1/10/2024 0 Comments Medication for insomniaAs are pulling down shades at home during the day and opening windows at night.While estimates vary depending on the definition of insomnia utilized, an estimated 70 million Americans live with a chronic sleep disorder, which is associated with an economic burden greater than $100 billion in direct and indirect costs every year in the United States. Putting your feet in cold water, placing cool towels around your neck, sitting in front of an electric fan and sprinkling water on yourself are effective ways to cool down. What are some ways to stay cool without an AC? What can people do to mitigate heat stress?Īvoid strenuous outdoor activities, drink fluids, stay away from the sun and spend more time in air-conditioned places like cooling centers. “In addition to resting, the body needs to rehydrate,” Reischl said, adding that people should drink more water than they normally would. (But since 1970, overnight summer temperatures have increased by 3F on average, meaning that people are getting less reprieve at night.) “When we are exposed to high temperatures, we need time for our bodies to cool down, and night-time is normally when that happens,” Ebi said. How do human bodies recuperate from heat stress? They must wear protective clothing, which can interfere with their bodies’ ability to evaporate sweat. These circumstances are more fraught for people like farm workers, who need to be protected against physical or chemical hazards, such as pesticides. “Athletes and outdoor workers can be at much higher risk for heat stress,” Ebi said, as the more people move or work, the more heat their bodies have to get rid of. Who is most affected by heat stress?Ĭhildren, the elderly and pregnant people are among the most vulnerable to heat stress. In extreme cases, if the body temperature rises above 103F (39C), it can result in a heatstroke, which can cause the brain and other internal organs to swell, and can be fatal. Symptoms can range from small, reddish blisters on one’s hands to fainting. “Heat stress is a spectrum,” said Kristie Ebi, professor of environmental and occupational health at the University of Washington. Urban environments with lots of buildings, paved roadways and parking lots exacerbate the likelihood of heat stress, as they absorb heat from the sun (and release it) throughout the day. “So the warmer the heat dome, the higher humidity levels,” said Reischl. Warm air is able to hold more moisture than cold air. How is it connected to the ongoing heat dome phenomenon? And when the body doesn’t have enough water, it becomes dehydrated to the point that it isn’t able to produce sweat any more. But even when the body is producing sweat, the evaporation can be limited due to humidity in the air.Īnother factor that causes body temperature to increase is when a person wears clothing that prevents sweat from being released from skin. “The human body has this fantastic ability to cool through sweat evaporation,” said Uwe Reischl, professor in the school of public and population health at Boise State University. It occurs when the body experiences a buildup of heat, at a level that is more than what it can release. Health experts and climate scientists described the effects of extreme heat on the human body, which populations are most at risk and ways to mitigate it.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |