Can you train your body to withstand the heat?

UWindsor kinesiology professor Anthony Bain says yes, and explains how in an article published in The Conversation.

“The strategy of heat training is particularly important for endurance athletes,” Dr. Bain says. “However, given our warming environment, it may be time to consider heat training even for non-athletes, especially for people working outdoors.”

Heat acclimatization occurs naturally for people constantly exposed to hot and humid environments. But for those of us in seasonal climates and using air-conditioning in the summer, acclimatization rarely occurs.

Instead, people hoping to acclimate themselves need to work at it. Bain cites a recent study that found soaking in a 40 C bathtub for 40 minutes following 40 minutes of exercise three days in a row did the trick.

But for older adults and people with conditions such as heart disease and diabetes who are vulnerable to heat-related injuries, avoiding heat exposure is still the best strategy.

The Conversation is an online publication featuring articles from academics and researchers around the world.

Read Bain’s full article in The Conversation here.

—Sarah Sacheli