Heat Is Coming Back: How to Beat Dehydration and Sunstroke
A new heat wave is forecast for the second half of July. Here are practical steps and the public health institute's advice you can put to use today, before the mercury climbs again.
- Forecasters expect the heat to return to Serbia around July 20, after a short break.
- The public health institute advises staying indoors between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. and keeping indoor temperatures below 32 degrees Celsius during the day.
- Those most at risk are children under 2, people over 60, and people with chronic illness.
- Early warning signs of overheating are dizziness, nausea, heavy sweating, and muscle cramps.
Think you have survived the worst of summer? Not quite. Forecasters say that after a short break the heat will return to Serbia around July 20, so now is the time to prepare while it is still bearable.
Heat is not just uncomfortable. It is a real health risk, especially when hot days pile up one after another with no relief at night. That is why Serbia’s public health institute keeps repeating advice that sounds simple, yet most of us forget it the moment the thermometer spikes. The good news is that most trouble can be prevented in advance, with no special equipment at all.
How do you spot the first signs of sunstroke?
Your body sends quiet signals first, and that is the key. The early signs of overheating and dehydration are dizziness, nausea, heavy sweating, and muscle cramps. If you catch them in time, it is enough to move into the shade, drink water, and rest.
The trouble starts when those signals are ignored. Dehydration speeds up heatstroke, a state in which the body can no longer cool itself. So do not wait until you feel thirsty to drink, because thirst already means you are behind. Keep a bottle of water within reach and sip in small amounts throughout the day.
Pay special attention to the people around you. The most vulnerable are children under 2, people over 60, and those with chronic conditions, because their bodies respond more slowly to heat. If you live or work near someone in these groups, a single phone call during the day can make a real difference.
What you can do today
Most of your defense comes down to timing your day. The institute advises avoiding the outdoors between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., when the sun is strongest. If you must go out, shift your errands to early morning or evening.
At home, the goal is to keep the temperature indoors below 32 degrees during the day. Close blinds and curtains on the sunny side while the sun is up, and air out the rooms early in the morning and late at night, when it cools down outside. A fan helps, but only alongside enough fluids, since on its own it does not cool a body that is already overheated.
When you head out, wear light, loose clothing in pale colors, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses. Apply sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher about twenty minutes before leaving, and reapply it. Most important of all, drink water regularly rather than only when you feel thirsty.
None of this is complicated or expensive. These are habits that fit easily into your day, and the difference they make is huge, especially for the youngest and oldest members of the family.
So how do you keep cool in the heat, do you have a tried-and-true trick that helps you get through the hottest hours of the day?
