Symptom Series: Heat sensitivity

Whenever possible, adjust the temperature in your environment to match your comfort level. If you go somewhere you can’t adjust the temperature, try bringing cool water and a personal fan. Staying in a well air-conditioned office, home, or car may help prevent you from feeling overheated. However, be cautious of extremes in either direction because cold temperature may also affect MS symptoms. Adjust the thermostat to your personal comfort zone.

Try to look at the weather before picking out your outfit. In warmer weather, consider wearing lighter materials, such as cotton, rayon, or linen. You can also try wearing looser fits and accessories with ventilation, like mesh sneakers. No matter the weather, consider dressing in layers. If you feel overheated, you can remove a layer. Watch an Above MS expert contributor give some fashion tips for people living with MS. Remember, you don’t have to feel hot to look cool.

A cool bath may help reduce core body temperature (around the heart and spinal cord). Consider a cool wash after physical activity or time spent in a warm environment. Enjoy this time to yourself to cool down physically and mentally. While sitting in the cool bathtub, you may take advantage of the alone time to practice mindfulness and meditation.

A cooling scarf or vest is designed to help cool the body’s core temperature. It absorbs body heat, and then mimics the body’s sweat glands by pushing out perspiration through the cloth. This helps the body stay cool. Try wearing a cooling scarf on hot days or when doing physical activity.

The kitchen can heat up quickly, so try to plan ahead as much as possible. First, try setting up all of your ingredients and tools before getting started. Having a good workflow may help reduce your time in the heat. When you’re ready to get cooking, consider making all of your meals for the week. You can try out no-bake recipes for some dishes. If you prepare meals ahead of time, you won’t have to spend every day in the kitchen. On days you just want to chill out, you might thank yourself for making food ahead of time! Check out some recipes.

The body’s natural reaction to heat is to cool down by sweating, so be sure to drink plenty of cool water to help stay hydrated. Try avoiding drinks with caffeine, such as sodas, coffee, and energy drinks. These drinks are diuretics, which means they may make you go to the bathroom more frequently. This takes away from the fluid in your body.