Summer is On! Simple precautions can ease the strain of warm weather.

Beat the heat

Some simple choices can help you weather the weather and keep heat from over stressing your heart and spoiling your summer.

Take it easy. Turn procrastination from a vice to a virtue by putting off exercise or other physical activity until things cool down. Evening and early morning are the best times to get out. If you do exercise, drink more than you usually do.

Cool is cool. Chilled air is the best way to beat the heat. Fans work, but only to a point — when the air is as warm as you are, sitting in front of a fan is about as helpful as sitting in front of a blow dryer. If you don’t have an air conditioner, spending an hour or two in a movie theater, at a store, or with an air-conditioned neighbor can help. So can a cool shower or bath, or putting a cold, wet cloth or ice pack under your arm or at your groin.

Drink to your health. The lower your coolant level, the greater your chances of overheating. Unfortunately, staying hydrated isn’t always easy. Stomach or bowel problems, diuretics, a faulty thirst signal, or low fluid intake can all interfere. On dangerously hot and humid days, try downing a glass of water every hour. (If you have had congestive heart failure, check with your doctor or nurse first.) Go easy on sugary soda and full-strength fruit juice since they slow the passage of water from the digestive system to the bloodstream. And don’t rely on caffeinated beverages or alcohol for fluid because they can cause or amplify dehydration.

Eat light. Stick with smaller meals that don’t overload your stomach. Cold soups, salads, and fruits can satisfy your hunger and give you extra fluid.

Warning signs of heat illness

Heat-related trouble ranges from irritating problems such as prickly heat (also known as heat rash) to heat exhaustion and the potentially deadly heat stroke. It can be hard to tell where heat exhaustion ends and heat stroke begins. Both can be mistaken for a summer “flu,” at least at first. Be on the lookout for:

• nausea or vomiting
• fatigue
• headache
• disorientation or confusion
• muscle twitches

If you think you are having heat-related problems, or if you see signs of them in someone else, getting to an air-conditioned space and drinking cool water are the most important things to do. If these don’t help or the symptoms persist, call your doctor or go to a hospital with an emergency department.