Compared with the cold winter, heat wave weather seems to be more suitable for traveling. In fact, extreme temperatures can pose serious health risks, so it’s best to prepare and plan your trip around the heat.
Hot weather can really make you feel miserable, especially if you’ve been outside for a long time and you’re not ready.
Here are some mistakes people make when traveling during a heat wave and tips for staying healthy
Hydrating Incorrectly
Remember to drink plenty of water and start your day with a glass of water.Keep a bottle with you. Try to avoid dehydrating drinks such as alcohol.If you do drink a poolside cocktail, make sure you drink more water to compensate. If you’re doing an outdoor activity—whether walking, hiking, or biking—look for places to refill your water along the way.
You can try to drink half of the water before replenishing it. If there is no water on the way, return when the supply is halfway through to ensure you don’t run out.
In addition to drinking plenty of water and avoiding dehydrating beverages like alcohol and coffee, you may also want to consider additional hydration boosters and electrolytes.
When facing the extreme temperatures of a heat wave, water alone may not be enough, you also need to replace the electrolytes you are losing. Without minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium to provide moisture to your cells, your body won’t be able to absorb the proper fluids it needs. Electrolytes regulate muscle and nerve function, which is why dehydration can lead to muscle weakness, fatigue, and headaches.
Eschewing Indoor Activities
When on vacation, people tend to feel like they have to be outdoors, but during a heatwave it’s important to spend a few hours of the day indoors or in the shade.
Check weather forecasts and advisories and plan your day based on this information.
Midday to late afternoon is usually the hottest, so try to limit outdoor activities during these times. Instead, choose activities like museums, movies, eating indoors or even taking a nap.
Take advantage of the hot weather and immerse yourself in cultural activities, such as exploring museums and art galleries, and enjoying long lunch and coffee breaks in the shade. In Seville, for example, the Andalusian Center for Contemporary Art and the Museum of Fine Arts are great places to spend a few hours. Madrid is home to some of the best art galleries in Europe, including the Museo Nacional de Arte Reina Sofía, where you can see some of Picasso’s most famous works.
If you’re feeling hot and tired after hiking to the Acropolis ruins, consider cooling off at the nearby Acropolis Museum, which displays important artifacts and gives you further insight into this famous site.
Trying To Do Too Much
During a heat wave, be gentle with your holiday expectations. We have so little vacation time that people feel pressured to cram everything into one vacation – especially when you spend so much time and money planning your trip.
Don’t feel bad if you don’t get to visit every attraction, especially if it means overexerting yourself during the hottest part of the day during a heat wave.
Sleeping In
Of course, you want to rest and relax on your vacation, but if you want to do some sightseeing, it’s usually best to do it earlier in the morning, when it’s not too hot.
It’s best to reset the day, as many Europeans do. Early morning or late afternoon, and into the wee hours of the morning, are the coolest times of the day, so if you can, it’s best to avoid walking during these times to avoid the heat. This means sleeping for shorter periods of time at night, but you’ll need to catch up on it at noon – just like the Spanish, who schedule a “siesta” throughout the day. This is a great way to have more energy to experience the nightlife, and it’s also good for your health.
Exact times vary from place to place, so do your research to determine the hottest and coldest times of day at your destination and plan your sleep and activities around that.
Choosing The Wrong Clothing Strategy
Wearing cool, comfortable clothing can make a difference in how you feel throughout the day. Consider layering to make it easy to remove or add items as temperatures change.
When it’s this hot, one might be tempted to wear as little clothing as possible, but covering up with lightweight fabrics will keep you cooler than leaving a lot of skin exposed to the sun. In hot weather, stick to light-colored, natural fabrics like cotton and linen. These fabrics are breathable and keep you cool, unlike synthetic fabrics that trap heat, bacteria, and odor, making you feel hotter.
Ignoring Your Body’s Signals
The most common mistake people make when traveling is not being honest about how they feel. They’re thinking, “I’m traveling and I want to do all these things, so I’m going to get over whatever weird feelings my body is experiencing.” As a result, they ignore the signals their body is sending that something is wrong.
Pay attention to how you feel throughout the day, especially if you have a chronic illness. Traveling inherently disrupts your daily routine, so you’ll want to make sure you have any medications you take with you to treat conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease, and that you continue to take them on time while traveling.
Not Applying ― And Reapplying ― Sunscreen
No matter how long you stay in the sun, it’s important to wear sunscreen throughout the day because you want to protect your skin as much as possible.
Choose a high SPF sunscreen and reapply it at least every two hours.Remember, your skin can burn if you stay in the sun for too long.
Most people believe that your skin only burns when the sun is at its strongest. However, you can still get sunburned even on a cloudy or windy day, so it’s important to remember this.
Getting Too Much Direct Sun Exposure
It’s important to limit time in direct sunlight and consider taking shade during midday, which is the hottest time of the day. Take other steps to prevent your body from overheating, such as using a fan or placing a damp towel on your head and neck.
Although spending time in the sun is an important part of many people’s vacations, you may need to modify your sunbathing plans during a heat wave.
Sunbathing carries risks even at lower temperatures, so during a heat wave, sunbathing can be dangerous. It’s best to avoid the sun as much as possible, so try to spend a leisurely day at the beach – head to the beach in the late afternoon when temperatures are slightly cooler so you can still get some vitamin D.