Whew! We don’t know about your location, but it gets just a tiny bit hot here in the Coachella Valley in July at 115 degrees Fahrenheit – about 46 degrees Celsius for our metric friends.

How do you stay safe in the heat?

1. Stay hydrated

Even if you don’t feel thirsty, you still need to drink. Water goes fast in hot weather. If you don’t like the taste, check out our article on staying hydrated.

2. Wear loose, lightweight clothing and a hat

Keep the sun off your face and off your skin. Tight clothing will heat you up, as will heavy clothing. Stay away from heavyweight denim. Long sleeves, surprisingly, are often better than short sleeves because they help protect your skin from the sun.

3. Don’t leave people or pets in the car without the a/c running

The interior of a car heats up FAST, and leaving a window cracked doesn’t help. If you need to run errands and they can’t come in with you, leave them at home instead. 

Check your backseat when you leave the car to make sure that you don’t accidentally leave a sleeping child behind.

4. Stay in the air conditioning as much as you can

Sometimes you need to be out and about, but head for the a/c when possible. Shopping centers, libraries, and community centers are usually cooled. 

But with COVID-19 they may be closed.  Do your work and crafts at home, lifting up your work surface and using other ergonomic principles to save your back and the rest of your body too.

5. Avoid going hard in the heat

Many of us like to exercise outdoors, but summer in the middle of the day is not the best time. Get up early or stay out late to take advantage of cooler temps.

Likewise, when you have other strenuous work to do, work early or late. Don’t wait until it’s too hot to get things done.

Have other tips to avoid dangerous heat-related illnesses during the summer? Let us know in the comments!