How to stay cool in the heat wave hitting parts of the US — even without air conditioning

The first big heat wave of has arrived coinciding with the official start of summer More than million people in the U S were under heat alerts Friday according to the National Weather Operation Temperatures in the Midwest are expected to crest well into the s Fahrenheit s Celsius this weekend Triple-digit highs could pop up in New York Philadelphia Washington and Denver The peak will likely hit the East Coast early next week Meanwhile British robustness representatives are also issuing heat warnings for the U K Circumstances change has been exacerbating heat waves and the trouble isn t going away any time soon An increasingly hot planet due largely to burning fossil fuels such as coal oil and natural gas means already hot regions are getting worse Heat doesn t just mean canceled events It also poses a soundness pitfall especially for children older people and those with certain physical condition conditions So here are a few tips to stay safe When does heat become dangerous The answer depends on more than the temperature The bulk detailed measurement is called the wet bulb globe temperature WBGT which includes temperature humidity cloud cover and wind The heat index which measures temperature and humidity is less descriptive but easier to find on weather apps Both explain why a shaded soccer field on a degree F day degree C in arid Phoenix may be less risky than an exposed park on an degree F degree C day in soupy Little Rock Just based on heat index NOAA has a chart that calculates how dangerous prolonged exposure can be For example a day where temperatures reach degree F degrees C and humidity would fall into the danger category for prolonged exposure or strenuous activity The WBGT threshold isn t exact but up-to-date research suggests that even particular young healthy people can t endure hours of exposure to high heat and humidity How to cool down Overnight lows can be a particularly dangerous part of a heat wave revealed Ashley Ward director of the Heat Strategy Innovation Hub at Duke University Your body necessities a reprieve she announced You don t get that overnight we start the next day at a deficit Heat can worsen labor productivity and lead to more visits to the exigency room When we have overnight temperatures that don t drop below degrees F degrees C she declared You start to see specific pretty extraordinary outcomes with respect to heat illness and heat stroke and even mortality Ward s answer Find air conditioning That might be at home but she announced census details overcounts how countless people have access If you can t afford to cool the whole house Ward disclosed create a cool corner and sleep there so your body is prepared to tackle the next day Evaporative or swamp coolers can help in dry heat but they increase humidity and can make it more complex to cool down In humid places just use a fan If you don t have air conditioning find residents places that do including movie theaters malls and libraries Selected communities set up cooling centers Depending on where you live the Low-Income Home Strength Assistance Project can help you buy a window air conditioning unit according to the National Council on Aging Particular local nonprofits and civic organizations can also help you access one if cost is a burden Know your rights if you work outside Knowing what workplace protections you have is central But there are no federal heat rules to protect workers in the United States Specific states have them including Washington Oregon California Nevada Colorado Minnesota and Maryland according to the National Materials Defense Council Other states don t have any If your state has work rules try to learn them though there are still challenges to ensuring regulations are in fact enforced disclosed Bharat Venkat director of the University of California Los Angeles Heat Lab He notes that sometimes shaded areas are too far for workers to take breaks without losing wages or that management can make it impossible for workers to advocate for themselves The greater part workers don t in fact have control over their time or control over where they work he announced Within those constraints finding approaches to stay hydrated and lower your body temperature are paramount You can do this by drinking lots of fluids wetting clothing or putting cold water or a cold rag on your hands feet armpits and neck A portable handheld fan or a cooling vest can also help If you re exercising avoid the hottest times of day and bring more water than you think you need Knowing heat illness responses Heat illness signs can vary by person Venkat announced Medications or underlying conditions can also make it harder to regulate body temperature or notice you re getting too hot Early trouble signs include heavy sweating muscle cramps and headache That s when you stop what you re doing and cool yourself off for example by splashing yourself with cold water or finding an air conditioned space As heat exhaustion sets in new markers arrive including faster heart rate and dizziness Next comes heat stroke which can include confusion slurred words and fainting Ward noted that s when to call Don t be embarrassed to call or go to urgent care when you think you might have overdone it in the heat he announced