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    Adapting to the Heat

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    How to help your body adjust to higher temperatures.It has been hot outside. Very, very hot.It’s the kind of hot that can make you miserable. It can make you sick. For older adults and outdoor workers, it can be deadly.As an editor on the Well desk at The Times, I work on stories about health issues like extreme heat every day. I’m always looking for practical advice that people can use to live healthier lives. For many health issues we report on, my thinking is: Well, that’s terrible. What are we supposed to do about it?I thought I knew the answer when it came to heat. Stay cool, stay hydrated, stay alert to the signs of heat illness. Those are all important. But I was surprised to learn there’s another approach that has largely been overlooked.It’s called heat acclimatization, and The Times published a story about it this morning. It’s about teaching your body to deal with the stress of heat. Right now, the people who try to do so are often outdoor laborers, athletes, soldiers and others who have to be outside all the time. But many other people might benefit from giving it a shot.How acclimatizing helpsHeat taxes the body. You sweat more, and your heart beats harder. Both help keep you cool. But in very high temperatures, your heart rate can jump too high. Your blood pressure can drop. You can sweat so much you can become dizzy or dehydrated.Pushing the body too hard in extreme heat without preparation can be deadly. Almost half of all heat-related deaths among workers occur on their first day on the job, and more than 70 percent occur within the first week, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Once bodies are used to the heat, they start to adapt within days.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      How to Stay Cool Indoors During the Heat Wave

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      Summer officially starts on Thursday, and this season is predicted to be hotter than normal — a heat wave across the country this week is expected to affect millions of Americans. In New York, the temperature is forecast to reach 96 degrees by Friday. On Monday, Chicago hit a record-breaking 97 degrees.More than just uncomfortable, the heat can be dangerous and at worst deadly, and it’s only becoming more of a threat with climate change causing rising temperatures. Prolonged exposure to or physical exertion in excessive heat can cause heatstroke, according to the Mayo Clinic. Starting Tuesday, cooling centers — indoor, air-conditioned spaces for public use — will be open during the day in New York. The city’s fire department is also turning some fire hydrants into water sprinklers. If you’re staying at home, here’s what you can do to stay as cool as possible indoors, whether you have an AC or not.What’s the ideal temperature for your home?While you should do what feels most comfortable for you, Carrier, an air-conditioner manufacturer, suggests on its website that 72 degrees is the generally accepted “comfortable indoor temperature for many people.” It continues, “It strikes a good balance between comfort and energy efficiency, making it a popular choice for residential settings.”If you’re away from your home, set your thermostat for higher than usual to save energy and to prevent your AC unit from potentially busting. At night, because heat can disrupt sleep, 60 to 67 degrees is recommended by the Cleveland Clinic.How do you keep your furry friends safe?It depends on the animal, and its size and type, but pets are generally less tolerant of higher temperatures than humans.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      EMTs Get a New Way to Treat Heat Victims: Body-Sized Ice Cocoons

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      In overheated Phoenix, firefighters are carrying giant plastic, ice-filled bags to quickly cool people, a technique pioneered in the military and at sporting events.As America comes to grips with hotter summer temperatures that already are seizing the nation’s Southwest, emergency medical responders in some areas are carrying new gear to treat heat victims: giant plastic bags to immerse people in ice water.The tactic involves placing patients suffering from heat-related illnesses in zippered bags that engulf the body, then packing them with ice cubes and water, until they cool to safe levels.It’s a technique that has been used for years to cool overheated soldiers or athletes facing heat stroke. Now the bags are being routinely deployed in some emergency rooms and on ambulance calls.In Phoenix, where record-breaking temperatures last year killed 645 people, fire trucks and ambulances have been equipped with specially designed “immersion bags,” said Phoenix Fire Captain Todd Keller. Emergency responders fill the bags with water and ice at fire stations before heading out on heat-related calls, he said.“Sometimes, when they get to the hospital, the ice is completely melted, the patient is so hot,” Mr. Keller said.Patients typically stay inside 15 to 20 minutes or so, until their body temperature is reduced to about 101 degrees Fahrenheit. A pilot program using the therapy in Phoenix last summer proved successful enough that fire officials decided to deploy it across the entire department.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More