While many of us crave the summer heat and sunshine, there are limits to what our bodies can handle.

If we’re not careful about limiting our time in the sun and heat we can experience heat exhaustion or, in a worse-case scenario, heat stroke.

And, according to Dr. Eileen Burnett, Medical Officer of Health for the Northern Health Region, northerners may be more susceptible to these conditions.  

She explains here.

“Interestingly, heat may have a greater impact on people living in the North because of adaptation to cooler temperatures. This makes the body less capable of handling high heat in the short term.”  

Burnett said signs of heat illness include dizziness, fatigue, nausea, headache, weakness and confusion.   
       
If you’re experiencing these symptoms, stop all activities, find a cool place and hydrate with water.      

She says it’s important to take these signs seriously because excess heat can become life-threatening quickly.

Learn more about heat health on Thompson Today this afternoon at 12:40 and 5:10.