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Dangerous signs of heat wave

Chandigarh, 21 May. Ways to avoid heat: It is about 9:30 in the morning. Usually at this time people run towards offices and there is bustle in the markets. But the situation is somewhat different in the areas of Delhi-NCR, Rohtak-Hisar of Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh. There is silence on the streets, as if someone has unknowingly imposed curfew. If we look towards the sky, the yellow light of the sun has now become white and sharp. It is that familiar, but this time extremely cruel heat of May-June, which has started to put the human body in the furnace.

heat wave effect

According to the weather department report, red lights are burning. The temperature has crossed the dangerous level of 45 degrees Celsius. Weather experts have clarified that this heat wave is only the beginning, the intensity of these hot winds is going to increase further for the next 10 days. There has been a sudden increase in crowding in OPD wards in hospitals. Some are feeling dizzy and falling down, while someone’s body is yearning for every drop of water. It is not just climate change, but a collective health crisis that is knocking at our doors.

midday danger

As a journalist, when you go out in this sun, the first thing that happens is that your eyes burn and the hot air scorches your lungs. Doctors have fixed a timeline from 10 am to 3 pm. This time can now be called ‘death zone’ or ‘no-go zone’ in medical language. During this time the sun’s rays hit our heads directly.

effects of heat on the body

What happens inside the body when there is heat that a person starts swinging between life and death within a few hours? It is important to understand this. Our body maintains its temperature at 37°C (98.6°F) by sweating. But when the outside temperature crosses 45 degrees, the body’s cooling system crashes completely. In medical language it is called ‘heat stroke’ from ‘heat exertion’. In this condition the body temperature suddenly rises to 104°F or above.

Ways to avoid heat

In this high-tech era, when you ask the director of a big hospital, what is the best solution to avoid this deadly heat wave? So he smiles and gives the same answer which our grandmothers used to give. The biggest weapon to fight the sun is not expensive medicine, but our traditional ‘Gamchha’ or cotton cloth.

Importance of water and electrolytes

People often think that if they keep a bottle of water, they are safe. But doctors advise that due to sweating in summer, not only water but also the minerals essential for us are lost. When there is a deficiency of electrolytes in the body, one feels weakness and cramps even after drinking plain water.

Warning for BP and heart patients

This summer season is especially dangerous for the elderly and people suffering from BP or heart disease. Due to excessive sweating the blood becomes thick or the minerals become unbalanced. Cardiologists advise that BP and heart patients should not be careless about the timing of their medicines.

ways to stay safe

The Meteorological Department estimates that the next ten days will be difficult due to the heat wave, but with the right information and a little caution, we can keep ourselves and our families safe in this scorching North India.