Your Body In 100 Degree Weather

It’s here again, the dreaded triple-digit weather we know as the Arizona summers.

Not only does Arizona have dry heat, the temperatures hit a level that is indescribably uncomfortable.

When you can cook an egg on the street, you’re looking at an unusually hot day.

But not only does the sweltering heat cook eggs, it can start to feel as though it cooks our bodies, from the inside out. And in a way, it can.

We all know the tips and tricks to staying cool during the hot summer months, but there’s more to staying cool than just simply wanting to be comfortable.

Excessive heat can do some major damage to the body well beyond a sunburn.

Typically, the body stays cool by eliminating heat from the body and into the air, but when the body is exposed to extreme heat like the temperatures in Arizona, heat ends up entering the body instead.

In order to cool down, the body begins to sweat. However, triple-digit temperatures make it more difficult for the body to perspire, becoming in need of more water, according to 12 News.

If our bodies don’t have enough water to sweat the heat gets trapped inside, raises the body’s internal temperature, and dehydration begins to set in.

Bloodflow begins to decrease, and the body begins to no longer produce sweat.

At this point it’s critical to take note of the body’s temperature. Anything around 104 degrees is dangerous, 105 to 106 degrees indicates heat stroke, and 107 or more could result in irreversible organ damage or death.

Not only is staying out of the heat critical from obtaining serious burns to the skin, it also helps prevent the body from dehydrating and suffering from heat stroke.

Staying hydrated is key to ensuring the body can properly produce sweat and keep itself cooled down.

You can gauge how much water you should be drinking daily by dividing your body weight by half, then adding an additional 8oz of water for every cup of caffeine you drink, and an extra 8oz for every 30 minutes of exercise or activity you do daily.