Too Hot to Train? How to Stay Active and Healthy This Summer

4 days ago
3 min read

Summer is a great time to be active, but high temperatures change how our bodies respond to physical effort. Exercising in hot weather increases the risk of dehydration and heat-related illness, so maintaining a healthy routine during summer is less about pushing harder and more about adapting to the conditions.

Avoid the hottest hours

One of the simplest precautions is choosing the right time of day.

Spain's Ministry of Health recommends reducing physical activity and avoiding outdoor sport during the central, hottest hours of the day. The WHO similarly advises avoiding strenuous activity during the hottest periods and staying in shaded or cool places whenever possible.

If temperatures are particularly high, reducing the intensity or duration of your usual activity is a sensible adjustment rather than a sign of poor fitness.

Light, loose-fitting clothing and spending more time in the shade can also help the body cope with high temperatures.

Hydration: don't wait until you're thirsty

Sweating helps regulate body temperature, but it also increases fluid loss.

The Spanish Ministry of Health recommends drinking water and other fluids regularly during hot weather, even when you do not feel thirsty and regardless of your level of physical activity.

Water should be the main choice. Public-health guidance also recommends limiting alcohol and very sugary drinks during periods of high temperatures.

Rather than trying to drink a huge amount at once, the important habit is staying hydrated consistently throughout the day.

Man drinking water outdoors during a hot summer day.

What we eat matters too

Healthy summer habits aren't only about exercise and water.

Spain's Ministry of Health recommends lighter meals during periods of high temperatures, including foods such as salads, fruit and vegetables. These can form part of a balanced diet while also helping replenish nutrients lost through sweating.

More generally, the World Health Organization recommends a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes and nuts, with at least 400 grams of fruit and vegetables per day for adults and children over 10.

Summer therefore provides a good opportunity to keep meals simple: plenty of vegetables, fresh fruit, whole grains, legumes and other minimally processed foods, with water as the main drink. Spain's food-safety and nutrition agency, AESAN, similarly places fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, olive oil and water at the centre of its healthy dietary recommendations.

Know when heat is becoming a problem

Feeling unusually weak or dizzy during hot weather shouldn't simply be dismissed as a difficult workout.

Heat-related illness can cause symptoms including headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, heavy sweating and muscle cramps. The CDC recommends stopping activity and moving somewhere cool if you feel faint or weak.

Confusion, loss of consciousness or seizures can indicate heat stroke, which is a medical emergency requiring immediate assistance.

A healthier approach to summer

Staying healthy during summer doesn't require abandoning your routine. It requires adapting it.

Choose cooler hours, reduce unnecessary exposure to extreme heat, drink water regularly, eat a varied and balanced diet and pay attention to how your body responds.

Summer health isn't about doing more.

It's about giving your body what it needs to handle the heat.