Expert explained: "Tea and coffee do not meet your water needs"

Prof. Dr. Levent Öztürk, Head of the Physiology Department at TÜ Faculty of Medicine, stated that citizens should be especially careful about heat stroke due to rising temperatures caused by climate change, and that they should avoid going out between 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. unless absolutely necessary. He continued:

Climate change, especially in recent years, has brought with it extreme heat. There are certain points we need to be careful about in this hot weather. Conditions that threaten cardiovascular health can arise, particularly. The clinical condition we call heat stroke generally occurs when our core body temperature exceeds 40.5 degrees Celsius. Therefore, temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius carry a risk. The first thing we need to do is stay away from heat. This means the hottest hours of the day, around 11:00 a.m. and 5:00-6:00 p.m., are best avoided during these hours. Avoid being outdoors unless absolutely necessary. The second thing we can do is meet our body's water needs and consume a little more. This is because, in hot weather, we lose more water through sweating, breathing, and evaporation. This dehydration can lead to low blood pressure. If you have heart disease, it can also lead to more emergencies. Therefore, we should definitely carry a bottle of water with us and make sure to drink water regularly to protect ourselves from heat stroke.

'A WIDE-BRIDLED HAT SHOULD BE WORN'

Professor Dr. Öztürk said, "A third precaution we can take is using bottles resembling perfume bottles that spray water to cool us down. Spraying water, especially on the face and neck area, will cool us down in the form of fine particles. We absolutely must wear hats. It's beneficial for hats to have wide brims, if possible. This will be more protective."

PAY ATTENTION TO THE SLEEPING ENVIRONMENT TEMPERATURE

Prof. Dr. Öztürk stated that sleep is directly affected by ambient temperature, saying, "The ideal sleeping temperature is generally around 19-20 degrees Celsius. Sometimes it's impossible for us to maintain this temperature, but when the bedroom temperature rises above 22 degrees Celsius, sleep quality begins to deteriorate. We may have difficulty falling asleep. We may have difficulty staying asleep, or when it drops below 16 degrees Celsius, sleep quality deteriorates even in cold weather. We can recommend the following, especially for homes with air conditioning in the bedroom: It's best not to run the air conditioners while sleeping. Alternatively, it's beneficial to run them an hour or an hour and a half before bed to dehumidify the room. After a certain degree of cooling is achieved, turn the air conditioner off and go to bed. If this doesn't work, turning the room temperature down to 24 degrees Celsius, that is, setting the air conditioner temperature to 23-24 degrees Celsius, will prevent illnesses caused by air conditioning-related cold-heat imbalances."

'Wearing loose clothing will make your body comfortable'

Prof. Dr. Öztürk emphasized the importance of choosing clothing wisely in hot weather, saying, "Our core body temperature is 37 degrees Celsius. This decreases towards the outer layers of the body, dropping to as low as 22 degrees Celsius. However, as the environment warms, the core temperature begins to rise even more internally, and exceeding 40 degrees Celsius poses a risk. Numerous precautions can be taken to address this. For example, wearing light-colored clothing when going outside will reflect light, making us more comfortable. Another option is to wear looser, airy clothing instead of tight, clinging clothing. Another important consideration is the type of textile the clothing is made from. Nylon clothing may be less effective at trapping perspiration, which can be irritating. However, cotton or linen clothing provides greater comfort. Therefore, we should ensure we wear loose, airy, and light-colored clothing as much as possible."

'TEA AND COFFEE DO NOT MEET WATER NEEDS'

Prof. Dr. Öztürk stated that tea or coffee don't meet the body's water needs, saying, "Water intake is very important. We must take precautions to constantly meet our water needs by carrying water with us. The generally recommended average is around two and a half to three liters of water a day. But most of us don't get this. We don't get it in the form of water. And of course, we're a nation that loves tea. We think that when we drink tea or coffee, we're somehow meeting our water needs, but this is a mistake. Drinks like tea and coffee also have diuretic properties. They can make us lose as much or more than we consume. Therefore, it's beneficial to meet our water needs in the form of water. However, if we don't like that much water, consuming foods with high water content can also contribute. For example, let's say you're eating cucumbers. Cucumbers are already 90 percent water. In this way, they provide a water boost in foods."