Preventing Heat Exhaustion Symptoms

Written by:

Jason Kolkey

Reviewed by:

Michael Howard

6 min read

Key Takeaways

Heat can be dangerous, especially for older adults, causing health problems like heat exhaustion, cramps, fainting, and heat stroke.
If you feel symptoms of heat exhaustion like dehydration, dizziness, or nausea, take steps to cool off immediately. Seek medical attention if symptoms last more than an hour.
Protect yourself from heat with precautions like drinking plenty of water and using sunscreen.
If you struggle with the costs of cooling your home, look into resources to help that may be available in your community.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than a thousand people in the U.S. die every year because of heat. If you’re over 65, you’re especially vulnerable to dehydration, heat exhaustion symptoms, and other potentially serious health consequences on sweltering days.

With extreme weather bringing more frequent and often record-breaking heatwaves to the U.S., it’s crucial for older adults to take precautions. By following the advice of medical experts and exploring what resources are available to help, you’ll be better prepared to stay cool and safe through the hottest days of the summer.

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Why Heat Is Dangerous for Older Adults

The warmer months become hazardous as you age because you have a tougher time adjusting to high temperatures. Your body is likely to hold more heat and sweat less while organs, including your cardiovascular system, work harder to cope.

Older adults are more likely than younger people to have a chronic condition like heart or kidney disease that worsens the dangers caused by the heat. You may be prescribed medications like diuretics, sedatives, and certain drugs for heart disease or high blood pressure that make it harder for the body to cool off.

As a result, you’re at elevated risk for heat exhaustion, which can happen when your body loses too much water and salt through sweating.

What Are the Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion?

Heat exhaustion symptoms can include feeling dehydrated, dizzy, and nauseous. If your skin becomes clammy, you experience chills, or your pulse becomes weak, any of these might also be a symptom of heat exhaustion.

How Long Does Heat Exhaustion Last in Adults, and When Should You Seek Treatment?

Treatment for heat exhaustion in adults starts with moving to a cool room and loosening your clothes. Try to bring down your temperature with a bath or washcloths. If you vomit or still feel other heat exhaustion symptoms after an hour, seek medical attention.

For people on Original Medicare (also known as Medicare Part A and Part B), the health insurance program primarily for U.S. adults over 65 that’s administered by the federal government, emergency care is generally covered under Part B medical insurance. If your heat-related illness is severe enough for hospitalization, your inpatient care would be covered under Medicare Part A hospital insurance.

If you’re insured through a Medicare Advantage plan (also called Medicare Part C) from a private insurer, which substitutes for both Part A and Part B, your coverage is required to match what you would get from Original Medicare.

Other Heat-related Illnesses

Some other common heat-related health problems for older adults include:

Cramps from excessive sweating, which result in pain or spasms in your midsection, arms, or legs. You should massage or put pressure on the muscles that hurt and take sips of water. If the pain continues for over an hour, get medical help.

Heat syncope (another word for fainting) may leave you feeling dizzy or cause you to lose consciousness briefly. Rest in a cool place and drink water.

Heat stroke, the most dangerous heat-related illness, occurs when your body can’t control its temperature. Your body temperature might quickly climb to 106 degrees Fahrenheit or even higher. You may become agitated or confused, lose consciousness, or have seizures. If you suspect you have heat stroke, get emergency care immediately. Otherwise, you could become permanently disabled or die.

Protecting Yourself From Heat

On a hot day, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommended that you:

Consume plenty of liquids such as water, juice, and sports drinks.

Avoid tiring outdoor activities and instead visit air-conditioned locations like a library or movie theatre.

Wear a hat and lightweight, loose-fitting, lightly colored clothing.

Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher and reapply throughout the day.

Keep your living space as cool as possible by using air conditioning and fans as well as closing all shades, blinds, or curtains during the day.

If you realize that you’re experiencing a symptom of heat exhaustion or another heat-related illness, take action immediately to cool off or get medical help if needed.

Pay attention to the weather and plan your day accordingly. You can find updates on any current risks from the temperature in your area and advice on staying safe by checking the CDC’s HeatRisk Dashboard.

On warm days, watch out for symptoms of heat exhaustion and other heat-related illnesses in yourself and others. Staying alert is especially important if you have family member or friend with cognitive health challenges. They may not recognize the signs of heat exhaustion before they become dangerous.

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Utility Help for Seniors

Using the electricity necessary to run an air conditioner gets expensive during a heatwave. That can especially be a problem for older adults since U.S. Census data shows that about one in 10 Americans over 65 live on incomes below the official poverty line, and millions more are financially insecure.

People with limited incomes and savings sometimes decide their comfort is not worth the cost. However, instead of putting yourself at risk for negative health impacts from heat, you should explore resources that can make utilities more affordable.

You may be able to find help for utility costs from a few sources, such as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Through this program, the federal government provides local agencies with funds to address residents’ energy needs, including a Cooling Assistance Program. To access that help, you will need to go through the application process that’s been set up by your state and county.

Depending on the services available in your area, you may be able access financial assistance to pay your energy bills, install or repair air conditioning units, buy a generator, and make certain energy-related home repairs.

The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) from the U.S. Department of Energy is another way people with lower incomes can save on cooling bills (as well as heat during the winter). Through this program, states receive funding to improve an average of 35,000 homes each year. To find out if you qualify for some of this assistance, follow your state’s guidelines for applying to your local weatherization provider.

The process begins with an audit of your home to examine the heating and cooling systems, electrical systems, and appliances. Auditors may also find leaks that require minor repairs or opportunities for simple additions like weather stripping that can make systems function more efficiently. Then contractors come in to complete the work.

Soaring temperatures present a real danger to older adults. To protect yourself from heat exhaustion and other heat-related illnesses, explore what resources are available in your community to help you stay cool and how your health insurance can help manage the risks of severe weather.