This summer’s heatwaves have seen ambulance services struggle with record-breaking numbers of call-outs. The London Ambulance Service had its busiest ever week at the end of June, receiving 53,342 999 calls. New data shows the May and June heatwaves killed about 2,700 people in England and Wales.
Here, Dr Ian Higginson, a consultant in emergency medicine and president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, reveals what we should avoid doing during a heatwave to prevent a visit to A&E.
Exercising outside
It’s sensible to avoid going outside during the hottest part of the day, and certainly not to exercise vigorously at that time, which during a heatwave can be around 11am until 6pm.
Exercising when it’s very hot can make your body overheat which can make you become more dehydrated. This can set off a chain of events, putting you more at risk of muscle breakdown and kidney problems. Even young, fit people who exercise a lot can put themselves at risk by exercising in the heat.
