It is good to have a fitness routine so as to improve your health. This is in addition to eating healthy foods. Heat and humidity affect your fitness routine in four main ways. We are going to discuss these below. This way, you will be able to ensure that the environment in which you exercise is conducive. High heat and high humidity can trigger certain allergic reactions and cause health complications. Nasal congestion, itchy skin, and muscle cramps are some of the side effects triggered by high heat and high humidity. Interestingly, low humidity is not good either. It is therefore important to maintain ideal heat and humidity. This way, you will enjoy a more effective fitness routine.
- Heat and humidity changes blood flow and sweating
In hot conditions, the body cools itself through sweating. In hot humid conditions, cooling is not achieved easily. Cooling occurs when sweat evaporates. As such, when there is more heat and humidity, fitness routine will be affected. This is mainly because there is less blood directed to muscles. More blood has to flow on the surface of the skin for sweating and cooling to take place. You will seem to sweat more and lose more water since the environment is hot and humid.
- Anaerobic energy production leading to exhaustion and fatigue
Blood volume during routine fitness in high heat and humidity environment is reduced. This has side effects. They include exhaustion and high energy expenditure. Again, mainly the carbohydrates are used for energy instead of fats. This does not help in burning fat. Remember in anaerobic mode, less oxygen is used in energy production. This leads to muscular fatigue.
- The heart pounds more than normal
This is mainly because when you exercise in high heat and high humidity environments, more blood is required. The heart pumps more blood to the skin surface to cool off. More blood is also necessary to the muscles for energy. In addition, the blood becomes thicker since one loses plasma during sweating. The blood becomes more viscous and the heart has to pump faster and harder. Carrying out a fitness routine in a hot and humid environment will cause your heart to beat faster.
- High humidity hinders cooling
If you exercise in low humidity environments, you will realise that your fitness routine becomes more effective. This is because the body easily cools off since the sweat easily evaporates. But with high heat, it becomes harder to maintain a low humid environment. It is, therefore, important to maintain low humidity in the gym or any workout environment.
Through the use of modern air conditioners, this can easily be achieved. But one needs to ensure that they get the best quality humidifiers. A small research can enable you to get high quality and effective air conditioners. There are other simple ways through which you can maintain some low humidity conditions. Examples include; through the use of plants, humidifiers or even spraying water on the curtains or other pieces of clothing around you.
It is advisable to avoid too much heat and humidity during fitness workout sessions. Take measures to combat heat illness symptoms. They include heavy sweating, dizziness, headache, and weakness among others. You should immediately look for a cooler environment. Look for an area with an air conditioner or humidifier or maybe take a cool shower.
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