Alcohol in the Summer: Staying Safe in the Heat

Lucas is on his way to hit the park with his pals. He’s got his frisbee tucked away, as always, and a few cold bevies at the bottom of his backpack. There’s nothing like a cold one outside on a hot day and that’s why many of us tend to drink more in the summer. We just need to keep a few things in mind to ensure we’re staying safe in the heat.

Lucas, arriving at the park already warmed up and a tad sweaty from the bike ride over, is ready to throw some disc. Thirsty, he cracks a beer, takes a couple big gulps before finding a little shade to rest the can in.

Alcohol in the Summer

He heads out into the sun and gives the frisbee a toss. But, it’s a hot one out and frequent thirst has him heading back for a quick sip or two quite often. Plus, he doesn’t want his drink to get warm.

Though the group takes a couple short breaks, they’re in the sun for most of four hours. By the time they are getting ready to head out, Lucas’ four pack is gone; his water bottle is empty too.

When he gets home, it’s time for a snack, a quick shower, and then straight to bed. Lucas wakes up thirsty a few hours later and polishes off a big glass of water. But he finds himself tossing and turning much of the rest of the night, thinking it’s the heat keeping him awake.

It was actually his body trying to metabolize the alcohol that kept him up, not that the temperature helped, either. What Lucas doesn’t realize is just how dehydrated he was the evening before. 

Apart from the holiday season in December, alcohol consumption is highest in summer. And while it’s really nice to enjoy a cold brew on a patio or in the park with your friends, it’s important to remember that alcohol is a drug with potentially dangerous side effects.

According to a 2017 report by the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse and Addiction, “the rate of hospitalizations caused entirely by alcohol” was slightly higher than the rate for heart attacks and thirteen times higher than that for opioids. Alcohol use also increases the risks associated with popular summer activities like swimming and boating, while decreasing the likelihood you’ll remember to reapply your sunscreen or have another drink of water. 

But it’s not only the general increase in consumption that is of concern here. When we’re outside in the warm sun, we’re usually sweating to help cool our bodies. This increases our risk of dehydration, especially when doing more intense physical activities. 

Alcohol, as a diuretic, actually speeds up the process of dehydration. At the same time, having less water in our system increases the concentration of alcohol in the blood, making us impaired more quickly than normal. 

Staying Safe in the Heat

The most important thing to do when we’re drinking alcohol outside in the heat is drink lots of water, probably more than you might expect. Some experts recommend two or three glasses of water per alcoholic beverage on hot days. Make sure to take plenty of breaks in the shade to cool down as well. At any rate, it’s essential to drink more water than you normally would if you are also on the booze. This will help you pace yourself too!

Another thing to be mindful of is what you are actually drinking. We know craft beer is the rage these days, but it’s also something to be more careful with. Lucas didn’t consider that his four pack of 473ml IPAs had, at 7% ABV, about 30% more alcohol than a regular six pack of 5% lager.

The same goes for pints on the patio. Particularly if you are driving or performing another task that requires fine motor skills, remember that a pint is a fair bit more than one standard drink.

And, if you are regularly drinking in the evening and staying active until soon before bed, your sleep quality could take a hit. It’s a good idea to take certain days of the week off so you can properly wind down and have a restful night. 

Lastly, whenever you’re out in the sun, watch for the signs of dehydration and heat stroke, including: 

• Dizziness

• Cramps

• Disorientation/confusion

• Impaired judgement

• Fatigue

• And, more seriously, hallucinations, seizures, or loss of consciousness.

Stay safe, stay cool, and enjoy the long summer days!