A dangerous heat wave is blanketing much of the central and eastern United States this week, sending temperatures into the triple digits and affecting nearly a hundred million Americans.

本周，危险的高温天气席卷美国中部和东部的大部分地区，气温飙升至三位数（摄氏38度以上——译注），影响近1亿美国人。

While many people have heard about the risk of heat stroke, experts say that extreme heat can affect almost every part of your body. Here’s what to know, and how to stay safe.

虽然许多人听说过中暑的风险，但专家表示，极端高温几乎会影响到身体的每个部位。以下是需要了解的事项，以及要如何保持安全。

1. Watch Out for Brain Fog

1. 警惕脑雾

Heat can slow down the brain, reducing reaction time, attention and memory, said Dr. Neha Raukar, an emergency medicine physician at the Mayo Clinic. That can mean performing worse on tests as well as having trouble concentrating and being productive at work. The heat can even make people more irritable and aggressive; researchers have observed that more road rage incidents and violent crimes occur when temperatures rise.

梅奥诊所的急诊医生内哈·劳卡尔博士表示，高温会减缓大脑活动，降低反应速度，导致注意力涣散和记忆力减退。这意味着考试表现会下降，还会影响专注力和工作效率。高温甚至会使人变得更易怒和具有攻击性；研究人员观察到，气温升高时，路怒事件和暴力犯罪发生率更高。

While the reasons are not entirely clear, experts believe that your brain might be more focused on staying cool than thinking clearly.

虽然个中原因尚不完全明确，但专家认为，你的大脑此时可能更专注于降温，而非清晰思考。

2. Make a Plan to Stay Cool

2. 制定降温计划

Beating the heat can be an all-day challenge. If you don’t have air-conditioning, it’s smart to take steps like closing the shades, immersing your feet in cold water and wrapping a damp towel with crushed ice around your neck, said Kristie Ebi, a climate epidemiologist at the University of Washington. Fans can also be helpful, but make sure you leave your windows open so that you don’t turn your house into a convection oven, she added.

对抗高温可能是一整天的挑战。华盛顿大学气候流行病学家克里斯蒂·埃比说，如果你没有空调，就有必要采取防中暑的措施，比如拉上窗帘，用冷水泡脚，以及用湿毛巾包裹碎冰敷在脖子上。她还说，风扇也很有用，但要确保窗户开着，以免把房子变成了对流烤箱。

If you need to go outside, consider carrying an umbrella, a water bottle with ice and a spray bottle, which you can use to spritz your skin with water.

如果需要外出的话，可以考虑带把伞、给水壶里装上冰，还可以一个喷雾瓶，用来喷水降温。

Taking regular breaks indoors can also help prevent heat-related illnesses, so Dr. Raukar recommends finding cool-down spots nearby such as malls, museums, libraries, and coffee shops.

劳卡尔建议时不时进入室内休息，可选择附近的商场、博物馆、图书馆或咖啡馆等避暑场所，以预防高温相关疾病。

3. Keep Children and Seniors Safe

3. 保护好儿童和老人

Older adults are especially vulnerable to extreme heat because aging and conditions like cardiovascular disease and diabetes affect people’s ability to regulate temperature.

老年人特别容易受到极端高温的影响，因为衰老以及心血管疾病、糖尿病等会影响人体调节体温的能力。

The heat can make these conditions worse. According to studies in The Lancet Planetary Health, heat has been associated with an increased risk of cardiac arrests, heart attacks and strokes, as well as decreased kidney function.

高温会使这些疾病恶化。《柳叶刀·星球健康》杂志的研究显示，高温与心脏骤停、心梗和中风风险增加以及肾功能下降有关。

Children are at high risk because they tend to overheat quickly and have a harder time cooling down, Dr. Ebi said.

埃比说，儿童属于高风险群体，因为他们体温上升较快，且更难以散热降温。

4. Find Out if Your Medications Increase Your Risk

4. 警惕药物风险

Millions of people take medications that make them more vulnerable to the effects of extreme heat. Drugs for common conditions — including allergies, high blood pressure, kidney disease, hypothyroidism and various mental illnesses — can impair the body’s ability to cool down.

数百万人服用会使其更易受极端高温影响的药物。治疗常见疾病的药物——包括过敏、高血压、肾病、甲状腺功能减退症和各种精神疾病——会削弱人体的降温能力。

Some medications, like diuretics and certain antidepressants, can repress your thirst and cause more frequent urination and sweating. Other drugs, like Benadryl and stimulants, can make you sweat less and cause the brain to raise body temperature.

一些药物，如利尿剂和某些抗抑郁药，会抑制你的口渴感，并增加排尿排汗。还有一些药物，如苯海拉明和兴奋剂，会让你出汗减少，并导致大脑升高体温。

But you shouldn’t skip doses of your prescription medication without first talking to your doctor, Dr. Raukar said. Instead, she recommends taking more precautions to stay cool.

但劳卡尔强调，在咨询医生之前，不要擅自停处方药，而需加强防暑措施。

5. Eat Your Water

5. 从食物中补充水分

Water, milk and coconut water are some the best options to stay hydrated. But your body gets about 20 percent of its water from food.

补水的最佳选择是水、牛奶和椰子水，但人体约20%的水分来自食物。

Raw fruits and vegetables, including cucumbers, lettuce, celery, tomatoes, strawberries and melons, are among the most hydrating foods. And since experts suggest avoiding your stove and oven during heat waves, making salads, cold soups and other no-cook recipes can help you eat your water.

黄瓜、生菜、芹菜、番茄、草莓和瓜类等生鲜果蔬富含水分。专家建议高温期间避免开火烹饪，可制作沙拉、冷汤等无需烹饪的餐食。

Just make sure to avoid alcohol and limit coffee because they are both dehydrating, Dr. Raukar said.

劳卡尔提醒，需避免饮酒并限制咖啡摄入，因为它们都会导致脱水。

6. Adjust Your Exercise Routine

6. 调整运动计划

Exercising during a heat wave can be dangerous. Humidity can make it especially hard to regulate body temperature because sweat won’t evaporate off your skin and cool you down as easily. Dry heat, meanwhile, can quickly dehydrate you, slowing down sweat production.

高温天气下运动存在风险。湿热会使体温调节变得特别困难，因为汗水不会轻易从皮肤上蒸发带走热量。而干热容易导致脱水，减少排汗。

Experts say that you don’t need to do all your workouts indoors. But you should hydrate before you step outside; wear breathable, light-colored clothing; and find shady areas to exercise. “Listen to your body,” Dr. Raukar said, because extreme heat can cause your muscles to cramp and even break down.

专家表示，倒也不必完全在室内锻炼。不过，外出前应该补充水分；穿透气的浅色衣服；并在阴凉处锻炼。“留意身体发出的信号，”劳卡尔表示，因为高温可能导致肌肉痉挛甚至溶解。

Also, think about the time of day you're working out: While the early morning can be the best time for dry heat, it can be the worst time to exercise when it’s humid.

此外，运动时段也需考量：干热天气宜选清晨，但潮湿环境下清晨可能是最差的锻炼时间。

7. Cool Down Before You Lie Down

7. 睡前采取物理降温措施

Temperature is one of the most important factors for getting a good night’s rest, and experts recommend keeping your bedroom at 65 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Extreme heat can make it harder to fall asleep and even stay asleep, leaving you groggy in the morning.

温度是获得良好睡眠的最重要因素之一，专家建议将卧室温度保持在18至20摄氏度之间。高温让人难以入眠，或者睡不踏实，导致早上起床后昏昏沉沉。

While air-conditioners and fans can certainly help, you can also stay cool by taking a cold shower, spraying your sheets with cold water or putting your pillow case in the freezer before bed.

除空调、风扇外，还可以冲凉降温，或者用冷水喷洒床单，以及睡前先将枕套在冰箱放一段时间等方式助眠。