Danger here! Weather Warning for those considering exercise this weekend
Temperatures are predicted to soar for the weekend - it's gonna be a scorcher! Hot enough for all athletes, all the way from those at elite level to enthusiasts, park joggers to walkers, busy midfielders to stand-in-the-sticks goalkeepers, to think ahead.This is especially important too, for those setting out hiking on any over 900 trails listed on the National Trails Register. It is important to remember that pleasant weather is always an athlete's friend, that hot weather is not necessarily so.The temperatures are expected to get to as high as 27 degrees in places in Ireland these next three days tapering down to still sticky 24 degrees by Sunday.Do take precautions, warn Sport Ireland, as exercising in hot weather puts extra stress on your body.Play it safe in the gym, in the park, on the pitch and on the streets during your workout and, as importantly, directly afterwards.Here are some key tips to follow, advice every athlete needs to know, it is as valuable as good running shoes and the water bottle.Are you ready to run, play, workout, have you planned appropriately? ACCLIMATISATIONIn the Sport Ireland Institute we use an environmental chamber to simulate high temperatures to help our athletes prepare for competition in any part of the world, so we know how important it is to acclimate to hot conditions. If you are new to exercising in the heat, gradually increase your intensity and duration to allow your body to adjust. Start off a bit slower than you might usually and assess the situation after around 15 minutes. If you're feeling good then you can pick it up, but make sure to check in with yourself regularly. Limit your total exercise time to 30 minutes initially, you can increase this as you adjust to the heat. HYDRATEExercising in hotter weather puts an extra demand on your body. Remember to drink fluids before, during and after exercise. Water is a good start but look to add diluted squash, juice or electrolytes when exercising in the heat, to ensure you stay hydrated and are replenishing fluids and salts lost through sweating. Bring a bottle of fluids with you, or plan water stops along your route. If doing long-duration exercise, weighing yourself before and after can be a good way to monitor your fluid loss. For every 1kg decrease in weight, aim to drink 1.5L of fluids. COOLING DOWNAfter exercising in heat, your body temperature will be higher than normal and will remain elevated for a period. Effective strategies for cooling yourself include cold water shower, sipping on colder fluids, ice drinks such as slushies or jumping in an ice bath. This will help your recovery and reduce stress on your body quicker. SKIN NEEDS PROTECTIONIt is important to protect your skin from the sun. You are more at risk of skin cancer if you spend a lot of time outdoors and that includes exercising or playing sports outdoors.In Ireland, the sun can damage your skin, even on cloudy days. Skin damage does not only happen in hot, sunny places. #CHECK THE UV INDEX ON MET EIREANNUltraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun can damage skin and increase your risk of skin cancers. This is because most skin cancers are caused by UV light damaging the DNA in skin cells. UVA and UVB are types of UV light. They damage skin over time, making it more likely for skin cancers to develop. The UV index tells you how strong the sun’s UV rays are each day and you need to protect your skin when the UV index is 3 or above. In Ireland, the UV index is usually 3 or above from April to September, even when it is cloudy. UV is usually strongest between 11am and 3pm. THE 'SUNSMART 5s' RULESThe HSE and Healthy Ireland recommends that you follow the SunSmart 5s rules with the catchy shorthand jingle 'slip-slop-slap-seek-and-slide. SLIPSlip on clothes that cover your skin, such as long sleeves and T-shirts with a collar. Sun-protective clothing for babies and children SLOP Slop on broad-spectrum water-resistant sunscreen. Broad spectrum means the sunscreen protects against UVA and UVB rays. Put sunscreen on any skin that you do not cover with clothes. When buying sunscreen, the label should have a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 for adults and 50 for children. You should apply sunscreen 20 minutes before going outdoors and every two hours after. However, if you have been swimming and towel drying or after sweating you will need to put it on more often than every two hours. SLAPSlap on a wide-brimmed hat to protect your face, ears and neck.SEEKFrom April to September the sun is strongest between 11am and 3pm so it is a good idea to exercise outside these times if possible. If you are outside during this time, seek shade. If exercising outdoors, choose routes with shade or consider exercising in parks with trees.SLIDESlide on wraparound sunglasses with UV protection to protect your eyes. *for more information visit the SunSmart website. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
