47 Scary Heatwave Photos That Are Even Hot To The Touch Through The Screen

We can’t overstate how important it is that you stay cool and hydrated when it’s

hot outside. When there’s a heatwave raging, your number one priority should be your health.

Extreme heat can make you sweat more, leading to more fluid loss and potentially dehydration, which can quickly wreck your health. Dehydration can negatively impact your energy levels, affect your fitness performance, and lead to a loss of concentration. If left untreated, it can cause heat illness, kidney damage, heatstroke, loss of consciousness, seizures, and confusion.

So, you should prioritize consistently drinking water, eating food with lots of water content, limiting physical activity, and staying in the shade.

If you have spent a long time out in the heat, especially if you’ve been physically active, drink some orange juice, coconut water, or skimmed milk to rehydrate quickly.

Something else that you can do is actually train your body to cope with the heat better.

If real life were a video game, going to the sauna would increase your heat resistance.

One of the ways that you can improve your tolerance to heat is regularly heading to the sauna, as it makes you sweat more efficiently, reduces cardiovascular strain, and expands your plasma volume, among other benefits.

“This [the benefits of sauna] is well established in sports physiology, where athletes deliberately use repeated heat exposure to improve heat tolerance before competing in hot environments,” cardiologist Professor Jari Laukkanen at the University of Eastern Finland told the Guardian.

“Indeed, quite similar physiological adaptations may also occur with passive heat exposure, such as sauna bathing and hot water immersion.”

Meanwhile, Dr Jessica Mee, of the University of Worcester, noted that heat exposure changed how hot people felt and how they behaved when the temperature rises.

“People who are accustomed to heat pace themselves more sensibly, hydrate more consistently and recognize their own warning signs earlier.”

In a nutshell, training to improve your heat tolerance might involve heat exposure between 40 and 60 minutes each day for at least 4 to 6 days. These benefits should last roughly a week, but you can get longer-lasting effects by training for longer.

With extreme weather and environmental destruction becoming ever more common, it’s no wonder that many people experience climate distress and eco-paralysis. If you feel anxious, it proves that you care about your environment and other people, not just your own well-being.

According to licensed psychotherapist and registered art therapist Ariella Cook-Shonkoff, the author of ‘Anti-Doomers: How to Bring Up Resilient Kids Through Climate Change and Tumultuous Times,’ the climate crisis is a systemic issue.

It requires collective action and engagement. You can’t solve it alone, no matter how heroic your intentions.

“Climate scientists sound the alarms year after year, warning that to avoid worsening climate disruption, ecosystem collapse, and mass migrations, our government must swiftly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and scale up clean energy. The response often seems to be an official shrug,” Cook-Shonkoff writes on Psychology Today.

She emphasizes that most people feel stuck, and the solution is complex.

Some people experience eco-paralysis, where they feel helpless, disengaged, lacking control, and as though they’re inevitably doomed. Meanwhile, young people are questioning their futures and whether doing anything is worth it.

“Feeling stuck, numb, or overwhelmed is a rational response to our climate emergency. But eco-paralysis is also a signal to pay attention to what’s underneath. If we acknowledge those deeper emotions, out of the catharsis comes a clarity of mind, a welling of empathy, and finally: a desire to act, to do something. Recognizing and sharing the pain and frustration of the climate emergency with others and not bearing this burden alone is exactly what's needed. Once done, individuals can regain agency,” the psychotherapist argues.

Broadly speaking, most people want their governments and companies to address climate change. However, they often underestimate other citizens’ willingness to act.

“While it’s often immensely helpful for individuals to address climate emotions behind closed doors, how fruitful is that really for the country as a whole? The world? Healing a fractured planet requires many caring hearts beating together, in the fight together. That requires collective focus, planned action by many individuals acting as one,” Cook-Shonkoff writes.

It is important to honor the emotions that the climate crisis makes you feel, from anxiety, grief, and anger to guilt, betrayal, hope, empathy, and beyond. A good starting point toward eco-conscious action is honoring those emotions.

“Let’s all have a good metaphorical cry about our continued ravaging of the planet—from the melting glaciers to the decimated bumble bee population—but use that as the bridge to action.”

We want to hear from you! Share your perspective in the comments below.

What has your experience with the summer heat been like this year? What is the hottest that it’s gotten, and how did it affect your daily life? (Yours truly finally had enough and bought a powerful industrial fan after the temperature outdoors hit 35 degrees C (95 degrees F). I don’t have AC at home, so this was a lifesaver, and I no longer feel like a puddle of melted ice cream.)

What are your go-to strategies to stay cool and hydrated in this ungodly heat? What do you do to keep your family, friends, coworkers, and pets safe? What small steps can we all take to ensure that the youngest generations inherit a safer, more stable planet?

Let us know! We’ll be reading your comments with a cold drink in hand.