Headaches in the Heat
 

Hello. I am not a villager at this point, but I am considering it. I am still a New Yorker living on Long Island. I am now 78 and I am noticing even New York summers are causing me some headaches and some dizzyness. This gives me some concern. I'm not asking for doctor's advice. Just some opinions from villagers who might experience some headaches in the florida summertime heat. Or ways you deal with the heat. Thanks. MarvinH

Most people go out in the morning before it gets to hot.

If this is a concern you need to spend some time here in the summer.

Some get those sinus headaches from the dry heat, basically their sinus dries out and gives bad headaches and then you got to get Sudafed which is behind the Pharmacy counter these days because of meth heads.

Florida does have a much more humid heat so your sinuses is not as likely to dry out and give headaches.

I'm not a doctor but got a lot of sinus headaches in New York during summer but only on a rare occasion have gotten a sinus headache in Florida.

I am 84, and only get heat related headaches if I get dehydrated.
Double down on water in excessive heat.
Works for me.

Coming from Minnesota, all we "knew" about living in TV was the murderous heat and alligators every ten feet.

It gets hot here, and May through October can be a bear for some, but it rarely gets above 95 degrees. It IS humid. I feared coming here because of my asthma, but I had no problem at all adjusting. Just take common-sense steps (LOTS of water, head covering, etc.). Talk to your doc too.

It is something northerners don't get - Drink, Drink, Drink WATER. That headached is dehydration and you just need to drink water all the time. It happens up North when it is hot, but it ends sooner so people don't learn. Summers in Florida are actually not that bad if you realize a few things - It is nice before 9 AM and After it rains most afternoons. Evenings cool off also. To me it is a different kind of heat than up North. When it gets to 90 in Wisconsin, the humidity is very heavy (not sure how to describe it) versus in Florida. To me it is harder to breath. I am a road biker, and I can ride in Florida when it is 85, but when it gets to 85 in Wisconsin, I have learned to avoid it.....

Bottom line either way - Drink Water is how you avoid headaches. It can be sinus also, but my allergies are WAY better in Florida than up North....
Ed

Staying hydrated will help.

I accept that anyone who comes to Florida "for the weather" is delusional. Hydrating is imperative, you can't live down here safely if all you drink is a morning coffee and an evening beer. You stay inside when the sun is high, or you risk headaches, heat stroke, skin cancer, etc. etc. etc.

Getting here at age 78 will be a headache in itself, downsizing or if not packing all that stuff and then finding out it was not all needed in the first place. Better hurry or you won’t get your three moves in before hitting the last hole on the back nine of life, LOL.

Does the SUMMER cause your headaches and dizziness, Marvin, or are these caused by doing things outdoors in the daytime in the summer? I enjoy the sun and heat and humidity here walking from my car parked under a tree somewhere to a recreation center, store, or restaurant. In those places I am always in air-conditioned comfort. At home, my entire home is air-conditioned at all times. I only rarely open a sliding glass door. My 1200 sq ft home is pretty well insulated, electricity is 11 cents per kwh, and my most recent electric bill was $113, which includes charging my car in the garage. Being outside in the evening is delightful. I didn’t know if I could handle Florida summers. I couldn’t if I was playing golf or dancing outside or something. The way I live, I love it.

Hydration was mentioned in many of the posts here, and I agree 100 percent! In fact, regardless of the weather, sip your water whenever you get a chance. I keep a small bottle next to the bed at night.

Also air conditioning. That’s important, regardless of the cost because your comfort is most important. As people age, A/C becomes even more important.

come and visit in July/Aug and see for yourself. Only you can make a decision on your health.

Probably dehydrated drink more water. When it is hot and you are sweating you need a lot more water.

Headaches
 

[QUOTE=marvinh11791;2347127]Hello. I am not a villager at this point, but I am considering it. I am still a New Yorker living on Long Island. I am now 78 and I am noticing even New York summers are causing me some headaches and some dizzyness. This gives me some concern. I'm not asking for doctor's advice. Just some opinions from villagers who might experience some headaches in the florida summertime heat. Or ways you deal with the heat. Thanks. Marvin

What you describe is called Cluster Headaches. The two main triggers are heat and alcohol. My 78 yr old husband gets these headaches. He now rarely drinks alcohol & we have found that "Pedialyte Sport" (found at Walmart & Target) is a godsend for hydration when he is out in the heat, i.e. playing golf or yard work. As others have said hydration is one of the keys for FL summers. We both drink a large glass of water or diluted juice through out the day. Watch out for sugary drinks & caffeine in the summer heat.

Actually water doesn't cut it as the end all to the FL humidity headaches I get all the time. SALT is. Depending on how much one sweats and barometric pressure changes straight up salt might just relieve a headache. I have lived in tropic weather and FL since 1985. Salt has been my cure ever since moving from New England.

Many say drink electrolyte drinks or that the food they nibble replenishes the salt they have lost. Not so for this person. I carry a salt shaker on my golf cart. I can be inside my house and can feel a barometric change pre-storm. I will take about a dime size amount of salt and the headache goes away. When sweating a lot I will take about a nickle size amount of straight salt w a drink of water. The headache almost immediately subsides (drinking the normal amounts of 8 oz glasses of water throughout the day as well.)

My mom's best friend was an ER nurse. She used to say take straight up salt with water to cure dehydration at home. She would see patients all the time that were dehydrated even after drinking plenty of water and or electrolyte drinks. Too much water only dilutes salt levels in the body. Since the body is made up of like 75% water with a fraction of saline it makes sense. Saline drips is what the ER administers.

My grandfather living in FL used to take salt tablets to combat dehydration after working in the heat and sweating a lot.

Drinks have very small percentages of salt in relation to what one sweats out in the FL heat. The barometric pressure changes may also come into play. Salt works for me but to each their own. I'm not a Dr.