Experts Reveal What Hot Weather Really Does To Your Body
As temperatures rise and summer gets underway, sun-seekers around the world take to their lounge chairs to get a bronze tan. But when a spell of good weather becomes a full-blown heatwave, things can take a dangerous turn. So what happens when our bodies get too warm — and how do sweltering conditions cause thousands of deaths every year?
Risky business
Every summer, the news is filled with stories of record-breaking temperatures, suggesting that each year is growing hotter than the last. And that’s bad news for anyone who may be vulnerable to the heat. Scorching weather can affect more than just the elderly and the infirm, too. Even healthy people may be at risk when the mercury rises.
Soaring temperatures
Of course, we know that people tend to sweat a lot in hot weather, and we’re used to quenching our thirst more often during the summer months. But how much do we really understand about how our bodies react to a heatwave? Well, as it turns out, all manner of strange things start to happen beneath the surface once temperatures soar.
Deadly heatwaves
It’s been claimed that, in 2019 alone, more than 350,000 people died from conditions relating to extreme heat. And with temperatures set to rise across the planet, we can expect to see these numbers grow even higher. But deadly heatwaves aren’t exactly a modern phenomenon. Warm weather has been causing fatalities across the globe for hundreds of years.
Heatwave in the Keystone State
Way back in 1776, for example, the folks in Philadelphia experienced a heatwave that lasted for much of June and July. Today, the city reaches an average high of 86 °F in summer, but most buildings are equipped with air conditioning to keep workers and residents cool. In the 18th century, that wasn’t an option.
