Signs of Overheating and How to Stay Cool
Racing heart rate. Profuse sweating. Blurry vision. Goosebumps.
Is this the result of reading a Harlequin romance novel? Hardly. Welcome to Central Texas in the summer! By now many of us have experienced warning signs of training in the heat. While September shows signs of high temperatures “cooling off” into the 90’s, we still have a few months hot weather ahead.
Heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke - overheating can wreak havoc on the body, impact athletic performance, and even cause serious health issues including a predisposition to heat sensitivity. Here are some common warning signs and solutions to training and racing in the heat.
Lack of Acclimatization (Heat Fatigue)
Likely Cause: Low or no long term exposure to heat.
Solution: While there are many variables that affect a person’s sensitivity to heat (age, weight, fitness, alcohol consumption, metabolism, medication), research* shows it takes most people approximately two weeks to fully heat acclimate. The way to adapt to the heat is to be out in the heat. Acclimatization results in decreased cardiovascular demands and better ability to maintain normal body temperature.
Heat Cramps (Muscle Cramping)
Likely Cause: Occurs during or after exercise due to high loss of water, salt, and minerals (electrolytes).
Solution: Take in enough water and electrolytes before, during, and after exercise**.
Higher than Expected Heart Rate and Breathing
Likely Cause: Low blood volume due to dehydration. The heart has to pump more in order to circulate less blood volume. If left unchecked, it can result in heat syncope - fainting due to low blood pressure when the blood vessels expand and body fluids pool in legs (gravity). The risk of fainting increases if exercise is abruptly stopped (think crossing a finish line).
Solution: Hydrate (8-12oz) immediately. Continue to hydrate until heart rate appears to decrease and for duration of activity. Continue to hydrate afterwards.
Increased Sweat Rate
Likely Cause: The body’s attempt to regulate (cool) body temperature.
Solution: A high sweat rate is fine as long as the sweat that is lost is replenished during and after exercise. Conduct a sweat test at home to determine sweat rates and hydration requirements.
Goosebumps / Gooseflesh
Likely Cause: Body is overheating and it is attempting to cool itself.
Solution: Hydrate, get into the shade or go indoors, and/or stop exercise for a few minutes. If goosebumps continue, stop exercise for the day.
Past Heat Exposure = Future Heat Reaction
Likely Cause: Prior issues with heat cramps, exhaustion, stroke or any other heat-related illness predisposes an individual to future heat sensitivity.
Solution: Know the warning signs of heat-related illnesses and stop activity if any symptoms occur.
There are a whole host of heat-related issues that affect the body. The best defense is to learn the warning signs and know what to do when being hot turns into being overheated. Most importantly, when in doubt, stop and cool off!
For more information and research on the extreme effects of heat and the body, go to: http://www.badwater.com/science/index.html OR search www.webmd.com for general information on heat-related illnesses.
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*http://www.sportsci.org/encyc/heataccl/heataccl.html (last download: 9/15/2010.)
**Guidelines (per hour): 18-24oz fluid and 400-800mg sodium. These are general guidelines for training in Central Texas. Actual numbers can vary drastically from person to person.
Article by Susan Farago, M.Ed., USAT L1, USAC L2, NFPT Sports Nutrition. Susan is a multisport coach, athlete, and freelance health and fitness writer in Austin, Texas. She can be reached at coach@susanfarago.com or at www.susanfarago.com.© 2010. Check out her Red Licorice Tweets, “Susan Says”, at http://twitter.com/Red_Licorice.
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