THE HEAT WAVES AT HOME

The heat wave and the deterioration of houses

Houses cracked by drought! Incredible but very real!

Thousands of houses crack every year due to ground movement due to drought.

In France, studies show that 20,000 houses are “affected by drought”. The soil “moves” under houses: it “shrinks” during extreme drought and swells again when winter rains return. It is under these conditions that cracks appear on the walls, for example in 2018, 43% of French territory was impacted. This shifting clay soil phenomenon is likely to be more and more frequent when prolonged heat waves are repeated each year.

The energy renovation of homes is becoming a national emergency for human health (comfort and well-being), the durability of constructions (absence of wall cracks), energy saving (financial savings), reduction of energy pollution ( lower carbon footprint), moisture elimination (risk of toxic mold in winter).

• Open windows and shutters at night to let air in and close them tightly in the morning just before the sun rises to keep the air inside. Louvered shutters are the old, simple, most efficient technology.
• Dry laundry inside houses to benefit from the freshness of the water evaporated during drying.
• Sleeping on a futon at ground level or in the coolest place (basement, cellar) helps you sleep better. Use linen sheets, which are known to transport heat to the outside.
• Pass a wet mop on the floor to refresh the main living room.
• Turn off any device that emits heat: television, computer.
• Create drafts that pass through the apartment or, in a house, upstairs, create a chimney effect that expels hot air.
• Moisten the body several times during the day with cold showers or baths.

Choosing a hydrating herbal tea

The flavor of certain plants brings an almost immediate sensation of freshness, for example a mixture that is suitable for all members of a family:

Quack grass (root), hibiscus (calyx), lime (inflorescences), strawberry (leaf), red vine (leaf), blackcurrant (leaf).

To be consumed during the day before feeling the harmful effects of the heat. Drink this cold beverage, but it can also be consumed hot, providing a more lasting cooling effect: the heat promotes perspiration and therefore cooling.

Avoid cooking. Choose to “crusiner” (eat raw, without oven or barbecue).

Brighten up summer herbal teas by making ice cubes with aromatic plants: just select small flowers (used whole) placed in an ice cube tray and cover them with water. Placed in the freezer the flowers become like a “plant statue”. In this way we brighten up the summer drinks that surprise the guests and… do us good. (we can even “invent” ice-water trivets with flowers to keep the dishes cold).

For people who are very demineralized or who do not like plain water, use a very liquid cold soup such as gazpacho, but at all times avoid drinking “frozen”. Drinking regularly anticipates thirst.

Cold infusions, a good idea for hot days.

A method rather akin to the maceration of plants, in cold water, where the plants macerate for 6 to 12 hours depending on the hardness, stiffness or thickness of the plant parts used.

Basic recommendations to better endure “heat stroke”:

• Drink about 2 L of water per day (hydrate without waiting for thirst).
• Wear light-colored clothes that allow the sun’s rays to be reflected.
• Wear hats or caps.
• Eat fresh and refreshing food.
• Do not expose yourself to the sun between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Stay as much as possible in ventilated, cool or shady places.
• Moisten the body with water (shower, misting).
• Close the shutters during the day. Open the shutters after sunset and until daybreak.
• Choose to jog only early in the morning or in the evening after sunset.
• To quench your thirst, avoid sodas and ice cream and prefer fresh water (but not ice) for optimal body temperature.
• Apply a refreshing gel to the legs: 2 to 3 times a day, starting at the ankle and working your way up to the top of the leg.

The symptoms that suggest heat stroke (hyperthermia: that is to say a body temperature above 400°C) are characterized by significant dehydration:

• tired
• headache
• dizziness, muscle cramps
• confusion
• unusual behavior
• dry skin
• dry mouth
• redness on the skin
• chills

and require immediate action:

• move to a cool and shaded place
• cover your body with a damp cloth and renew the laundry as soon as it becomes lukewarm
• drink cool water
• cease all activity
• agitated or confused behavior requires the emergency call for appropriate treatment.

Note: Hyperthermia should not be confused with fever.

In fever, the high body temperature results from a functional dysfunction.

In hyperthermia, the temperature comes from the heat outside or from excessive exercise.

Heatwave and sleep

High temperatures make it difficult to fall asleep and make it difficult to get a restful sleep of physical / mental / emotional energy. Heavy legs, so-called restless legs, hot flashes or headaches affect the quality of sleep and require corrective measures to obtain a guaranteed “nightlife quality” until you wake up the next day.

People who are “allergic to air conditioning” need to find other ways to enjoy peaceful, pleasant nights, such as choices that provide hydration and comfort.

• equip yourself with a thermo-regulated mattress topper that only cools the location where the user is lying. This is the concept of localized air conditioning,
• use a refreshing pillow (“Coolpad” for example): always fresh pillow to fight against sleep disorders and poor blood circulation, limit and relieve sweating, night sweating and hot flashes …

An alternative to air conditioning:

There are misting systems that produce an extremely fine mist of water particles that instantly evaporate and decrease by several degrees covered or uncovered outdoor spaces and all places where traditional air conditioning cannot be used.

Heatwaves and kidney stones

The intense summer heat, increased sweating, and insufficient fluid intake are believed to be the main contributors to the increased risk of kidney stone formation.

By observing the color of the urine, it is possible to assess whether the body’s hydration is normal, sufficient or not.