Heat is No Joke: Understanding the Risks and Protecting Yourself from the Heat

Heat Is No Joke: How It Affects Your Body — and How to Stay Cool

It's easy to brush off heat discomfort when it’s hot outside. “It’s just summer,” we tell ourselves. But heat isn’t just annoying; it’s dangerous. High temperatures and humidity can overwhelm your body’s natural cooling systems, leading to dehydration, fatigue, and, in severe cases, heat stroke or even death.

Whether you’re at work, attending an outdoor event, or managing a health condition, it’s essential to understand how heat affects your body and how to protect yourself before it becomes a problem.

 

How Your Body Regulates Heat

Sweat doesn't cool you off—that’s just your skin’s temperature. It’s the evaporation of sweat that pulls heat away from your body. But did you know sweating itself can make you tired? When your internal thermostat senses rising temperature, it activates several cooling responses:

Picture yourself sitting on a porch on a 70°F day, feeling warm sunshine and a gentle breeze, it’s relaxing. Now, imagine a 90°F day with the sun beating down, no wind, sweat pouring off you: you’re not just hot, you’re overheating. Your core temperature and heart rate are rising, and that’s how heat causes fatigue.

A comprehensive meta‑analysis of over 400 heat-exposure studies found that a core temperature rise of approximately 1.6°F (0.9°C) corresponded with an average increase of about 27 beats per minute in heart rate, significantly increasing cardiac workload—even at rest.

The human body normally maintains a core temperature around 98.6°F (37°C). When you’re exposed to heat, your body works hard to stay in that range by:

• Elevating heart rate: The heart kicks into high gear, pumping more blood to the skin so heat can escape.

• Dilating blood vessels: Widened skin vessels move heat from your core to the surface.

• Sweating: As sweat evaporates, heat dissipates—cooling you down.

But these systems can fail fast. When humidity rises or air is stagnant, sweat evaporates poorly, blood vessels can’t offload heat effectively, and your body struggles to regulate.

🧠 Did you know? Human bodies hit a critical heat stress zone at 85°F ambient temperature, especially when humidity is high. At that point, your body struggles to dissipate heat fast enough to stabilize your core temperature. This can lead to fatigue, dizziness, elevated heart rate, and impaired organ function, making even basic activities like walking, standing, and talking more difficult. (national institute of health) 

 

The Hidden Dangers of Overheating

You might feel flushed or tired at first. But heat-related illness builds quietly and can escalate quickly.

Heat Exhaustion can start when the body is exposed to external temperatures of 80°F (27°C) or higher, especially when combined with high humidity or physical exertion.

The risk increases significantly when the heat index (a combination of temperature and humidity) exceeds 90°F (32°C), as the body struggles to cool itself effectively.

Recognizing the signs of Heat Exhaustion early can prevent it from escalating to heat stroke. 

Key signs to watch for include:

• Heavy Sweating – The body is working hard to cool itself.
• Pale, Cool, or Clammy Skin – A sign of overheating.
• Muscle Cramps – Often in the legs or abdomen.
• Weakness or Fatigue – Feeling drained or unable to continue.
• Dizziness or Fainting – Caused by reduced blood flow to the brain.
• Headache or Nausea – Your body is signaling stress from the heat.

If you start to experience dizziness, fainting, headache, or nausea, seek medical help immediately, as these are early signs of Heat Stroke

Heat Stroke – Did you know there are two types of heat stroke?

Classic Heat Stroke and Exertional Heat Stroke may look similar, but they have very different causes.

Let’s talk about Classic Heat Stroke first. 

This type is caused by external heat, think sitting in your car, no AC, with the windows up on a hot sunny day, sitting in a hot room with no AC, or being outdoors during a heatwave. Your body gradually absorbs the surrounding heat until it can no longer cool itself.

Classic Heat Stroke develops slowly over time and most often affects young children, older adults, or people with underlying health conditions.

This is the type of heat stroke you usually hear about in the news when a city is hit with a dangerous heatwave.

Now, for Exertional Heat Stroke, visualize the heat inside your body. This is the heat you generate through physical activity. It’s what we call internal body heat.

This type of Heat Stroke happens very quickly and typically affects young, healthy adults.

• High Body Temperature - Core temperature of 104°F (40°C) or higher.
• Altered Mental State or Behavior - Confusion, agitation, slurred speech, irritability, or seizures.
• Hot DRY skin
• Nausea or Vomiting 
• Rapid Breathing and Heart Rate 
• Dizziness or Fainting
• Headache - Throbbing or intense 
• Muscle Weakness or Cramps - More common in exertional heat stroke.
• Collapse or Unresponsiveness

And here’s the kicker: these risks don’t only affect athletes or outdoor workers. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, emergency room visits for heat-related illness spiked during the 2023 summer season, especially among working-age adults.

⚠️ Did You Know? Heat kills more people in the U.S. each year than hurricanes, floods, or tornadoes. And the number is rising. According to the CDC, heat directly kills around 1,200 people each year in the U.S. alone, a number that’s risen from 700 just a few years ago. 

But experts believe the true number is much higher, likely around 10,000 annually. Why the discrepancy? Because heat is rarely listed as the cause of death on death certificates. When people die from complications exacerbated by heat, whether from heart failure, stroke, or even complications from conditions like Alzheimer’s,  heat is often not officially noted as the cause.

 

The Long-Term Toll of Heat Exposure

Heat doesn’t just make you sick in the moment. Chronic exposure to high temperatures has lasting consequences.

• A 2025 study published in Science Advances found that people living in high-heat areas may show signs of accelerated biological aging, up to 2.5 years faster at the cellular level.
  

• Daily heat stress can worsen chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders.
  
  

🌡️ Science Says: Extended heat exposure alters hormone levels, electrolyte balance, and blood flow, potentially aging the body as much as smoking. (The Verge, 2025) 

Where ThermApparel Cooling Vests Come In

When your body’s cooling system is overwhelmed, external support is essential. ThermApparel Cooling Vests are designed to do just that.

Using Phase Change Material (PCM) that melts at 70°F, our vests draw heat away from your core as they change from solid to liquid, keeping you at a stable, safe, comfortable temperature for up to three hours.

Here’s how they help:

• ✅ Support your body’s natural cooling system so it doesn’t overwork.
• ✅ Prevent overheating before symptoms appear.
• ✅ Stay dry and comfortable — no drips, no condensation.
• ✅ Recharge in just 30 minutes in ice water— no electricity needed. Or 60 min a fridge or freezer 

👕 Did You Know? UConn’s Korey Stringer Institute found that wearable cooling gear reduced workers’ core temperatures by a full degree, helping prevent dangerous thermal stress in real-world outdoor settings. (CT Insider, July 2025) 

Who Needs Extra Cooling Support?

• 🌞 People in hot or humid environments
  

• 💪 Individuals with chronic or heat-sensitive medical conditions
  

• 🎭 Performers, costumers, mascots, and outdoor event staff
  

• 🧑🏫 Teachers, students, and anyone in buildings without reliable AC
  

• 🏌🏻♀️ 🎾 Anyone who wants to stay active, safe, and comfortable in the heat
  
  

Stay Cool. Stay Safe. Stay Out There.

Heat isn’t going away; in fact, it’s getting worse. But you don’t have to sit it out. With a better understanding of how heat affects your body and the right tools to protect yourself, you can keep doing what you love, no matter the forecast.

🧊 Ready to take the heat off?

Explore discreet, comfortable, and science-backed cooling with ThermApparel Cooling Vests →

🧊 Quick FAQs: Heat & Cooling

1. What are the main signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke?

• Heat exhaustion often starts with dizziness, nausea, heavy sweating, muscle cramps, headache, and weakness.
  

• Heat stroke is more severe: high body temperature (often ≥ 104 °F), confusion, slurred speech, dry or profusely sweating skin, and possible unconsciousness.
  
  

2. How can I prevent heat-related illness when it’s hot outside?

• Stay hydrated with water or electrolyte drinks every 15–20 minutes during heat exposure.

• Seek shade or air-conditioned environments frequently.
  

• Wear light, loose-fitting, light-colored clothing and use sunscreen
  

• Wear a cooling vest
  
  

3. What environmental factors raise the risk of heat-related illness?

• High temperatures, intense humidity, direct radiant heat, and limited airflow increase risk.
  

• Physical exertion, heavy clothing, or personal protective equipment can intensify heat exposure.
  
  

4. Who is most vulnerable to heat illness?

• People 65+, infants, young children, pregnant individuals, and those with chronic conditions (like heart disease or diabetes) are at higher risk.
  

• Medications like diuretics, antihypertensives, and certain antidepressants can impair heat regulation.
  
  

5. How does a cooling vest help prevent heat stress?

• Cooling vests (especially those with Phase Change Material help stabilize core temperature by absorbing heat, improving comfort, and reducing thermal strain.
  
  Research shows that cooling core temperatures by just 1 °F can significantly reduce risk in heat-exposed outdoor workers.
  
  

6. When should I seek medical attention?

• If symptoms persist after cooling, hydration, and rest.
  

• Seek immediate care for confusion, fainting, seizures, or core body temps over 104 °F. Heat Stroke is a medical emergency.