Summer fatigue and dizziness: 1-minute heat hacks that actually work

Extreme heat can cause heat exhaustion or heat stroke, conditions that occur when your body can’t cool itself down properly. Symptoms include dizziness, rapid pulse, fatigue, nausea, muscle cramps, and even confusion (Image: Canva)

Do you often feel light-headed or drained after stepping outside in summer? The heat makes you sweat and can also leave you dizzy, disoriented, and dangerously close to fainting if you are not careful. And when the sun is blazing, even a quick walk or standing in a queue can make your head spin.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), extreme heat can cause heat exhaustion or heat stroke, conditions that occur when your body can’t cool itself down properly. Symptoms include dizziness, rapid pulse, fatigue, nausea, muscle cramps, and even confusion.

One of the most common early signs? Feeling faint or like the world is tilting slightly under your feet. This happens when the body loses water, salt, and key minerals through sweat, and if you’re not hydrating or cooling down immediately, things can escalate. But before you reach for a complicated remedy or panic, there are some simple tricks you can try that take less than a minute.

Also read | Heatstroke causes, symptoms: Hydration and sunburn protection are some preventive measures

Health benefits of salted lemon water: It helps replenish lost electrolytes and perk you up when you're dragging from the heat (Image: Canva)

Here are a few quick grandma-approved tricks that may help you beat the summer woes:

• Sip salted lemon water: Mix a glass of cool water with fresh lemon juice and a small pinch of salt. It may sound simple, but it helps replenish lost electrolytes and perk you up when you're dragging from the heat.

• Ice your pulse points: Grab an ice cube or a cold washcloth and press it gently on your wrists, neck, or behind your knees. These areas have blood vessels close to the skin, so cooling them helps lower your internal temperature quickly.

• Lie down and lift your legs: If you're feeling faint, lie flat on your back and raise your legs up on a pillow or chair. This helps blood flow back to your brain, which can restore clarity and balance within seconds.

• Cool your scalp: Dampen your hair or run cool water over your head. It works fast to get rid of excess body heat. Even a quick splash in the sink can help your body regulate better in high temps.

• Rub aloe on your skin: Keep aloe vera gel in the fridge. When heat strikes, apply a bit to your forehead or arms. It cools the skin instantly and reduces that flushed, prickly feeling.

• Fan with a wet cloth: Soak a small towel in water and fan your face or neck. The evaporation process helps your body cool down naturally and prevents further overheating.

• Pop a fruit cube: Frozen chunks of watermelon or cucumber are like edible AC. They hydrate, provide natural sugars, and cool your core from the inside out. Plus, they taste great.

• Try peppermint oil: A drop of peppermint essential oil on your temples or the back of your neck gives an instant cooling sensation, plus it smells fresh and can snap you out of heat-induced brain fog.

• Breathe through your nose: Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose, then exhale gently through your mouth. This helps cool the air you take in and calms your nervous system if you're panicking from the heat.