When the temperatures exceed 30°C, heat can quickly become a challenge if you are sporty..
For avoid dehydration and the heatstroke, you have to adapt your practice and take several precautions.
You wish know how to exercise when it’s (very) hot ? In this case, this article is made for you. We'll explain everything to you now!
What happens to your body during extreme heat?
When we talk about heat wave, we mainly talk about high temperatures. Home sometimes forgets to take into account the level of humidity in the air.
If we are only interested in temperatures, above 30°C, THE cardiologists advise against to have a intense physical activity as Dr. Roland Krzentowski, sports doctor, explains to us in a video from the Ministry of Sports.
Because yes, above 30°C, the risk of dehydration, cramps and heat stroke increases and gets very serious!
In fact, your body is designed to function at a body temperature of approximately 37°C. But with the strong heat, it increases and moves away. The organism is therefore altered.
As soon as your body temperature approaches 40°C, your body has difficulty regulating itself. And it can sometimes even go so far as to affect the organs of the liver, heart and lungs.
Moreover, during physical exertion, 75% the activity carried out transforms into heat that your body needs to evacuate. And to evacuate this heat, the mechanism is none other than the sweat.
To return to humidity level in the air, he also has his role to play in all this. The warmer and drier the air, the easier it will be for your body to wick away perspiration.. But when the air is hot and humid, there it becomes more complicated…
Except that the issue it is only with the strong heat, the mechanism of sweating accelerates. And your deep organs can therefore be penalized. Which can quickly become dangerous!
Even if the effects on the body depend on each person, however, you must avoid doing sports when temperatures exceed 30°C as recalled by Ministry of Health. Otherwise, the mechanisms in your body can quickly become disrupted.
The risks of doing sport in the middle of a heatwave
Some signs can alert you on the fact that your body starts to stop keeping pace :
- Of the intense heat sensations
- Of the redness
- Of the headache
- Of the vision problems
- Of the abnormal feelings of imbalance
As soon as one or more of these signs appear, you have to stop your activity And splash yourself with water.
But these sensations are not the only dangers linked to practicing sport in the middle of a heatwave... THE main are the following :
- The dehydration
- Heat stroke
- Heat cramps
- Sunstroke
- Shortness of breath
- Tiredness
1. Dehydration
Do sport in high heat can cause you to lose up to 2.5 liters of sweat per hour. But who says water loss through sweat, also says loss of salt. And this, this further promotes dehydration
When your body begins to become dehydrated, it has a lower volume of water to fight. There sweating then becomes more difficult, what prevents your body from coping with heat.
It is therefore Partly for this reason you need to hydrate regularly. But we'll talk to you about that in more detail later!
2. Heatstroke
It occurs when your body temperature exceeds 40 degrees. At this moment, effort becomes impossible, because the heat attacks your muscles.
Your body goes into “overheating”. Your skin is red, hot and your body has trouble producing sweat. And there you risk discomfort, or even a coma. So you really need to be careful!
There is also other signs which should alert you:
- Your heart rate accelerates.
- You are confused And you lose consciousness.
- YOU lose your memory.
- YOU feel dizzy.
- You feel that you have trouble speaking.
- Etc.
If during your sports practice, your body can no longer adapt and you feel the following symptoms, stop right away And Call the fire department (18).
3. Heat cramps
Do sport in high heat increases the risk of cramps, notably the heat cramps.
You are probably wondering what heat cramps are. Well these are severe muscle contractures. They are in particular due to :
- A prolonged effort
- A excessive sweating
- A excessive water intake
With the sweat, water and salt are drained. And the problem when you bring too much water to your body is that the salts will be diluted. So, they remain in the body And promote the appearance of cramps.
And you will have understood it, practicing a sporting activity in the middle of a heatwave makes you sweat more during exercise, what causes heat cramps.
4. Sunstroke
She can cause serious harm. YOU Do not neglect it. If you have a sunstroke while you play sports, you must stop right away.
There is several signs which allow you to recognize sunstroke :
- The increase in your body temperature
- Of the redness on the face
- A excessive sweat
- Of the headache, or even dizziness
- Of the nausea And vomiting
As soon as you experience one or more of these symptoms, stop and do lower your temperature in :
- YOU lying down in a cool, shaded place
- Drinking water in small sips
- Wetting your neck, your arm and your face with water
5. Shortness of breath
When your body temperature is too high, your body tries to lower it partly via hyperventilation. And with hyperventilation, you have more likely to become out of breath quickly.
But shortness of breath can also be explained by the increase in your heart rate due to exercise and in response to extreme heat.
6. Fatigue
When you practice physical activity in the middle of a heatwave, the fatigue can quickly set in. It is notably linked to lack of water Who increases your heart rate and so you get tired faster.
But fatigue also comes from the fact that your brain is constantly active to regulate your heat. Because yes, it is he who tells your body to sweat or to dilate the blood vessels for example.
Your brain is a bit like conductor who directs the different mechanisms of your body. And take care of all that, it takes a lot of energy, which therefore causes a nervous fatigue.
To ensure to avoid this fatigue, but also all these risks that we have just cited to you, we have some precautions to take. They will help you practice a sporting activity in hot weather a little more easily.
Precautions to take when practicing an activity in high heat
First of all, the first rule is the following : if you are not used to doing sports, don't do it in the middle of a heatwave. Your body is not sufficiently accustomed to can cope with such heat.
You have the habit of doing sports And you choose to practice physical activity ? In this case, try to monitor your heart rate.
If she is higher than usual, for a same effort as you normally make, slow down the pace.
Above all, before going out to play sports, Think of protect your skin with sunscreen. Use protection with an SPF of 40 minimum, or even 50 minimum. That you will prevent skin burns…
In addition to this, you must also take other precautions even more important :
- Hydrate yourself
- Choose a suitable outfit
- Reduce the intensity
- Take time to recover
- Don't skip the warm-up
- Pay attention to what you eat
- Don't exceed your limits
1. Hydrate yourself
For cool your body, you have to drink water. Even if you're not thirsty. He don't wait until you're thirsty, because dehydration happens very quickly as we told you above.
try drink regularly before, during and after your sporting activity. For example, you can take two or three sips every 15 to 20 minutes.
But drinking a lot is not not just to combat dehydration ! It is also important to promote recovery.
However, do not drink water that is too cold. This could cause a Thermal shock and of stop your sweating process. Which therefore can tire your body.
The goal is to drink small amounts, but quite often. You can even drink water with mineral salts. It's perfect to promote perspiration and therefore the regulating your body temperature.
You must therefore drink a lot and often. For what ? Because with the heat THE water cycle is shorter and his absorption is faster !
Ideally, try to drink between 0.5 liters and 1 liter of water per hour, or even per half hour during full effort.
However, you must avoid drinks that contain caffeine, especially coffee. His power diuretic tends to dehydrate.
2. Choose a suitable outfit
When it is very hot, you must wear light colors. They have an effect of reverberation. While the dark colors, especially the black, absorb heat.
Also remember to put loose, light and breathable clothing. In synthetic fabrics For example. They allow your skin to breathe and do not retain perspiration.
Also try to wear breathable sports shoes made of one fine material. It's even better if they have a good insulation at the sole level so as not to feel the heat of the ground.
Additionally, don't forget to wear a cap or bucket hat to protect your head and neck. And for your eyes, remember to put sunglasses category 3 or 4 in order to filter as many UV rays as possible.
3. Reduce the intensity
The heat makes your effort more difficult than normal. So obviously it is difficult to track your performance.
The more he does hot, the more your heart rate will increase, because your body needs to sweat. And if your effort is too intense, your body will have difficulty keeping up because of strong heat.
SO, to avoid this, reduce your intensity, but also the duration of your efforts. Especially if you're not used to it!
For example, prefer training based on endurance rather than interval training.
And so that your body recovers sufficiently, also remember to take breaks quite often !
4. Take time to recover
After physical exertion in the middle of a heatwave, you have to take time to recover. Even more than if the temperatures were normal.
Once your training finished, put yourself in the shade And wait about 30 minutes in order to let your body temperature drop A little.
Once you feel better, take a lukewarm shower. Avoid showers that are too cold, because otherwise your body will have to warm up.
There heat also has a impact on your sleep. You have more than trouble falling asleep and your nights tend to be less good…
THE issue it's only you do not recover enough For be at 100% to do sports.
SO to compensate for lack of sleep and bad nights, do not hesitate to make naps during the day if you have the chance. It could be mid-morning or early afternoon.
5. Don't skip warming up
You might think that with extreme heat your body is already warm enough to do sports without overheating.. If you think that, unfortunately you are wrong…
Just because it's hot doesn't mean the outside heat will warm your muscles.. There outside temperature n / A no influence on it.
SO, even in the middle of a heatwave, he is essential to warm up well before playing sports. To do this, take it little by little and slowly increase the pace of your training. This way your body can adapt to the heat.
6. Pay attention to what you eat
THE strong heat they tend to reduce your appetite And sometimes you skip meals. But if you don't eat enough, you go lack of energy to do sports in the middle of a heatwave.
SO, try not to jump meals, to be sufficiently nourished. This will help you better resist the heat.
The ideal is to do several small meals. Like this, your digestion is less important. Because yes, the digestion fatigues and increases your body heat. And even more so with big meals.
Besides, try to favor fruits and vegetables. For what ? Well in particular, because they contain water and also vitamins which will help you cope with the sun.
Also think about eat before exercising. Don't eat a big meal or snack. But just enough to have energy for your training.
7. Don't exceed your limits
Exercising in the middle of a heatwave means you have to pay attention to any signs of fatigue or weakness. As soon as you feel that the effort is too complicated, you must Stop.
So do very pay attention to the signs your body is sending you : cramps, dizziness, etc. There is no point in continuing your activity if your body temperature is too high. The effort becomes useless and you risk heat stroke...
But by applying all these tips, it is possible to practice physical activity during extreme heat. But are there sports to favor more than others ?
What sport to practice in the middle of a heatwave?
When it really does very hot, some sports are more recommended than others. There walk is for example a good way to practice a not too intense activity when the mercury rises.
Otherwise, we recommend that you do surf, of the swimming, of paddle, of aquabike or any other water sport. These sports allow you to spend while in the water what reduces heat-related risks.
You can also practice bodybuilding, there Zumba, THE HIIT, THE yoga or even the pilates. These sports often performed in an air-conditioned room allow you to be cool and sheltered from the sun.
Conversely, better to avoid outdoor team sports (football, rugby, basketball, etc.) Why? Because competitive spirit YOU encourages you to increase your intensity and so you can quickly be exposed to the risks of heat.
That being said, with the good precautions, you can practice almost any sport. You have to just be vigilant !
For example, the running is not a problem if you run in the forest with the right outfit and moisturize regularly.
Besides, to avoid the heat of heatwaves as much as possible, we advise you to choose the right hours to do your sport.
What time to exercise when the sun is strong?
You absolutely must avoid playing sports outside when the sun is strongest, that's to say between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m..
The ideal is to do your training when the sun is just starting to rise or when it is already setting. In other words, at least before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m..
And of course, if the sun is already out and even if it is not, always try to do your sport in the shade. For example, prefer to run in the shade in the forest, rather than playing basketball in full sun on the asphalt.
What to do if you feel unwell?
If ever a person makes a discomfort during activity in high heat, or if it happens to you and you are still conscious, there are simple gestures to apply :
- Call SAMU (15) or the firefighters (18)
- Place it Or place you in a cool place And shady
- Take off your clothes Or your clothes
- Wet your skin Or your skin with water
In your case, if you feel better 30 minutes after your discomfort, take a warm shower to bring your temperature down. And especially, drink a lot in small amounts.
To find out if you are better, watch your urine. If they are dark yellow, is that you must hydrate again.
During the heatwaves, some people are more likely to feel unwell than others. This is why they must avoid doing sports…
Who should avoid exercising during a heatwave?
THE people who must avoid practicing a sporting activity during extreme heat are mainly:
- THE children
- THE pregnant women
- THE people aged over 65
- THE overweight people
- THE people who have diabetes or hypertension
- THE people with asthma
- THE untrained people or beginners
- THE people recovering from illness (gastro, cold, sore throat, etc.)
On the other hand, conversely, the high-level athletes are much less at risk. Their organizations are more trained and prepared. In addition, they are monitored. There is therefore less risk of them feeling unwell.
But beware, This does not mean that high-level athletes are immune to heat-related risks..
But some are used to training in difficult conditions. As a result, their organism adapts And finds ways to avoid or limit certain risks.
It is also a good way to prepare physically for a high level. But the nutrition and hydration must be adapted. Particularly with mineralized drinks.
Sport and heatwave: preconceived ideas
Running in the middle of a heatwave is not going to help you lose weight faster… For what ? Quite simply, because the amount of energy you expend is the same whether it's very hot or not.
Additionally, you will especially lose water more than fat. On the other hand, when it is cold, you are more likely to lose weight!
Drinking sweets is not the right option to regain strength… For what ? Because your body needs water and minerals more than it needs carbohydrates. Although of course carbohydrates give you energy.
Exercising in hot weather does not increase your performance... For what ? Because your body increases your heart rate when it is warm. Your body therefore seeks to cool itself, especially on long efforts.
And it is not these two mechanisms that will increase your performance. Far from there !
Conclusion
When the heat is unbearable, the best is to not doing sports. Wait for temperatures to drop before practicing an activity.
But if you still want to exercise, take it slowly ! Get your body used to the heat by gradually increasing the effort.
And especially, if you play sports with others, be vigilant.. Do attention to signs of heatstroke, of sunstroke, of dehydration, etc.
What's better than aquabike at Aqua by during the heatwave
Are you looking for a sporting activity to do during hot weather ? In this case, aquabike is the sport for you !
At the house of Aqua by, we invite you to experience a real sporting experience to (re)discover aquabike. And all that, gently thanks to the benefits of water !
Our 45 minute sessions are designed so that you experience a moment of escape and relaxation.
Guided by motivating coaches who listen to you, THE course are done in band in good spirits. Furthermore, they are accessible to everyone, no matter your level.
And as soon as you have finished pedaling on your aquabike, direction the sauna where the hammam For enjoy a moment of relaxation.
So if you want to do sport in the middle of a heatwave all in you refreshing, book your lesson aquabike at Aqua by !
Our 4 studios in the heart of Paris (Réaumur, Bastille, Charonne) and Boulogne just waiting for you. Come join us and take the plunge! 💦
