@\./

[I.D.: pixel art of Coco from Witch Hat Atelier. she is in her normal witch outfit: a blue cloak over a white dress and a blue pointy hat with a tassel. /end I.D.]

I NEED to sit on you and tickle you with my little legs. I NEED to be really loud and annoying. I NEED to sit on your body instead of literally anything else in your room. I NEED to put my yucky tongue on any food or drink you're having.

If it is hot, you will need to drink more than normally because you are sweating. You can drink too much, though usually your body knows how to regulate it.

Yes, if it is liquid and not alcoholic it counts to your drinking intake. Yes, drinking lemonades, coke and whatever counts. All of it is still mostly water with some sugar and flavors added. It is fine. Be careful about taking in too much caffeine though, as it is a mild diuretic (means it makes you pee more and hence lose more water).

Yes, you also need electrolytes as you sweat them out. But you do not need to drink sports drinks. Eat some yoghurt with fruits, or some watermelon with salt, or maybe cold soup. It will refill your electrolytes.

No, it is not dangerous for you to sleep in front of a ventilator. This is a complete myth that has absolutely no basis in science whatsoever and literally originates with an Urban Legend. Especially with the recent heat wave in Europe for a lot of people the alternative is the possibility of heat stroke. It is fine. Sleep in front of that ventilator. Just make sure you are not getting too cold.

No, using sunscreen does not stop you from taking in Vitamin D, unless you are permanently using super high standard sun screen and are reapplying it every 6 hours as intended. And let's face it: you are not. Your skin gets enough UVB to make Vitamin D, don't worry about it. Skin cancer is worse.

Yes, switching between a very hot outside and a very cold context (be it super high AC or just jumping into cold water) can be a danger for your cardiovascular system, though unless the weather is very hot or the water very cold making the contrast very extreme, it is normally not a danger to people who do not have otherwise issues with their cardiovascular system. Though being a bit careful and allowing yourself to acclimatize is not a bad idea in general.

Yes, you should definitely not leave any living thing in a car while it is hot. Just don't. Cars heat up while standing very quickly and will become a death trap. If you leave an animal or a child alone in the car for even just 5 to 10 minutes, they might die. Don't do that shit.

Yes, you need to be extra careful about your medications. For once, most medications are not meant to be stored at above 25°C (don't ask me what this is in American units). But also a bunch of medications - especially psychoactive medications - will make your body worth at temperature regulation. So be careful.

Yes, you need shadow. Ideally the shadow of trees, because there is indeed a difference between that and the shadow of a building. But any shadow is good, especially during extreme heat.

In the same vein: be also careful about drugs during heat waves - like, the recreational type. Some of them work differently when your body is warmed up like that. Just... ideally read up online on possible side effects that might occur/be worse if taken during the heat.

The USP recommends medication to be stored between 15°C and 30°C (59°F to 86°F), so a fridge isn't ideal unless your meds specifically say you should refrigerate them. Medications also shouldn't be stored in humidity or direct sunlight. You can put them in a kitchen cabinet (preferably away from the stove/oven) or a drawer, but try to keep them out of the bathroom and off of shelves where they'll receive direct sunlight.

Do not do not do fucking NOT leave meds in the car!! We know this about people and animals, and if you don't, try staying in the car while someone is putting fuel in the car and see how long before you need to crack the window or pop the door open. It's a really short amount of time. Believe me, I've done it. The rapidly rising temperature can kill people and animals, but it can also negatively impact your medications if left in there!

A note on medication that make you more heat sensitive or even intolerant: Many of us know antidepressants tend to increase heat sensitivity. Many mood stabilizers and other types of medications also do this. Notably, I take Lamictal (lamotrigine) for both epilepsy and mood management, and it makes me so heat intolerant. As I'm using this as an anti-epileptic, it's worth noting that heat also lowers the seizure threshold, and AED medications can make you less able to regulate temperature, which means you can hit threshold unfortunately fast.

Please note that if you have chronically low electrolytes, you may need more support to replenish them. This may be a conversation to have with a doctor, especially if you take a medication like Lamictal that makes you sweat much more than is typical. For me, cold electrolyte drinks and popsicles are a lifesaver when I start getting bad heat fatigue. OP is right that most people will not require this level of support, but if you're at a higher risk, you may be recommended to do a bit more.

And please, for the love of god, wear sunscreen. If you hate the texture, that's so fair, but you gotta do it, bud. There are ultra-sheer formulas on the market now. There are so many options. Get SPF in your moisturizer and lip balm, too. Just figure out how to get sunscreen onto yourself, especially when the UV levels are this high. Don't spend too much time in the direct sunlight.

I know a lot of North American wisdom boils down to "stay in the aircon" but I also know there are a lot of people who can't do that. Use whatever you can: fans, cold packs, cool showers. Wet down a shirt and sit in front of the fan. Cold drinks help a lot too. If you have access to a pool (my apartment complex has one, for instance), that can also help, but take breaks to sit in the shade, reapply sunscreen often, and stay hydrated.

Do whatever you need to do to stay cool, and don't listen to anyone saying that whatever your regional heat wave temps are aren't that serious. I'd need another whole post just to talk about the interaction between climate change and local infrastructures, but if it's hot to you, stay cool as best as you can.

18 years. this is enough time for the work to grow to adulthood and begin to care for itself

it’s okay that i don’t have a sewing machine

i love backstitching by hand for hours

this has got to be great for my back

millions of my ancestors did this and they lived almost as long as i want to

it should be an explosive device, so they widen that part of the cave at the same time and no other spelunkers will get stuck there