With things getting distinctly scorchio, here are some handy tips
for keeping your cool, staying safe and dealing with possible
disaster in the sunshine. If you have the choice, we'd suggest either heading out early before things get really hot or waiting till late on when things cool down.
You can find more detailed health and fitness related information
in our Health
and Fitness section or check out the article links at
the bottom of this article.
Stay Hydrated- see also
Working
hard in the sunshine, you lose fluid and vital electrolytes and
minerals fast. This is a bad thing, as little as five per-cent
dehydration can decrease physical performance by as much as 30
per-cent.
The key is to drink little and often - a minimum of half a
litre an hour, more if you're working hard is a good starting point.
You could use as much as three times that figure. A hydration system
works well because you can drink on the move rather than stopping for
infrequent glugs.
Make sure you're hydrated before you start - by the time
you feel thirsty, it's too late and you're already getting dehydrated
as the thirst reflex lags behind your body's needs.
Avoid drinks containing caffeine and alcohol as they're
diuretic and will encourage you to urinate losing vital
fluids.
Energy
drinks containing electrolytes and minerals will help
to replace vital trace minerals, deficiencies of which can cause
cramp and muscle weakness.
Top Tip - Drink little and often to keep hydration levels
up, your pee should be a light straw colour, the darker it is, the
more dehydrated you are.
Avoiding Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke- see also
Heat exhaustion is the condition which often leads on to
its more serious relation, heat stroke. Symptoms are headache with
dizziness and nausea. Cramps in the limbs or stomach areas. Lots of
sweating with a pale and clammy skin and shallow, rapid
breathing.
You can make
it less likely by avoiding the hottest part of the day, dressing
correctly and staying hydrated. If someone you're with is hit by the
condition, get them into the shade, sponge them down with lukewarm
water, not cold, feed them with rehydration solution or water and
allow them to rest until recovered.
More severe is heat stroke which can be fatal - the body
temperature rises uncontrollably and the body's sweating / cooling
mechanism fails. You need to cool the victim as fast as possible, but
avoid using ice or very cold water as the shock could kill them.
Instead get them out of the sun into a cool, shady place and wrap
them in a wet sheet which you should keep damp until the temperature
falls back to normal levels, below 38C. Get medical attention as soon
as possible.
Top Tip - You're more at risk soon after you arrive in a
hot area or at the start of a heat wave because the body takes time
to acclimatise to heat, so take it easy to start with. It takes
around ten days to get properly acclimatised to high temperatures.
Dressing For Hot - see also
You can improve your comfort a lot by dressing correctly for hot
conditions. A wide-brimmed hat or a kepi-style cap with neck
protection are an ideal start. 
Loose,
light coloured clothing with long sleeves and collars to protect
against the sun work well and shorts will be cooler and more
comfortable - watch that exposed skin for sunburn though. Cotton may
feel cool initially, but will get damp and uncomfortable with sweat,
we prefer poly-cotton mixes, light synthetics and merino wool.
Brands are more aware fo the dangers of UV exposure now, so look
for clothing with a high SPF Factor which will block
potentially harmful rays which can penetrate some general
clothing.
Sun glasses will protect your eyes from harmful radiation
too. Virtually all UK sunglasses offer protection from UV, but for
outdoors use, it's important that they're optically accurate, which
cheap glasses often aren't, and comfortable even when you're hot and
sweaty.
Top Tip - Protecting your head makes a big difference. You
may think a sun hat looks silly but it could make the difference
between staying hot but healthy and risking heat exhaustion.
Sun Cream
We're more educated about the use of sun screen than
before, but just in case it's not obvious, you should always use the
stuff and bear in mind that breezy high mountain tops can make the
sun feel less powerful than it really is.
It's even
worse at high altitudes where the thinness of the atmosphere makes
the sun particularly vicious. The protection factor rating is based
on a multiple scale, so cream with a factor of ten should allow you
to stay in the sun for ten times longer than you would be able to
without protection without burning.
Our advice is to go for a high protection factor, look for sweat
resistance and reapply regularly. Follow instructions carefully, some
creams need to be used some time before you head out.
The varieties that you apply first thing in the morning and which
bond with the skin seem to work well, though you can still burn if
you're out too long.
Top Tip - forget vanity and go for a high factor sun
screen. Sun burn increases your risk of skin cancer as well as being
painful.
It's Not All Sunshine
Just because it's hot and sunny in the valleys doesn't mean it'll
be all plain sailing on the tops tha knows. As you gain height,
temperatures fall and you become more exposed to wind.
Weather can change really fast in the mountains and bad weather
can move in without warning - hot and humid conditions tend to favour
thundery showers as well, so don't forget to pack a lightweight
waterproof and possibly a lightweight fleece.
Top Tip - pack a lighweight waterproof. Modern ones pack
small and weigh nowt, but can make the difference between misery and
a good day on the hill.
Now Get Out And Enjoy Yourself...
That might sound a bit doom and gloomish, but take care and follow
the above tips and you can make the most of clear visibility, dry
paths and that sunshine feelgood factor - so what are you waiting
for?
mohammed yaseen
