Austin has experienced some significant heat concerns as of late. In some cases people have found they need to adjust and readjust how they do things, to avoid the heat. As stifling as it has been, there are some guidelines to follow that are crucial for everyone. These common sense guidelines will help you to combat and deal with the unyielding temperatures.
There are some items you should also know about your water consumption to help fight dehydration. The first is that if you plan to spend any time outside you need to maintain enough water. The simplest way to know how much is enough is to take your weight and divide by two. This will give you how many ounces of water you need to consume daily as your minimum to remain hydrated. This number should increase on hotter days. When you drink your water you will need to keep in mind the water consumption will only affect you 6 hours after you have ingested it. If you drink an 8oz glass of water at noon, it will become a hydrating factor at 6 pm. So if you have errands to run in the heat you will need to combat it by drinking significant percentages of your recommended daily intake before you consider getting ready for the day.
The heat of the day typically refers to the time between 10 am and 3 pm when the sun is at the highest point in the sky. Doing errands around this time frame will mean less time in the heat and more time in a healthy cool environment. Too much time in unbelievable heat will mean that your body will be working harder to maintain basic body function. This is what leads to stroke and other heat related health issues.
To keep it simple, drink water 6 hours before you walk out the door into the heat, and limit your time in the heat significantly.
