The temperature is rising, with summer episodes looming in France. However, being careful in a context of contagiousness which is still strong, it is strongly recommended to wear a mask, even compulsory in certain places. So how can you handle it without risking overheating?
Since May 11, France has been deconfiguring and we are changing our habits in order to avoid exposing ourselves and others to the Covid-19. To do this, among the barrier putting gestures, the wearing of a mask intended to limit micro postilions is highly recommended. Warmly … it is the case to say it, because the temperatures are getting more and more summer and we would more like to strip than to cover! So how can we adapt to this unprecedented situation for many of us, so that this sanitary gesture does not end in ultimate torture?
When to wear a mask?
Depending on your place of residence, your job, your state of health, the wearing of a mask will be more or less imposed on you. Anyway, remember that wearing a mask helps protect those around us when we talk because the micro droplets that escape from our mouth are then filtered.
And even a mask made of fabric ultimately proves protective, so as soon as you set foot outside of your home, it's about getting into the habit of masking yourself.
In transport, stores, at the hairdresser for example, it is mandatory to wear a mask. And in general, it is advisable to bring this new accessory as soon as you move around and meet other people, especially in areas supposed to be more dense such as a narrow shopping street for example.
Read also: where to buy washable fabric masks?
The risks of wearing a mask when it is hot
While Japan is also cautiously deconfining, with humid and hot weather, medical authorities are warning of increased breathing difficulties and possible dehydration.
Indeed, in the Japan Times, doctor Yasafumi Miyake, head of the emergency department of Teikyo hospital in Tokyo, talks about this new situation. The mask makes it more difficult for the body's natural ability to breathe in fresh air to refresh the body, especially the lungs. Professor Noriyuki Koibuchi, a specialist in environmental physiology at the Gunma Medical University, specifies that the face contains more than any other part of the body, many nerve endings sensitive to temperature variations.
But then what should be done to avoid overheating? Japanese experts respond.
5 gestures to favor when wearing a mask in summer
Doctor Miyake insists on the need to bring the temperature down to avoid a phenomenon of overheating of the body. And Professor Koibuchi adds common sense advice to gain comfort:
1. Protect yourself by allowing yourself moments of rest, avoid intense efforts to the maximum and take breaks. A bit as if it was the heat wave, you have to save yourself!
2. Slow down sport if you can not practice without mask and without danger: indeed, the respiratory rate will accelerate, so it is advisable to avoid too intense efforts not to rush the body and the heart. In China, in March, two high school students died of an unfortunate combination: wearing a mask (oxygen deficit) during a sports exam. We take it seriously!
3. If you have the option of turning on the air conditioning or a fan at home, go for it! Otherwise, do not expose yourself to heat and move around. The shadow.
4. Refreshcover your neck and forehead with water as often as possible if you have to keep your mask on for a long time. Trucker tip: wet your forearms with cool water, it helps a lot to drop the temperature too.
5. Finally drink! Hydrateyou! If you cannot remove your mask, take a sliding straw (like these for example, perfect because washable, so you don't throw your potentially infected straw in a public space) under the mask but drink! Wearing a mask should not prevent you from drinking. On the contrary, drink more than usual!
What masks when it's hot?
If you have the possibility, prefer disposable masks, for single use, which can be found in pharmacies or which you can order online, lighter than the fabric mask and no less protective. Choose models with certification to ensure good protection.
Our shopping recommendation : the box of 50 surgical masks filtering more than 99% of viruses and bacteria, standardized, 3 layers but very light, elasticated behind the ears, at € 47.49 on 1001 pharmacies, orderable online here.
And also: where to get a mask for children (video)?
For further :
How to wash a cloth mask without a machine?
10 tips to hydrate yourself properly