OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Kansas City is expected to see rising temperatures over the weekend.
With events across the area, I ran an experiment to see how the body reacts to heat.
The medics at station 43 in Overland Park took my temperature, blood pressure, checked my heart rhythm and blood oxygenation before and after spending an hour and a half outdoors.
With water standing by, I braved the heat for a walk, run and little workout.
I took the advice of the firefighters and medics at the station before I left the building.
I made sure to listen to my body, resting and drinking water throughout the workout.
As expected, my heart rate was up compared to before my time out in the sun.
I got caught being under-prepared for the weather.
“Your blood pressure is a little on the low side," said Peter Friedel, a medic for the Overland Park Fire Department. “You might not have drank enough water this week.”
Friedel is the medic who took my vitals for this experiment.
If you are planning out being at events this weekend, keep this in mind.
“If you are outside at an event, try not to go inside, outside, inside, outside — it shocks your body,” he said. “You want your body to get acclimated to that heat.”
These are the signs of heat exhaustion you should look out for:
- lightheaded
- dizzy
- nauseous
- vomiting
- muscle cramps
If you are experiencing confusion or lose consciousness, you may be experiencing a heat stroke.
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