At this point, most American adults would prefer to be physically active outdoors, according to a survey conducted by OnePoll for the fitness app. Verv last year. Of 2,000 participants, he found that 75 percent of men and 51 percent of women prefer to exercise outdoors.. Some of this is a side effect of the pandemic, but that’s probably not the only reason. Research also indicates that exercising in nature provides additional health benefits: studies find that exercising outdoors increases your level of physical activity, while making workouts feel easier. It will also reduce stress and cortisol levels, while improving mood and self-esteem.
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But unlike indoor workouts, extreme temperatures of any kind, as well as other weather factors like humidityshould be kept in mind when it comes to outdoor workouts.
How exercise in the heat affects your body
“During exercise in higher temperatures, our bodies do something wonderful called thermoregulation, which is the body’s ability to maintain our internal temperature within a safe range.” heather miltonCSCS, a board-certified clinical exercise physiologist at the NYU Langone Sports Performance Center tells Well+Good.
Every time you sweat, it’s an indicator that your body is thermoregulating. Increased blood flow is another sign, says Milton. “The two combine to cause higher heart rates to perform the same amount of work compared to a warm environment,” he explains.
You’ve probably experienced this for yourself if you’ve ever tried hot yoga or Pilates and found it more challenging than when you practiced in an unheated room. Because of this, it’s possible to train your body to thermoregulate better by increasing the intensity of your workouts and conditioning your body to function at higher heart rates, says Ally McKinney, a personal trainer at Gold’s Gym. “The better we are at heat regulation, the more effective we can be with our workouts,” she says. “Like any other type of stress, adapting and overcoming the intensity of these training sessions is something you have to acclimatize to. We can use this same technique when we work to train for higher temperatures.”
However, conditioning can only take you so far, because there is a point where temperatures can be too high for your body to thermoregulate.
How hot is too hot to exercise in the heat?
Each body responds differently to heat depending on how used it is to high temperatures. But we all need to be careful when the thermostat goes above 90 degrees, according to Milton. “Exercising in temperatures above 91.4°F can increase the risk of heat exhaustion, which occurs when the body is unable to maintain adequate blood flow to all organs Y the skin for thermoregulation at the same time,” she says. Signs of heat exhaustion include fainting, fatigue and no longer being able to exercise, she says.
Signs of heat exhaustion include fainting, fatigue, and no longer being able to exercise.
At about 92 degrees, your core temperature will be about 98.6 to 105 degrees, Milton says, and that’s the ultimate range for working out in the heat without risking heat stroke. “[Heatstroke] it is even more serious and is accompanied by collapse and dysfunction of the central nervous system: confusion, dizziness, irrational behavior, etc. This situation requires immediate cooling,” Milton warns.
The best way to avoid such symptoms is to not exercise in extreme heat. This could mean choosing to exercise earlier or later in the day, rather than when temperatures are higher, or staying inside an air-conditioned room. But you also want to make sure you prepare your body before, during, and after your outdoor workouts to make sure you can regulate your core temperature to the best of your ability.
How to prepare your body to exercise in the heat
In a word: hydrate. “Before you exercise, always drink two glasses of water, then during activity, try to drink four to six ounces of fluid every 20 minutes, and always drink again after you’re done,” he says. Jennifer HaytheMD, a noted cardiologist and director of cardio-obstetrics at New York Presbyterian Hospital Columbia.
Because one of the main ways your body cools down is by sweating, you’re losing water through your skin. Another thing you’re losing is electrolytes, sodium in particular, says Haythe. “Sodium is one of the most basic minerals our bodies need to complete fundamental cell processes.”
Drinking water or sports drinks with electrolytes is one way to replenish your stores. “Just be careful with your sports drinks, which often contain too much sugar,” Haythe warns. “Always check the label and look for drinks that provide 14 grams of carbohydrates, 28 mg of potassium, and 100 mg of sodium per 8 ounces.” , bananas and beets, also helps.
In general, “for every pound of weight you lose due to sweat, replace it with at least a pint of water,” says Milton. “You may need to drink up to 20 percent more fluid than usual.”
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