In the Hot

I get asked all the time how I can possibly work in the heat and humidity, when the temperature is hovering around 90 but the humidity is making it feel closer to 100.  Before I go any further, let me clarify one thing, I never get asked this question by anyone who lives in Florida or anywhere further south than Connecticut.  Obviously, since I live here, most people who question my ability to work in this heat are from here as well.  The simple answer I always give is, "I just do it".  The moment that I start thinking about the heat and how hot it is or the sweat pouring off my body, that's the moment when my mind starts to defeat my body and tell it that it really can't work in the heat.  Yet, this little heat wave we are currently having is nothing.  Upper 80's to low 90's, I can handle it, even with the humidity, you just have to drink plenty of fluids and take plenty of breaks from the sun.  On days that are super hot and sticky, I always try to work in the shade, not just because it is obviously much cooler in the shade than in the sun, but also because the sun tends to make a person go a little bit loony after being in it for too long.  Most people who aren't familiar with working outside can't tell when they have been in the sun too long without a break or without fluids.  I know the signs from my body that say its time to head into the shade and drink another 20 ounces of water.  Water, as I am sure almost everyone knows, is the key to surviving a day of work out in the sun.  That and little bits of Gatorade interspersed in between to ensure that fluids get retained and electrolytes are replaced.  On a hot day I drink more than 200 ounces of water, and that is just to keep a healthy balance of fluids in my body, nothing extra.  I'm always amazed at how much I can drink on a hot day and still not have to use the bathroom very often.  Yesterday, the first of supposedly three hot days, I definitely drank more than 200 ounce of fluids and honestly only had to use the bathroom twice, once in the morning and once in the afternoon.  On hot days, I don't even want to eat very much, just enough to sustain my vigorous working.  I find if I eat too much, it takes to much of my body's energy to process it and it actually slows me down in the sun and makes me more sluggish.  To compensate, I eat what I didn't eat during the day in the evening. 

 

The one helpful hint that I would recommend to anyone working in the sun is that when you start sweating, don't wipe it off, let it evaporate naturally.  The more you wipe it off, the more you will begin to overheat.  Its simple science, but sweat acts to cool the body, the more you sweat, the more you need to cool down.  Plus, if you leave the sweat on your body, it will act as a nice little air conditioning unit when a breeze blows.  My only issue when I start sweating is preventing the sweat from dripping into the paint can.  I know, its kind of a disgusting issue to have, but its one that I deal with on any day that I start sweating profusely.  Today promises to be another one of those days, hotter than yesterday, and necessitating more water consumption on my part.  To be honest, I am already tired and haven't even begun working yet.  I guess I will just have to take more breaks to down the water and cool off as best as possible.  We shall see how all of that goes.  For now, I must get on the road and get crackin at work before it the heat starts slowing me down.  Luckily, I am usually good through the morning and its only after lunch that I really start feeling the effects of the heat.  Its normally all I can do to keep working past 3, but when there is work to be done, one must keep on working, or something to that effect.  Yup, time to go I guess.