Hello subscriber,
Older adults are at increased risk of heat-related illness, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heatstroke, which is a medical emergency. If you don’t have access to an air-conditioned environment or if you plan to be outdoors, take the following steps to prevent heat illness: - Drink enough — Increase your intake of cool, non-alcoholic beverages that aren’t too sugary. If your doctor has given you guidelines for fluid or salt intake, ask if those guidelines change in hot weather.
- Cool down — Cold baths, cold showers or swimming can help cool you down. Fans can be helpful to a point, but they aren’t effective when temperatures rise into the upper 90s.
- Dress for the weather — Wearing excess or tight-fitting clothing interferes with your body’s ability to cool itself. Protect yourself from the sun by sticking to the shade, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and using generous amounts of sunscreen.
- Take it easy, particularly during the hottest parts of the day — Plan errands and activities for the morning or evening when it’s likely to be cooler. Take more frequent breaks in the shade or air conditioning.
- Seek help — Signs and symptoms of heat illness include fatigue, chilliness even though you’re hot, weakness, headache, dizziness, nausea and muscle cramps. If symptoms persist or get worse or if vomiting, confusion or agitation occurs, seek immediate medical help.
Yours in good health,
Daniel Roberts, M.D. Medical Editor, Mayo Clinic Health Letter | 
