COOL Tips For Dealing With The HEAT!

The "dog days" of summer can be a real drag when it comes to being active.  But don't let the heat outside turn you into a couch potato!  You can still exercise safely despite the heat if you remember a few simple things.

1. Drink LOTS of fluids!  Water is the best.  That is why when you leave PE class you often hear me saying, "Everyone needs to get a drink of water".    
2. Limit the amount of time you spend outside during the hottest times of the day.  That includes the time from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm.
3. Rest in shady areas.
4. Don't over do it.  It seems like I say it during every class, but it is extremely important that you do not overexert yourself.      

These simple tips could help you avoid heat exhaustion.  This happens when your body gets too hot. 

One summer during the third softball game I played in I started feeling weak and tired.  My coaches recognized that I was experiencing heat exhaustion.  They immediately took me out of the game, got me lots of water to drink, put a wet towel on my neck and had me sit under a shade tree.  I am so glad they knew about heat exhaustion and what to do for it because at the age of 12 I had no idea.  It could have lead to a more serious heat-related illness, a heat stroke.  If you are not careful and do not listen to your body's warning signs you might end up suffering from a more serious heat-related illness.  So be careful and listen to what your body is telling you. 

Have any of you ever had a heat related illness?  If so, please share it us your experience.

Comments

[Jeanie]

This is Great for someone that is in heat at any time. I was playing tennis many years ago and found that I overheated and became very faint and dizzy. We have also worked in very hot closed in areas and have found that you need lots and lots of water to keep hydrated. A lot of times people don't realize even through perspiration that they are losing a lot of their body fluid. Thank you for giving helpful guidelines in staying cool and healthy.

[Theresa]

Hi Mrs. Roper, I've never had a haet stroke because I always drank water when I played outside. I can do soccer,football,catch,a bit of basketball, and I really love RACING! I'm always in the mood to race. Sometimes I have to drink some Gatorade or some Powerade to be energized. In the Gatorade bottles it shows you can do some more things with Gatorade than with water. So, i drink them both.
My motto is: Always love SPORTS!Yeah!
Theresa

[juan]

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