Actually, Heat Exhaustion is Pretty Easy to Get

Here's what I learned during the heat wave: you can get heat exhaustion even if you're drinking (sporadic sips of) water and wearing a wet hat.

I was out getting photos of how other people were dealing with the heat when, after about an hour, I started to feel lightheaded. Then came the cramps and fatigue. Although I got into air conditioning as quickly as I could shuffle over there and guzzled water and gatorade, I felt crappy for the rest of the day.

So in addition to the tips from NYC's Office of Emergency Management, here is my own To Do List when temperatures rise above 90:

• Drink a lot of water, not just the occasional sip
• Don't say out in the heat until you start to feel ill. Limit your time in the sun. 
• Some common medical conditions and prescription drugs can make you much more vulnerable to heat exhaustion
• Remember that heat exhaustion/stress isn't over after a few minutes of AC. It can ruin the rest of your day, so best to avoid it.

The National Weather Service has extended the heat advisory through 8 p.m., Friday July 19, so make sure you glance over the information below. If you don't have AC, find your nearest cooling center, here.