I may be seen with a sweater, or even a jacket these days. Yes, even when it is in the high 20 degrees. That’s because of the indoor weather I may encounter. Over-cooled air conditioning is a cruel thing to do to summer.
I am not anti-air-conditioning, but it’s nice to have summer’s heat.
I am baffled as to why some buildings, particularly stores and restaurants have to become so cold in summer. It’s not comfortable to shiver my way through a burger and onion rings. And it costs the proprietor money.
Last week I was in a grocery store in Brandon with a family member who forgot her jacket in the car. Shorts and a tank top at the north pole? We did not linger. We got the essentials and headed back outside. In such cases, air conditioning probably saved me some money.
Having said all this, it is a fact that our summer heat can be dangerous if we are out in it for too long or doing strenuous things.
The website for Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety has tips on air quality, climate control and handling the heat.
They suggest air conditioned rest areas for outdoor workers and loose clothing that permits sweat evaporation but stops radiant heat, as well as other means to stay healthy in extreme heat.
The human body will become acclimatized to the heat. That website says it takes up to a week to fully adjust to a new climate. Some medications interfere with acclimatization.
For example, drugs causing low blood pressure, diuretics, antispasmodics, sedatives, tranquilizers, antidepressants and amphetamines decrease the body’s ability to cope with heat. Consuming coffee or alcohol can be dehydrating and to be truly thirst quenching energy drinks and fruit drinks should be diluted with water.
However, air conditioners can pose health risks, particularly for those who spend long periods in cold, air-conditioned environments. Some people say that air conditioning gives them a cold. Well, maybe.
Living day and night in an air conditioned climate can also prevent the acclimatization to the extreme heat of July in Manitoba.
This web site, www.centralhtg.com/blog is just one of many that point out that the air conditioning system can become polluted and a source of unhealthy air.
A little air conditioning can be a good thing, and a shaded airy environment is very important on a hot day.
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