Dealing with summer heat

[p7fl]

If this question doesn’t fit this area please feel free to move it.
I live and shoot in South Florida. Summer matches and training are extremely hot and humid. I would like to see if there are other suggestions for spending time in the sun that work for other people and I am overlooking.

Generally I try to start hydrating more than normal a day or two before. I will dress in an Under Armor shirt and underwear, light colored hat but am most comfortable in jeans. That morning I cut back to two cups of coffee, followed by Gatorade and then water and more water.
Breakfast is two bananas and maybe some bread as the morning progresses. I keep a wet towel on my neck. I also grab some Advil to mitigate a heat headache.

Very open to any and all other suggestions.
TIA
jon

edited for typo on under armor

[Thomas M-4]

I live in AL and I have worked on the gulf coast for a couple of years [Hurricane repair My basic was in Fort Jackson SC] I was always trained and told if you are having headaches in the heat is because of dehydration. I am guessing that your normal job is in doors. The easiest way that I was taught to now if you are hydrated enough is if your urine is clear like water anything less is dehydration. It also helps to be out side as much as possible to be come acclimatized to the weather. For me I normally do not eat breakfast and for lunch I will have a light lunch with a 15min -20min break to let it settle.

My best friend suffered migraine headaches for years until he joined the moran corp HAHA I am going to get flamed for that.
Then he finally got properly hydrated then he never got a migraine again now if he feels one coming you can see him making a bee line to the closest drinking water to rehydrate. Never seen anybody drink to much water..

[chavez_e_chavez]

i WORK OUTSIDE!!! where light colored clothing, hat and drink water, water, water and make sure you go Pee allot!!!!! Gatorade gave me kidney stones.....Water actually is way better for ya

[Jerm]

I keep a wet towel on my neck.

While far from perfect i find these work much better...

http://www.uscav.com/ProductInfo.asp...ucts-_-SF-_-V1

(I've never purchased from there.)

They need to be soaked every hour or so for best results(although they're helpfull for longer and beat a towel hands down).An occasional working/mixing(kneeding?) of the gel inside also helps keep them nice and cool.

You wont catch me doing anything out in the heat for extended periods without one(or several).

[K.L. Davis]

Ditch the coffee, the diuretic effect out paces the limited benefits of being a liquid.

I prefer to set "sports drinks" to the side as well, lots of sugar...

What hydrates you is water, too little and you become dehydrated, too much and you risk hyponatremia -- Maintain a good diet, what you eat has a lot to do with your body's ability to absorb water. Drink plenty of water, but spread it out over the day, hydrate before you need the water.

Oral Hydration theories vary, the WHO and Unicef have a couple of ideas that involve Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS... which is something that everyone should keep on hand really), these are for rather extreme scenarios though. There are "homebrew" hydration recipes that seem to work well, some are quite simple... like no more than blending one of those 'naners with some fresh orange juice.

[rob_s]

FWIW, I've started substituting tea for coffee on match/training days. I did this at Southern a couple of weeks ago and it seemed to help.

I can't do jeans in the heat, or long pants at all. I was the only one at Randy's class wearing shorts over the three days. I also happen to think that the visor, with it's open top, helps and if I have to wear a regular hat my head gets really hot. If I had to wear a full hat for sun protection I'd make sure it had a mesh top of some sort.

[Zhurdan]

FWIW, I've started substituting tea for coffee on match/training days. I did this at Southern a couple of weeks ago and it seemed to help.

I can't do jeans in the heat, or long pants at all. I was the only one at Randy's class wearing shorts over the three days. I also happen to think that the visor, with it's open top, helps and if I have to wear a regular hat my head gets really hot. If I had to wear a full hat for sun protection I'd make sure it had a mesh top of some sort.

@ rob_s
Yeah, but you have hair!!!

@ topic
Water water water for me. I've seen people make themselves sick by drinking too much though. Drinking until you're bulging or belching is bad, just drink enough water to keep you from feeling thirsty. If it's real hot, and you've just gotta be out in it, good cover is the best medicine. Brimmed hat (to cover my bald head and ears), loose legged pants, light long sleeved shirt(or sunbock and a light sleeveless) with a T-shirt underneath. People think I'm crazy for wearing a t-shirt all the time under my clothes, but it sure seems to help me. It gets a little wet from sweat on really hot days, but it cools the body and doesn't evaporate too fast because it's protected from direct sunlight by the other shirt.

[LittleRedToyota]

If this question doesn’t fit this area please feel free to move it.
I live and shoot in South Florida. Summer matches and training are extremely hot and humid. I would like to see if there are other suggestions for spending time in the sun that work for other people and I am overlooking.

Generally I try to start hydrating more than normal a day or two before. I will dress in an Under Armor shirt and underwear, light colored hat but am most comfortable in jeans. That morning I cut back to two cups of coffee, followed by Gatorade and then water and more water.
Breakfast is two bananas and maybe some bread as the morning progresses. I keep a wet towel on my neck. I also grab some Advil to mitigate a heat headache.

Very open to any and all other suggestions.
TIA
jon

edited for typo on under armor

some things that have helped me deal with playing sports, etc. on hot, humid, sunny days:

- get into the shade at every opportunity possible. i like to take a big golf umbrella with me so i can create my own shade whenever i am on the sidelines not actually participating. do not just stand around in the sun. (this makes a huge difference over the course of a day.)

- wear good, dark sunglasses and a (light) hat with a brim that keeps the sun out of your eyes (this might help with the headaches you mention...at least for me, it is the bright light, more than the heat that gives me headaches. also, don't take too much ibuprofen when exercising on hot, humid days as it can speed up dehydration. caffeine also increases dehyrdation. your headaches may be coming from either the light or dehydration rather than the heat itself)

- drink a *little* gatorade throughout the day. drink mostly water, but do mix in some gatorade or other sports drink. yeah, they have sugar, but you should be burning that up anyway. you need to replace lost electrolytes throughout the day, though, too. gatorade is not the only way to do this, but it is one. straight gatorade is too much, though. i personally cut it 50/50 with water and then still drink considerably more straight water than the cut gatorade.

- eat some clif bars (or similar...but check what is in them--all energy bars are far from equal) thoughout the day. i like to eat about a half a bar every hour or so, but it depends on your body and the intensity of the activity.

- eating bananas throughout the day is good, too. pickle juice is also great for replacing electrolytes (prolly better than bananas), so munching some pickles throughout the day is good.

most of all, though...

if you are not peeing (clear urine) regularly throughout the day, you are not adequately hydrated. at the same time, though, you have to guard against drinking too much water without replacing electrolytes--which is why you need to eat throughout the day.

(when i was younger and dumber, i once got so dehydrated during a weekend sports tournament that my kidneys shut down and i had to be admitted to the hospital. i've been in some pain, before, but that one takes the cake...do not let it happen to you--it is not fun and is potentially life threatening.)

[CAPT KIRK]

Lessons from Desert Racing.....

Hydrate or die. If your pee'ing lots and clear, your getting enough.

Water before and during the "event". A lot of desert racers drink their favorite diaretic (beer, coffee, etc) along with lots more water after. This helps flush any lactic acids etc that build up, which helps us not be so sore the next few days.

Get electrolytes too..... Gatorade is the most common source for desert racers, but I do know guys who use Pedialite for serious electrolyte replacement.

You also need to replenish things like potasium (bannanas) and salt (salty snacks) that get flushed out with all the sweating and peeing. If you hydrate well and dont do this you will still suffer.

[Hersh]

Working outside has taught me a few things about the heat and I'd echo the ideas that have already been mentioned. In addition to staying hydrated, a large brimmed hat will go a long way to keeping you more comfortable. The sun on top of your melon will heat you up quickly.