Hurrah! Just in the nick of time, summer is here.
And whether you’re in a beer garden, picnicking in a park or lounging at a beach, you might be enjoying the glorious weather with a drink in hand.
There’s nothing quite like a cold tinnie or a fruity cocktail when the sun is shining but – and maybe it’s just us – we always seem to feel the affects of the alcohol a lot quicker in the sun.
So what’s the deal? Are you simply drunk on vitamin D? Or does the sun have some magical lightweight inducing affect?
We spoke to GP Dr Philippa Kaye, to get to the bottom of the situation and, we hate to break it to you, but you can’t blame the heatwave on your drunken antics.
‘The alcohol concentration is the same irrespective of the weather,’ she puts it simply.
However, there are some sun-related factors that might contribute to your tipsy-ness.
‘In the heat you sweat more as your body tries to cool you down. So you’re more likely to be dehydrated already in the heat, which might affect how you feel and intensify the effects of alcohol,’ she explains.
‘Added to this, the feelings of being drunk, and heat exhaustion can feel similar – so be careful.
So are their precautions you should take when drinking during this heatwave? Well, if you want to be really cautious, Dr Philippa recommend avoiding alcohol all together.
‘I would advise not drinking in the sun,’ she explains. ‘But other precautions you can take include using sunscreen and drinking more (water) to prevent dehydration.’
What is heat exhaustion?
Heat exhaustion occurs when your body loses too much salt and water, causing you to feel unwell.
If left untreated, heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke.
If it turns into heat stroke, it needs to be treated as an emergency.
According to the NHS, symptoms include:
- a headache
- dizziness and confusion
- loss of appetite and feeling sick
- excessive sweating and pale, clammy skin
- cramps in the arms, legs and stomach
- fast breathing or pulse
- a high temperature of 38C or above
- being very thirsty
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