22/01/2025
It’s just a bit of hot weather, right?
Wrong! Heat can be deadly, so it’s important to understand what’s happening in your body when it’s hot and how to protect yourself.
When you sweat more, it’s because your body increases blood flow to the surface of your skin. Your heart has to worker harder to do this and reduces blood flow to your internal organs as a result. You also start to lose fluids from all that sweating, which can affect your kidneys.
Humidity makes things worse because your sweat has a harder time evaporating off your skin. This means you’ll feel a lot hotter, and your body has a harder time of cooling down.
If you don’t take measures to rehydrate and cool down, all of this can result in dehydration and heart and organ failure.
To keep safe and cool, remember to:
• drink 2 to 3 litres of water a day at regular intervals
• check in on loved ones regularly (especially the elderly and pregnant women)
&, avoid heavy exercise during the hottest parts of the day seek air conditioning, or stay in a cool environment e slip, slop, slap, seek and slide if you’re spending time outside.
If you or anyone else shows signs of heat-related illness, call 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) for advice, or visit your doctor. If it is an emergency, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.
For tips on staying safe in the heat, visit www.health.qld.gov.au/heatsafe
