How to stay cool and treat heatstroke during record-breaking temperatures

Heatstroke is a severe medical condition that occurs when a human body’s internal temperature exceeds 40C (104F). Here are some tips to help minimise its risk.

As summer temperatures soar in various regions across the globe, with some even shattering all-time heatwave records, staying cool becomes crucial.

Fortunately, there are effective methods to beat the heat, whether you have access to air conditioning or not.

One of the biggest health concerns with hot weather is the risk of heat-related illnesses, particularly heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

Heatstroke, also known as sunstroke, is a severe medical condition that occurs when the human body’s internal temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). If not treated immediately, heatstroke can lead to organ failure and brain damage, and can even be life-threatening.

Here are 10 tips to help minimise the risk of heatstroke:

If you or another person is experiencing heatstroke symptoms, such as rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing, high body temperature, dehydration or nausea, here are a few steps to bring down your body temperature while waiting for emergency medical aid.

Follow these steps until professional help reaches the patient.

A car left out in the sun on a 32C (90F) day for more than an hour can reach temperatures of nearly double that.

The top half of a car’s passenger compartment is mostly glass, which lets sunlight in freely. The seats and dashboard absorb the light, turning into heat trapped inside because it can’t easily escape through the glass. As a result, a parked car is much hotter than the surrounding air.

It can be fatal to leave children or pets in a parked car. Some items such as lighters, carbonated drinks, canned sprays and power