A beautiful summer day is a great motivation for many sportspeople. Warm weather is the perfect time for outdoor exercise, regardless of whether you are practicing for a basketball game or a hike. Besides, you don’t want to stop exercising because the summer months are here. Many athletes and sportspeople like swimming, cycling, and running during the summer months because they have an array of outdoor activities to choose from, and it is fun to do so.
However, the summer heat can be problematic if you fail to take precautions when exercising. Therefore, you need to do certain things that will help you work out well and stay safe. No one wants to get heat stroke or heat exhaustion while exercising. Physicians advise people to avoid medical emergencies in summer by following some of these precautions:
Drink up
One of the things that your sports medicine specialist in Clive, Iowa wants you to know about exercising in summer is remaining hydrated. Notably, exercises during hot weather cause an increase in body temperatures. While the body has a cooling system inside to help you adjust to the heat, the mechanism can break down if your body is exposed to the extreme temperatures during the summer months. You need to drink plenty of water to avoid heat stroke and heat exhaustion that makes you feel like the next step will be your last. The body loses up to three percent of water when working out during the extreme summer heat. The other great way sportspeople can hydrate during a break is to eat fruits such as celery sticks, oranges, apples, and carrots.
Exercise during cool times of the day
Most sports medicine experts advise people to exercise during the cool times of a summer day. You should avoid the times when it is too hot. You need to take advantage of the early morning hours or evening hours when the sun is not intense. It’s colder during those hours. Additionally, exercising when it is cool helps you avoid heat exhaustion and dehydration.
Give yourself time to acclimate
You should not be too hard on yourself when exercising in hot temperatures. You need to ease yourself gradually into the summer exercises so that you give your body time to adjust to the temperatures. The acclimation process and streamlining the circulatory and cooling system of your body can take up to two weeks.
Listen to your body
You need to pay attention to the symptoms of dehydration, heat stroke, and heat exhaustion. Some of the common signs include irritability, dizziness, confusion, and nausea. You need to rest and drink water as soon as you notice any of these signs. However, if the symptoms persist for more than 30 minutes, you should seek medical help from a sports medicine expert.
With these suggestions, you don’t have to neglect your workouts or practice during the summer months. These ideas will protect you from harming your body as you practice or prepare for your game. Besides these suggestions, make sure that you seek medical attention of a physician for osteopathic manipulation and nutritional medicine.
