The doctor warned about the danger of a sauna in the heat

For many, summer is impossible to imagine without cottages and baths. Some people believe that the steam room makes it easier to tolerate the heat. However, in reality, the combination of high air temperature and strong heat exposure can be a serious challenge for the body. Olga Ulankina, an expert doctor at the Hemotest Laboratory, told Izvestia on July 10 about the dangers of a sauna in hot weather.

According to the expert, in the heat, the body already works in an enhanced mode. To maintain a normal body temperature, the heart begins to pump more blood, dilate the vessels of the skin and sweating increases. Visiting a sauna in such conditions additionally increases the load on the thermoregulation system.

"In hot weather, the load on the body increases significantly: in order to maintain a normal body temperature, the heart begins to work faster, increasing blood flow, dilating skin vessels, increased sweating. If a person enters a sauna in this condition, there is even more work for the thermoregulation system," the doctor explained.

During vaping, the body temperature continues to rise, along with sweat, the body loses a large amount of fluid and electrolytes. At the same time, blood vessels expand, blood pressure decreases, and the heart has to work harder. If a healthy person is usually able to compensate for such changes, then in extreme heat, the body's reserve capabilities are noticeably reduced.

The specialist recommends that people with cardiovascular diseases, poorly controlled hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, and severe lung diseases should be especially careful. They are not recommended to visit the sauna in summer. Vaping is also contraindicated in acute infections accompanied by fever or severe dehydration.

Summer is under threat: weather forecasters told about abnormal heat, drought and fires

June will start with a gradual warming, but by July the heat will set in.

Ulankina advises to closely monitor your well-being regardless of the time of year. The best option is to enter the steam room several times for 5-10 minutes. If you experience dizziness, weakness, nausea, shortness of breath, palpitations, or darkening of the eyes, the procedure should be stopped immediately.

It is equally important to replenish fluid loss. Before and after visiting the sauna, it is recommended to drink regular or mineral non-carbonated water in small portions, as well as herbal tea. Alcohol before a bath, during steaming and immediately after it is contraindicated, as it increases dehydration, disrupts thermoregulation and creates additional stress on the heart.

Another common mistake is sudden cooling after a steam bath, the doctor added. Unprepared people should not jump into an ice font or pour cold water over themselves. Such procedures can cause vascular spasm, sudden drops in blood pressure and, with hidden heart diseases, provoke serious complications.

"Contrast procedures are allowed if the body is well prepared for them: a person regularly, daily takes a cold shower, is familiar with hardening. If there is no such habit, then you should not jump into the font after the bath. After the steam room, it is better to cool down gradually, for example, take a cool rather than an icy shower," Ulankina warned.

On July 2, Juliet Mkrtycheva, an endocrinologist at the NIKI of Childhood, spoke about the main danger for children with diabetes in the summer. According to her, there is no universal reaction to high fever — the course of the disease is individual for each child. According to the expert, the main danger in the heat is dehydration. Children move a lot, sweat a lot and often forget to drink water, which causes the blood to thicken and the glucose level to rise.