When temperatures start to get hot, our lakes and beaches will be flooded with people looking for a little relief. But even during the hottest days of summer, too much of a good thing can be dangerous when you’re trying to cool down.
“Hypothermia can happen in the summer, even if it's 90-95 degrees outside,” Dr. Tristan Worthington with University of Michigan Health West.
You read that right, not something you would think of in the middle of the summer, but according to Dr. Worthington, it doesn't take much for a good time at the beach to turn serious, because hypothermia can happen anytime your core body temperature gets too low.
“In the summertime, people often don't think about it," said Dr. Worthington. "But when we're swimming in that lake, that lake is a lot colder than 98 degrees, as everyone knows, and that cold water can really draw a lot of heat out of the body pretty quickly."
So what are the signs to look out for?
Dr. Worthington told me it all depends on the person but if you or your kid are uncontrollably shivering, confused, drowsy or seeing the skin turn red or blue, it would be a good time to get out of the water and warm up.
“You can be experiencing some signs and symptoms of hypothermia, really, within like, maybe 20/30 minutes of splashing around and playing," said Dr. Worthington. "Depending on how cold the water is, the colder the water faster that's going to happen.”
Even on our first 90 degrees Fahrenheit day last year on June 17, 2024, the water temperature in Lake Michigan was only 59 degrees Fahrenheit, and according to the National Weather Service, in water at that temperature, you could start to lose coordination in 10-15 minutes.
Once out of the water, get dry clothes on, get in a warm car or building and maybe even try drinking something warm like tea or hot chocolate. And if that doesn't help, call for help.
“If they're still shivering uncontrollably, controllably, calling 911, and getting an emergency evaluation, I think would be very appropriate.”
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