What to do if you think someone has heat exhaustion or heatstroke

Here is the latest breaking news from around the world: What to do if you think someone has heat exhaustion or heatstrokeImage source, Getty ImagesByMichelle RobertsDigital health editorPublished12 July 2022Updated 22 June 2026During hot weather, it can be easy to overheat, sometimes resulting in heat exhaustion or heatstroke. Heat exhaustion is not usually serious as long as you can cool yourself down - but heatstroke is a medical emergency which requires immediate treatment. Some groups, including older adults, young children and people with long-term health conditions can be particularly at risk.

What is the difference between heat exhaustion and heatstroke? Heat exhaustion happens when your body becomes too hot and struggles to regulate its temperature. An obvious sign is excessive sweating, as well as feeling very hot and unwell - which is your body's way of warning you to cool down, fast.

The Details

Other symptoms include:headachedizziness and confusionloss of appetite and feeling sickcramps in the arms, legs and stomachfast breathing or pulsetemperature of 38C or abovebeing very thirstyYoung children, who might not be able to tell you about how they are feeling, may become floppy and sleepy. Heat exhaustion can affect anyone, including fit and healthy people - especially if they have done strenuous exercise in high temperatures or have been drinking alcohol in the sun all day. It can come on quickly, over minutes, or gradually, over hours.

Some medicines can also make it harder to regulate your temperature, or mean you are more likely to burn in the sun, feel dizzy, or become dehydrated, external. Heat exhaustion can turn into heatstroke, which is a medical emergency. It means your body can no longer manage the heat and your core temperature is rising too high.

You should get urgent medical help. The signs to watch for and quickly act on:feeling unwell after 30 minutes of resting in a cool place and drinking plenty of waternot sweating even while feeling too hota temperature of 40C or abovefast breathing or shortness of breathfeeling confuseda fit (seizure)loss of consciousnessnot responsiveWhat does hot weather do to the body? Published22 JuneWhat are UV levels and how can you protect yourself?

What Experts Say

Published22 JuneHow much sunscreen do you need to protect your skin? Published22 JuneWhat should you do if you think someone has heat exhaustion or heatstroke? If someone has heat exhaustion:get them to rest in a cool place - such as a room with air conditioning or somewhere in the shaderemove any unnecessary clothing, to expose as much of their skin as possiblecool their skin - use whatever you have available, a cool, wet sponge or flannel, spray water, cold packs around the neck and armpits, or wrap them in a cool, wet sheetfan their skin while it is moist - this will help the water to evaporate, which will help their skin cool downget them to drink water - sports or rehydration drinks are fine tooStay with them until they are better.

They should start to cool down and feel better within 30 minutes.

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