Here's a new fact about spring, summer, fall, and sometimes even winter, now that climate change has blurred seasonal boundaries: sizzling heat may be on the way, or currently blanketing your community.High temperatures stress the body, leading to thousands of heat-related illnesses and deaths every year in the US. Creating a personal heat plan can help you stay safe when the heat index soars.Caleb Dresser, MD, is the health care solutions lead for C-CHANGE, the Harvard Chan Center for Climate Health and the Global Environment, and an emergency medicine doctor at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Below we interview him about who, how, and why heat harms. Then we'll help you create your personal heat safety plan.

It’s a beautiful morning, you lace up your running shoes, step out and feel the sun energise you, and there you are, ready to conquer the outdoors and fitness goals, one stride at a time. There is a spring in your step, naturally reflecting in your pace. It is going to be a great run today, or so you thought, till you felt that sudden twinge in your shoulder. Catches and cramps in the upper body, leading to injuries at times, is common among runners. This brings to light the need for upper body flexibility and mobility, even though your run is primarily driven by the middle and lower part of your body.Many runners make the mistake of ignoring mobility and flexibility of the upper body. The focus falls squarely on building endurance, speed and strength in the lower body, overlooking the crucial role of upper body in the biomechanical chain that manifests into the running stride.

Sleep and exercise are said to be perfect bedfellows. A good night’s sleep can enhance workout performance, reduce the risk of injuries, and keep the body and muscles healthy. Lack of sleep, on the other hand, can weaken one’s immunity.Raj Sipani, a 35-year-old entrepreneur and fitness enthusiast from Noida, Uttar Pradesh, recalls how he experienced the benefits of an excellent sleep pattern once he started working out regularly.“I have been working out for more than ten years now, and what began as a hobby has now become my passion,” Sipani says. “I go to the gym every day — mostly in the evenings after work ­— not just for fitness but [also because] it reduces the day-to-day stress and tension. I usually manage to get a good, deep sleep after my workouts as my body feels light and fresh, and the endorphins contribute to my happy state the next day.” How sleep, exercise connection worksExercise has a chemical effect by creating more adenosine in the brain, and adenosine makes us feel sleepy. Some recent studies have found that high-intensity exercise results in a significant increase of the sleep-promoting substance adenosine.It is widely understood that physical activity leads to the body becoming fatigued and, therefore, boosts sleep. What is also important is that it contributes to overall health in a big way. “This is because physical activity is known to improve the quality as well as duration of sleep,” says Dr Sudheer Kumar Tyagi, a neurosurgeon with Apollo Hospitals, Delhi. “It is actually a kind of a treatment for people who suffer from insomnia and helps in stopping the usage of sleeping pills, which may be detrimental in the long run.”A June 2021 study on the effects of exercise on sleep quality and insomnia in adults found that regular physical as well as mind–body exercises primarily improved subjective sleep quality rather than physiological sleep quality in adults.Jesmin Singh, a 29-year-old copywriter from Delhi, has added yoga, dance and Pilates to her fitness routine following her doctor’s advice. “I have a desk job, so I was not very active physically and was having difficulty falling asleep at nights,” she says. “Now, I sleep better as I get exhausted post work and my physical activities.”