay safe during hot-weather exercise by drinking enough fluids, wearing proper clothing and timing your workout to avoid extreme heat.
By Mayo Clinic staffIn the excitement of a pickup basketball game or the relaxation of a friendly round of golf, you might not notice the temperature rising — but your body will. If you exercise outdoors in the heat, use caution and common sense to prevent heat-related illnesses.
How hot weather affects your body
Exercising in hot weather puts extra stress on your heart and lungs. Both the exercise itself and the air temperature increase your body temperature. To dissipate heat, more blood circulates through your skin. This leaves less blood for your muscles, which increases your heart rate. If the humidity is high, your body faces added stress because sweat doesn't readily evaporate from your skin — which only pushes your body temperature higher.
Under normal conditions, your skin, blood vessels and perspiration level adjust to the heat. But these natural cooling systems may fail if you're exposed to high temperatures and humidity for too long. The result may be a heat-related illness, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heatstroke.
Next page(1 of 2)
- Tips for preventing heat-related illness. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heattips.asp. Accessed March 2, 2009.
- Frequently asked questions about extreme heat. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/faq.asp. Accessed March 2, 2009.
- Baker LB, et al. Exercising in the heat and sun. President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. http://www.fitness.gov/publications/digests/digest-june2007.pdf. Accessed March 2, 2009.
- Wilmore JH, et al. Physiology of Sport and Exercise. 4th ed. Champaign, Ill.: Human Kinetics; 2008:265.
- Howe AS, et al. Heat-related illness in athletes. American Journal of Sports Medicine. 2007;35:1384.
- Armstrong LE, et al. Exertional heat illness during training and competition. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 2007;39:556.
