The Reason Why High Heat Has A Negative Effect On Health

High heat means different things to different people, so it’s hard to define. This is because the sensations associated with temperature vary from person to person. The kind of cold that a person from a tropical area experiences is not the same as the type of cold that a person from a tundra, for example, feels.

Despite human variation, most people believe that anything below 20 degrees is a cold temperature. The lower it gets, the colder we perceive it to be, of course.

However, our perception of temperature also depends on other factors, such as humidity and ambient air pressure. Thus, our perception of 10 degrees in high humidity is not the same as our perception of the same temperature in dry areas.

The feeling is not the same either, depending on whether we are active or inactive. You probably feel much colder when you are not moving because your metabolism is inactive and its cells do not generate heat.

Generally, people resort to artificial heating to keep warm. However, like any other artificial method used in abundance, very high heat can alter your body and lead to some health risks.

The risk of high heat depends on the type

There are two heating methods that are often overused and have notoriously harmful effects:

• Burn
• Reversible air conditioning

Very high heat with firewood can produce toxic gases. When the wood burns, it releases its stored carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a waste gas in humans. This means that the body expels carbon dioxide and retains oxygen. Thus, heating with wood can lead to poisoning, especially if there is poor ventilation.

Smoke from the very high heat coming from wood also contains heavy gases. These gases are toxic by inhalation, so they can cause headaches, nausea, vomiting and even respiratory irritation.

So it is important that you install wood heating system properly, along with its smoke removal mechanism. However, wood can also transport and release specific substances associated with allergies and asthma, such as pollen, even under the best installation conditions.

On the other hand, there is reversible air conditioning, which is the second method we have mentioned above, which is dangerous if it gets too hot. These devices can dry the ambient air by removing moisture during continuous and intensive use.

Both skin and mucous membranes, especially the respiratory mucosa, suffer from insufficient moisture. Similarly, the airflow this device generates mobilizes particles that are capable of triggering symptoms in asthmatic or allergic people.

Continue reading: An air purifier can help fight pollen allergy

The negative effect of high heat

High heat, regardless of its origin, can cause many problems. E.g:

• A dry atmosphere and therefore a dry upper respiratory tract is both an incentive for bacteria and viruses. Usually, children are hardest hit by this situation. One option to reverse the risk is the use of humidifiers and microorganism filters.
• Elevated temperature during the night makes sleep difficult. Anything above 20 ° C does not provide the best conditions for your muscles to relax and reach a comfortable state of sleep. Likewise, when the humidity is very low, it also changes your breathing rate and affects your quality of rest.
• Very high heat dries out your skin and increases your symptoms of dermatitis. In addition, the movement of air through the heat-generating source attracts allergens such as dust, pollen and mites.

• Headaches due to high heat are quite common. When the temperature is very high for long periods, you may feel lethargy due to vasodilation. Excessive heat lowers your blood pressure so less blood can reach your brain and cause irritating symptoms.
• Sleeping in very high temperatures is a factor in weight gain. This happens because the body does not burn its stored fat at high temperatures. On the contrary, it retains it. The mechanism of fatty acid metabolism is activated at night, but it will not if it is too hot.

Check: Everything you should know about allergy vaccinations

The problem of toxic substances

Lastly, toxic substances are one of the biggest health risks of very high heat. These substances are released from the heating mechanisms and pose a significant danger.

Carbon monoxide is one of these substances and it has no odor so it is difficult to detect. It slowly replaces oxygen from the environment and blood, leading to intoxication. A person poisoned by carbon monoxide can experience dizziness, fainting, nausea and headaches. Their breathing increases dramatically as a defense method of replacing oxygen. Thus, it can be deadly if it does not resolve quickly.

Nitrogen dioxide is another dangerous gas. It is the result of poor combustion in heaters and it is also odorless. However, it is still extremely annoying and changes the breathing mechanism.

It is very important to keep these things in mind when deciding how to heat your house in the healthiest way.