Staying active when the weather warms up
By Scott Chapman, founder · · 4 min read
Summer in Australia brings long light evenings, swims and time outdoors. It also brings hot days that can be hard on the body. Heat does not have to stop an active life, but it does change how and when we move. Here are some practical ideas for the warmer months.
This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have a health condition or take regular medicines, talk to your GP or pharmacist about what hot weather means for you.
Who is more affected by heat
Anyone can become unwell in the heat, but some people have a higher risk. Healthdirect lists people over 65, young children, people with long-term health conditions such as heart or lung disease or diabetes, people taking certain medicines, people who are socially isolated and people who work outdoors.
NSW Health adds that some neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury, can affect the body's ability to control its temperature. It also notes that some medicines, including antipsychotic medicines, may do the same.
You know your own body best. Before summer, NSW Health suggests asking your doctor how heat might affect your health or medicines, and, if you have been asked to limit how much you drink, asking how much water you should have in hot weather.
Move at cooler times, or move indoors
- Go early. NSW Health suggests keeping physical activity, including exercise and household jobs, to early in the morning when it is coolest.
- Avoid the hottest part of the day. Healthdirect suggests planning your day around the heat and avoiding being outdoors between 11am and 3pm.
- Bring it inside. A seated or standing session in the coolest room of the house, with a fan or air conditioning, keeps you moving without the sun.
- Find a cool place. Libraries, shopping centres, cinemas and swimming pools are places healthdirect suggests if home is too warm. A walk or wheel around an air-conditioned centre still counts.
- On the hottest days, rest. Healthdirect lists avoiding physical activity as one way to keep cool. Taking a day off is a sensible choice, not a lost one.
Drink water, even before you feel thirsty
Healthdirect says the best way to avoid heat-related illness is to prevent dehydration, and to drink water even if you do not feel thirsty. Carry a bottle when you go out. Alcohol, caffeine and sugary drinks can make dehydration worse, so water is the better choice. Light, loose clothes, a hat and sunscreen help too.
Know the signs
Healthdirect describes several heat-related illnesses. Some signs to know:
- Dehydration: feeling thirsty, dry lips and mouth, dizziness and tiredness.
- Heat exhaustion: thirst, muscle weakness or cramps, headache, dizziness or fainting. Healthdirect advises moving to a cooler place, lying down and drinking an oral rehydration solution. Heat exhaustion can develop into heatstroke.
- Heatstroke: a sudden rise in body temperature, red and hot skin, a rapid pulse, confusion, slurred speech, poor coordination, or loss of consciousness.
Healthdirect describes heatstroke as a life-threatening emergency. If you think someone has heatstroke, call triple zero (000) immediately and ask for an ambulance.
For advice that is not an emergency, you can call healthdirect on 1800 022 222, at any time of day or night.
Planning an outing in the heat
- Check the forecast the day before, and again on the morning.
- Pick a cooler time, and know where the shade, water and indoor spaces are.
- Pack for the heat: water, a hat, sunscreen, and any medicines you need. NSW Health suggests taking only the medicines you will need while you are out, and thinking about how to keep them cool.
- Agree on a plan B, such as a shorter visit or an indoor option, so changing plans is easy.
Our article on getting ready for an outing has more ideas for planning ahead.
Look out for each other
Heat is easier with company. NSW Health encourages checking in on family and friends who may be more at risk, especially people who live alone, by phone if you cannot visit.
The Able Wellness app has seated and standing exercise videos in the Move door that work well indoors on a hot day, guides in the Go door for planning an outing at a cooler time, and calming music in the Calm door for resting afterwards.