What Happens to Your Body at 45°C? Heatwave Survival Guide for Indian Summers

When the temperature reaches 45 degrees Celsius, your body will not have enough time to cool itself. Normally, you cool down by sweating and allowing your body to send more blood to the surface of your skin. In very hot weather and high humidity, this becomes much harder.

Because your heart is having to pump more blood to the surface of your skin your heart rate increases, which puts strain on your cardiovascular system. When body fluids are lost through sweat, it leads to dehydration which may lower blood pressure causing dizziness or fainting.

If you are continuously exposed to high temperatures, you greater increase your chances of getting heatstroke, a serious condition where your body temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius and causes confusion, organ strain and potentially fatal complications. At this point your body can no longer cool itself.

Warning Signs You Should Never Ignore

Extreme heat does not strike suddenly, it builds up over time and the warning signs that come with extreme heat develop over some time; therefore the earlier you recognise these warning signs the greater chance you have of preventing conditions that may cause great bodily harm to yourself.

Some of the early warning signs you will experience are: excessive perspiration, fatigue, headache, and/or muscle cramps. When the condition worsens your symptoms may include: rapid heart rate, nausea, dizziness, and an inability to concentrate.

Some of the more serious warning signs that warrant immediate emergency medical treatment are: confusion, no perspiration (dry skin), tightness in the chest, or fainting; these are the signs that your body temperature is exceeding normal limits and you need immediate cooling and emergency medical treatment.

Survival Guide: How to Protect Yourself

Heat can be a dangerous and uncomfortable disease when we are exposed to it. To survive in harsh conditions caused by the heat, you must find ways to limit the amount of heat you get from your environment and assist your body in keeping cool.

Drink water every day, and don’t wait until you feel thirsty to drink it. Drinking enough water will help to regulate your body’s temperature and keep your blood thin, so that it will move around your body easily. Don’t go outside between 12:00 noon and 4:00 p.m. when the temperature is at its highest.

Wear light-coloured, loose-fitting clothes. Ensure there is enough air circulation around you by fan, air conditioner, or cool shaded area. If you must be outside, stop to rest and do not participate in strenuous exercise. Eat small, light meals, and drink a lot of fluids, such as fruits (which are mostly water) and electrolyte drinks to help replace the salt and energy you have lost.

Environment Insights You Should Read

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How Warming Reshapes Coastal Living?
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Final Words

A temperature of 45 degrees Celsius may not feel overly hot and could be certain to cause physical problems for you and/or mentally. Once you learn how your body handles high temperatures, you will know how your body wants to handle the heat, and will be prepared to deal with the heat before any physical or emotional problems occur. Heat awareness becomes a critical survival habit in a climate that requires you to recognize heat as an issue at this time.

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