Summer is centered around the outdoors. Beach days, pool parties, backyard cookouts…Activities like these are what make summer special. Maybe you’re fortunate enough to have a vacation, where you’ll spend the remainder of your summer days sightseeing and exploring.
To fully enjoy everything summer has to offer, it’s important to know how spending time in the heat can impact your health so you can take precautions and stay safe. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, July 2026 was the warmest month on record for the contiguous U.S. Every single state ranked in the warmest third of their July temperature records and none ranked near or below average.
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Spending prolonged time in hot weather can impact cardiovascular health, particularly for senior adults and anyone with a pre-existing heart condition. According to a scientific article in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, an average of 702 deaths were due to the heat each year between 2004 and 2018.
When exactly do temperatures reach a point when they become dangerous and how can you protect yourself? Here’s everything you need to know, straight from cardiologists.
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How Heat Impacts Cardiovascular Health
Simply put, spending time in hot weather puts added stress on the heart, explains Dr. Waseem Chaudhry, MD, the director of non-invasive cardiology and cardiac prevention for RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group and Community Medical Center. “The heart has to work harder to keep the body cool, increasing the risk of heart-related problems,” he says.
When the body becomes dehydrated and overheated, Dr. Chaudhry says it can lead to symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat or chest discomfort, especially in people with underlying heart conditions. “When the body is dehydrated, there is less circulating fluid, which also forces the heart to work harder to maintain blood flow,” he says.
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To avoid putting added stress on your cardiovascular system from dehydration, Dr. Sandip Patel, MD, an interventional cardiologist with the Orlando Health Heart and Vascular Institute, says it’s important to be well-hydrated before you spend time outside on a hot day as well as continuing to stay hydrated while you’re outside.
If you experience any of the aforementioned symptoms, Dr. Chaudhry says to move to a cool place, drink water if you are able to and immediately stop any physical activity. “If symptoms like chest pain, trouble breathing, confusion or fainting develop or don’t improve, seek immediate emergency medical care,” he says.
How Hot Is ‘Too Hot’?
Dr. Patel says that there isn’t one exact temperature that is considered dangerous for cardiovascular health because different people have different levels of heat tolerance. “There isn’t really any set temperature cutoff because humans adapt to their climate and it’s more about changes from the norm,” he says. For example, someone who lives in a state where it never gets very hot and then vacations somewhere with 90℉+ heat is going to be more at risk than someone who lives somewhere hot year-round.
Even though different people have different levels of heat tolerance, Dr. Chaudhry says that spending prolonged time in 90℉+ heat can be dangerous for anyone—especially when the heat is accompanied by humidity. “Staying hydrated and taking breaks in the shade or air-conditioning can help reduce strain on the body,” he says.
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To gauge how outdoor temperatures where you live may impact your health, Dr. Patel recommends using the National Weather Service’s heat risk map as a tool. “Yellow means people who are extra heat sensitive, like those with heart conditions, are at risk, and orange means anyone heat sensitive can be at risk,” he says. Dr. Patel says that it’s important to know that “heat sensitive” doesn’t just refer to age and health. It’s also about how long someone is outside and the type of work they are doing outside. “Working or doing something strenuous for more than an hour makes you automatically heat sensitive, in my professional opinion,” he says.
How To Stay Safe
Both doctors say that people with heart disease, high blood pressure, heart failure or a history of stroke need to be particularly cautious in summer heat. Dr. Chaudhry adds that older adults and people taking blood pressure medications and water pills (diuretics) may also be more vulnerable to the heat.
To protect yourself from the heat during summer (whether you have an underlying health condition or not), Dr. Chaudhry recommends avoiding being outside during peak afternoon heat and spending time in the air conditioning whenever possible. He also recommends wearing lightweight, loose-fitting clothing, which helps the body release heat more effectively.
Both cardiologists reiterate the importance of staying hydrated, including before and after you spend time outside. If you are sweating a lot, Dr. Patel recommends using electrolyte powders or drinks. “Oral rehydration works as fast as 15 to 30 minutes if you are mildly dehydrated. That’s the first step. But if you pass out, have a fever, palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath or don’t feel better after hydrating, go to the emergency room,” Dr. Patel says.
To fully enjoy summer, safety must come first. Especially if you aren’t used to spending time in hot weather, it’s important to take breaks to be inside in the air-conditioning when you can. That way, you can enjoy the sunshine without fearing the heat.
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Sources
Assessing the U.S. Temperature and Precipitation in 2026. National Centers for Environmental Information. Desai, Y., Khraishah, H. and Alahmad, B. (2023). Heat and the Heart. Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine. 96(2):197-203. Dr. Waseem Chaudry, MD, director of non-invasive cardiology and cardiac prevention for RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group and Community Medical Center. Dr. Sandip Patel, MD, interventional cardiologist with the Orlando Health Heart and Vascular Institute.Hence then, the article about cardiologists reveal when outside temperatures become dangerous for your heart was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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