City health department gives recommendations for high temperatures
27.06.2025
The German Weather Service has issued a heat warning for the Offenbach city area for tomorrow (Saturday). Anyone who has downloaded the WarnWetter app from the app stores for their smartphone will receive the warning. It will also be communicated via radio and other digital channels. Even though higher temperatures are part of summer, extreme heat should not be underestimated. It can cause damage to the health of humans, animals and plants, as Dr. Christiane Faust, Head of the City Health Department, emphasizes: "By taking preventative measures in good time and behaving correctly, you can stay fit in the heat and avoid damage to your health."
Older people in particular underestimate how important it is for the body to stay hydrated, especially in summer temperatures. Even if you're not thirsty, it's important to drink plenty of fluids in the heat and consume enough minerals, especially salt. This is why mineral-rich water is always preferable to low-sodium sparkling water. The salt content is indicated under the nutritional information on the respective bottle. Attention should be paid to a high sodium and chloride content. The information provided by other manufacturers can be compared for a better assessment. The salt content can also be tasted with a little experience.
Drinking water from the tap is also suitable for refreshment, but it contains hardly any salt. A pinch of salt can help here. Snacking on salty pastries can also help to cover the increased salt requirement caused by sweating. Alcohol and heavy food should be avoided in hot weather. Water-rich fruit and vegetables are suitable instead.
In addition to fluids, it is important not to overstress the body in high temperatures. Physical exertion during extreme heat and when out in the sun should be avoided if possible. Jogging or playing soccer in the heat and blazing sun should be avoided as it is unhealthy. Arm and foot baths, on the other hand, help to cool the body down. Spraying your skin with clean tap water and a fan also has a cooling effect.
To keep indoor spaces pleasantly cool, windows, curtains and blinds or shutters should be closed in good time in the morning. When temperatures are high, homes and offices are ventilated particularly early in the morning and very late in the evening. In small rooms where there are many people and pets, air should also be exchanged repeatedly during the day. Cross or shock ventilation is the best way to cool down and dispel moisture in the air. Incidentally, the highest daytime temperature is usually reached in the afternoon around 5 pm. The basic rule is: only ventilate when it is cooler outside than inside.
Watch out for signs of exhaustion and symptoms of heat stroke
While the heat generally causes few problems for young and healthy people, infants and small children, people over 65, people with physical illnesses, particularly diabetes, cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure should not be exposed to temperatures above 26 degrees. In addition, people in these risk groups should be specifically monitored at least twice a day for signs of exhaustion and symptoms of heat stroke. Children and especially infants need to be looked after and cared for even more closely. A cool shower can help to cool them down. Further tips, especially for older people, can be found in the brochure "Age and heat", which is available in simple language on the Internet: Info on heat | City of Offenbach
Overall, it is important to ensure a cool environment. Unnecessary lighting and unused electrical appliances and power supplies should therefore be switched off. This saves electricity costs and avoids additional heat sources. Mobile air conditioning units are generally not recommended, as they consume 20 to 50 times more electricity than fans and sometimes spread germs from the humidifier water if it is not replaced regularly.
In addition to drinking, sun protection is also important, even in indirect sunlight. Clothing offers the best protection against UV radiation, so sunglasses and headgear protect the scalp and eyes. All unprotected areas of skin should be covered with sun cream with a suitable sun protection factor before going out into the sun. As a general rule, the lighter the skin, the more sensitive it is and the higher the sun protection factor of the sun cream should be. Children should wear loose, loose-fitting clothing that covers the skin when exposed to strong sunlight. Babies and small children should not be exposed to the blazing sun.