Drink icy water
Drinking very cold, even icy water, is an instinctive reflex when it is hot. Not only is the feeling at the moment, but we naturally tell ourselves that our body temperature will drop quickly. This is indeed what happens but it creates a thermal shock in the body. Our body will then set up mechanisms to maintain the temperature at 37 ° C. He will therefore produce heat and get tired.
The other perverse effect of ice water is that it reduces the feeling of thirst faster and you may not drink enough to cover your needs. You can feel “refreshed and rehydrated” with only a glass of ice water when in reality our organism would need a larger amount of water to work optimally.
Finally, the consumption of drinks and very cold foods can cause stomach aches and diarrhea in some people.
If you like to drink fresh water, just drink that from the fridge, without necessarily adding ice cubes. Even if it is hot, do not sulk hot or lukewarm drinks (infusions, tea) which allow you to hydrate without warning.
Take a cold shower
To refresh yourself in a flash, nothing better than a cold shower! Well think again. Know that cold showers can worsen body overheating. “”The body will compensate for brutal cooling by producing more heat to maintain its internal temperature: this is called the thermal rebound effect “, reports Dr Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor and medical director of True Medical.
Cold water on the skin will also have a vasoconstrictor effect. Concretely, the blood vessels are tightening, which slows down the natural evacuation of body heat.
The best solution to cool off in hot weather is the lukewarm shower, between 32 and 35 ° C, recalls Dr. Kierzek.
Sleeping naked
It is a myth: sleeping naked does not help refresh the body! According to Dr. Neil Stanley, a sleep specialist in sleep questioned by the Daily Mail, it is better to keep his pajamas at night, even when it’s hot, preferably a cotton model. “”Cotton pajamas evacuate perspiration, allowing better heat evacuation, which reduces this horrible sticky sensation which prevents a lot from us from falling asleep “.
The doctor also points out that by sleeping naked, we simply risk being cold in the early morning. “”You are increasing the risk of waking up cold in the early morning, when the temperature drops, if you sleep with only one sheet rolled around half a leg “.
Drink a lot
During hot weather, the risk of dehydration increases. This is why it is advisable to drink regularly and without waiting to be thirsty. On its site, health insurance recommends consuming “at least 1.5 to 2 liters of water daily, to maintain normal urinary disposal “ And “to absorb 0.5 l of more water per day, and per additional degree “ If your body temperature increases. To stay hydrated, the best drink remains water. Do not throw yourself on sodas, cocktails, tea or coffee while thinking of moisturizing you. They have a diuretic effect. Do not replace your water consumption with these drinks.
For the elderly, it is not recommended to drink too much water at once because they sweat less and therefore naturally evacuate the absorbed water.