Summer is here, and with it comes a whole host of problems that we humans have to face. One of those problems is dealing with the heat that comes along with all that sunshine. While sweating might be the go-to solution for most people when they feel too hot, there's actually a lot more going on in your body than you might think! In this article, we're going to explore what happens when your body gets too hot - from sweat glands to heatstroke and everything in between.
Sweat Glands: A Cool Solution
The first thing that happens when your body starts to overheat is your sweat glands kick into action. These little guys are responsible for producing sweat which then evaporates off your skin and helps to cool you down. Fun fact: Did you know that humans have two different types of sweat glands? Eccrine glands produce odorless sweat while Apocrine glands produce odor-causing species as bacteria break down their secretions.
How Do They Work?
Sweat has been described as "your own personal air conditioning system" because it cools you down so effectively (and without blasting Coldplay music at top volume). Your brain sends signals through nerves in response to increasing internal or external temperature changes, telling these eccrine gland cells (flat cells at duct openings) found over most regions of our bodies (except genitals & underarms), through up-regulation/signaling pathways involving second messengers such calcium ions leading them open channels allowing re-uptake/entry/process leading water being released out onto skins' surface where evaporation occurs cooling us via thermodynamical properties (hint,hint...).
Why We Need It?
This process sounds like a automatic luxury built by nature itself but there’s an evolutionary reason behind this mechanism - keep us warm enough even if environment was chilly; enable us perform crucial tasks even if environment was hot, while reducing our chances to become food for predators.
Blood Flow: The Other Solution
Another way your body helps you cool down is by increasing blood flow near the surface of your skin. This increased circulation means that more heat from inside your body can be released into the air surrounding you- and just like sweat evaporating off your skin cools you down, so too does warmer a layer radiating away this thermal energy upward/away.
How Does It Work?
When we generate more heat than required (working out, getting stubborn about sun-tanning) our bodies need to transit some excess internalized heat somewhere else otherwise cell-function at optimal level may suffer as proteins denature etc., resulting in damage when reaching certain threshold limit . The human circulatory system works by diverting blood towards areas where there are signs upraised metabolic activity/hotness/or inflammation , such as muscles during exercise or around injured/inflamed tissue area helping with cardiac output. Usually this process happens fast enough not allowing drastic change in core temperature which will prevent brain injuries arising out of systematic internal overheating but sometimes it's just insufficient leading symptoms such as migraines and hot-flash altough these aren't caused necessarily always due high environmental temps; rather could be onset by other underlying conditions.
Why We Need It?
A constant stable normal inner-body 98-degree fahrenheit baseline temperature is maintained via balancing metabolism irrespective of external stimuli/or artificial cold-generating supplements aiding us to perform day-to-day life functions seamlessly.
Heat Exhaustion: When Your Body Gets Overwhelmed
While sweating and increased circulation help keep us cool, there are times when they're simply not enough - particularly when external temperatures climb beyond what our polar-adaptive bodies can handle naturally (anything above fifty degrees Fahrenheit feels tropical Isn't it?). One result can be the onset something called "heat exhaustion".
Symptoms
Symptoms of heat exhaustion are pretty much what you'd expect from having done a little too much exercising in the sun. They include dizziness, headaches, nausea and vomiting, rapid heart rate, shallow breathing --- basically lethargy personified if /when combined with restless legs syndrome; not ideal for pool-side cocktails readers.
What to Do About It?
If someone is suffering from heat exhaustion it can be helpful to move them inside or somewhere cooler ASAP. Because at this stage dehydration could set-up causing blood-pressure variance and/or fainting so providing fluids preferably ORALLY rather than I.V ; electrolytes (important minerals that help maintain fluid balance) such as sodium/potassium/magnesium etc in suitable re-hydration solution compositions aiding with glucose boosts can boost up energy levels within human system rejuvenating conditions better efficiency against drastic temperature rise confrontations being tackled by sweat mechanism -Nebulized treatments including bronchodilators &/or corticosteroids appears unhelpful (Jaber et al., 2007).
Heat Stroke: A Dangerously Hot Situation
Heat stroke is something entirely different--it's when your body’s internal temperate regulation goes hay-wire due Extreme environmental temperatures/no proper precautions taken/bad ventilation during common situations like naps/power outages—resulting in severe reactions ranging from seizures/to coma (now these aren't circumstances where one wants Instagram pictures clicked).
Symptoms
The main difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion is that when you suffer from a stroke there are some tell-tale signs/symptoms indicating damage happening at cellular level related more explicitly to breakdown various organ functioning :
- Dry skin
- High fever/high BP
- Rapid heartbeat/tachycardia
- Muscle cramps/thrashes potentially leading Seizures; lasting fainting episodes.
Why Is This One Dangerous?
When your body’s internal temperature regulation stops working it spells trouble as various organs start shutting down. Heat medications such as ibuprofen can sometimes disrupt traditional functioning not aiding heat-stricken individuals so care should be taken while further managment is prescribed to avoid exacerbating an already heated situation (pun intended).
What Should You Do?
Heatstroke is a very serious condition and requires immediate medical attention - this is something our ancestors used to call "Job for Doc Immediate" (a term coined by early humans, meaning: get help ASAP!). If you're out in the sun and someone experiences these symptoms, then move them inside or somewhere cool like we did with someone suffering from heat exhaustion but rapidly call for medical aid number-911/112 etc & till then try damp-to-wet wrapping/sponging with lukewarm/cold water surrounding forehead/back of neck/armpits/groin area as cooling starts with proximal blood vessels. Its tantamount to point-out here that cold packs applied directly onto skin may harm done more than good.
Wrapping Up
In conclusion, dealing with excessive body heat might seem simple enough – you either sweat it out or take a long dunk into the pool/bathtub/shower--but there's actually far more going on beneath your skin than you might think! Whether through sweating or increased circulation, nature has given us remarkable tools to keep our internal temperatures stable under unanticipated circumstances like changing environmental conditions; but often times certain solutions become unpardonable due lack of attention/objectivity towards weariness levels/or unawareness about partials underlying health issues which ultimately adds up for serious consequences needing professional assistance-this doesn't mean..gasps sighs summer ends just yet! With proper precautions/hydrations/maintaining adequate intake/outdoor activities timed accordingly/temporary retreat shade covered areas; memorable/enjoyable summertime fun isn't too far-fetched,human engineering at its finest working synergism with evolution. Remember Gang! Drink water-Stay Chill