High humidity gets in the way of the body’s ability to release heat, and everyone knows it can make you miserable. But it’s not just the humidity causing the problem. According to Robert Czincila, DO, Chief of Emergency Medicine at Einstein Medical Center Montgomery, the combination of high heat with humidity can be deadly.
A warning press release from Einstein Healthcare Network, explains that, when it’s hot, blood vessels circulate blood closer to the skin to help release excess heat. That’s why we flush and get sweaty when hot. When it’s humid, the high level of moisture in the air prevents it from absorbing sweat. “When sweat isn’t evaporating from the surface of the skin, the body has to work even harder to cool down,” says Dr. Czincila. “It does that by producing even more sweat, increasing your heart rate and respiratory rate, and decreasing blood flow to the brain and other internal organs.”
This is the risky combination. The reaction affects almost every body system, from joints and bones to the cardiovascular and central nervous systems. Dangerous conditions such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke can result from prolonged exposure to high humidity and temperature.
“Hot, humid conditions can quickly go from an annoyance to a health risk if we’re not making sure our bodies are able to cool off,” says Dr. Czincila. “We usually see an increase in emergency visits during heat waves, especially in periods when it doesn’t get cool enough at night to give our bodies a break.”
What to do? Czincila says the easiest way to beat the heat and humidity is to stay indoors and avoid outdoor activity while the sun is high. If you can’t avoid being outside, be sure to drink plenty of fluids, especially water, and wear light-colored clothing that allows the air to circulate around the body. This helps with the excess sweat that can’t be absorbed into the air.
Even so, stay alert for signs of heat exhaustion. If you quit sweating it’s a huge red flag that a heat-related illness is fast approaching. Even before that, there may be symptoms such as red or dry skin, dizziness and confusion, and muscle cramps. Get out of the heat and seek medical attention if this should occur.