Use 40-40-40 method to acclimate your body to heat if you absolutely have to be outside

Inc. Leadership Now features an article containing advice on how to teach the body to better cope with the heat. Caliber.Az reprints the article.

This summer has featured some of the worst heat since records began. That's bad, but there's even worse news, I'm afraid. Barring some miraculous scientific breakthrough, thanks to steadily rising levels of CO2 in the atmosphere, this is probably one of the most pleasant summers you're likely to experience again. 

As Jia Tolentino dolefully reminded readers in a recent New Yorker piece on how people are coping with climate anxiety, "This, today, is as good as it will ever get within our lifetimes: every day that we step out into the uncanny weather, we experience a better and more stable climate than any we will ever experience again."

Still reading? I like you -- you're a tough-minded realist. Which means you're prepared to accept that extreme heat is set to become an even more regular fixture in our lives and move on to an important question: How do we learn to cope?

There are lots of ways to answer that on a societal and architectural level. But as individuals, most of us with the privilege to do so just hide in the AC. But what if by dint of your job as an entrepreneur, you can't do that? Maybe you own a landscaping business in Florida, or build homes in Phoenix, or lead tours in Death Valley. Is there any way to teach your body to deal better with the extreme temperatures? 

The physiological benefits of heat acclimation 

Yes, answers one professor of kinesiology. But before I get into his practical if not particularly comfortable-sounding advice, it's important to stress that extreme heat can be deadly, especially for the very old and young, and those with certain medical conditions. The best solution is to avoid it as much as possible. Work earlier or later in the day, stick to shade whenever possible, cover up, and drink an insane amount of water. 

No one is saying you can or should try to muscle your way through temperatures that push the limits of human endurance. If you pick a fight with 110 degrees, 110 degrees will kill you. But for those times when you absolutely can't avoid spending time in extreme heat, there is a way to help your body prepare. 

Athletes know this, which is why they often have elaborate routines to acclimate their bodies before competing in hot weather. Research has established that this type of training helps people feel less uncomfortable in the heat, explains Anthony Bain, an expert on how the human body functions under extreme conditions, on the Conversation. But it also has measurable physiological benefits. These include a slightly lower resting body temperature, more sweating -- and therefore more cooling -- and an increase in the volume of blood plasma. 

Acclimation happens naturally when you spend a lot of time in extreme heat. But there is all sorts of specialized equipment to speed up the process. You don't need it, though. "For those without access to a heat chamber or thermistor (for example an ingestible internal thermometer) to monitor your body's core temperature, heat acclimation is still possible," Bain writes. "All you need is a tub." 

The 40-40-40 procedure 

Also, an iron will. Because while Bain's prescription might be simple and science-backed, it really doesn't sound like much fun. Here's what he says to do: 

1. Exercise to the point where you've worked up a good sweat for about 40 minutes. 
2. Run a bath of 40C (104F) water and soak in it for 40 minutes immediately after exercise when your body is still hot from the workout 
3. Repeat this procedure for three consecutive days

"Taking a hot bath submerged to the neck, for up to 40 minutes, following habitual training in temperate conditions, presents a practical and economical heat acclimation intervention," claim the authors of a study on the benefits of this method.  

Bain warns that the effects will wear off fairly quickly once you stop spending time in hot environments, though "re-acclimatization is generally easier" when things heat up again. Despite this caveat, he concludes the 40-40-40 approach "provides your body with the best defense against heat-related injuries."

So if your work makes spending time outside in hot climates unavoidable, take every possible measure to stay cool and hydrated, but consider whether actively acclimating your body to heat might provide you an extra element of protection when the next heat wave hits.