People who choose to maintain their exercise routine throughout the year should be praised for their self-discipline and dedication. However, temperature changes can cause a person to experience certain illnesses when they over do it. For example, a person who exercises outside in hot weather is at risk of suffering from heatstroke, dehydration, sunburn, and other heat-related issues.  Huntington Park Urgent Care can help you with all of these.

When a person is exercising in hot weather, they are putting their body through additional stress. It is essential for people who exercise to follow specific procedures when the temperature is high so they do not need to visit a Huntington Park urgent care center. Here are several tips that people should follow when exercising in hot weather.

Do Not Eat Heavily Before Exercising

If a person feels hungry or wants to give their body fuel before exercising, eating a light snack would be better than a full-course meal. This is because the body exerts energy and body heat when digesting food. A person’s body temperature will rise as they digest whatever food is in their system. It increases the risk of a heat stroke. People need to wait an hour after they have eaten a large amount before exercising in the heat. It is also better to hydrate immediately after a workout. But, wait until the body has cooled down before eating anything.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

The worst position a person exercising in hot weather can find themselves in is being dehydrated. To reduce the chances of suffering from a heat stroke due to dehydration, people should start drinking water at least an hour before exercising outside. They should continue to drink water before exercising, while exercising, and after exercising. 

Health experts recommend that people working out in hot weather drink at least a half-liter to a liter of water every hour as they exercise in the heat. If possible, make sure to consume cold water, as the body absorbs cold water quicker than warm water. The simple act of staying hydrated may be the very thing that keeps a person from having to visit Huntington Park urgent care for treatment.

Exercise During the Coolest Times of the Day

For those who want to exercise during the hottest seasons of the year, it would be best to exercise at the times of the day when the temperature is at its coolest. Working out early in the morning or late in the evening is ideal for people to build up a sweat without putting their bodies at risk of a heat stroke. Exercising during the coolest times of the day helps people keep their body temperature at a reasonable level. However, if people decide to exercise outside in the middle of the day, health experts recommend working out in cooler and shadier areas.

Wear Light Clothing

Wearing clothing that helps keep the body cool will also help people who want to exercise in hot weather. The preferred type of clothing is light-colored, lightweight clothing that allows the skin to cool down and perspire. People who exercise in hot weather should avoid wearing any clothes made of cotton. That is simply because cotton is a material that keeps heat close to the body. 

Health experts also recommend exposing more skin when working out in hot weather. Exposing skin to the environment helps the body perspire, which is its way of cooling itself down. Although, health experts do caution that people exposing their skin in order to keep cool need to wear sunscreen while working out to protect their skin from sunburn.

Visit a Huntington Park Urgent Care Today

If you feel you are suffering from a heat stroke or another hot weather affliction, your best bet would be to find an urgent care location immediately. You can contact UrgentMED for help finding your nearest urgent care location.