8 Ways to Stay Safe and Cool During Summer Workouts

After exercising inside all winter (or, you know, lounging on couch), a warm, sunny day is the ultimate motivation to take your workout into fresh, open air. There are a ton of outdoor activities, like running and cycling, that beckon the minute the temps start to rise.

But the summer heat and vigorous exercise can be an unsafe combination if you don't take the proper precautions.

Summer heat can be hard on your body, especially during exercise. That's because all your systems are working overtime to keep you cool. When temperatures and humidity soar, you produce more sweat, which can result in dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and heat-related illnesses, Natasha Turner, founder of Clear Medicine Wellness Boutique and author of ​The Supercharged Hormone Diet​, tells LIVESTRONG.com.

Muscle cramps and spasms might be the first sign you're overheating and experiencing a heat-related condition like heat exhaustion. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, weakness, headache, fainting, increased sweating and cold, clammy skin.

If you stop sweating but still feel confused and disoriented and have a core body temperature above 104 degrees Fahrenheit, you could be experiencing heat stroke. The most dangerous heat-related illness, heat stroke happens when your body's temperature control system fails.

Even though working out in the summer heat should be approached with some caution, you can still enjoy the benefits of exercising outdoors with a little planning. When exercising in the heat, follow these summer safety tips while having fun in the sun.

Because you lose a lot of fluids through excessive sweating, you'll need to replenish with water. "Hydration is key," Ava Fagin, CSCS, sports performance coach at Cleveland State University, tells LIVESTRONG.com. She recommends drinking 8 to 12 ounces of water prior to exercise. "The more hydrated your body is, the more it will be able to adapt to the stress of heat."

To estimate how much H20 your body needs, multiple your weight by 0.55, then divide by eight. This is the number of cups you should drink per day, Turner says, who suggests tacking on two to four additional cups when exercising in the heat.

And don't wait for your "thirst signal" to appear. Sip water continuously — at least every 15 minutes — to ensure you stay properly hydrated in hot weather. Turner recommends drinking room temperature water, because it's more easily assimilated into the body.

"Ice cold water has to be heated up first before it can be absorbed and beneficial for hydration," she says. But any water is better than no water.

In addition to water, you're also losing electrolytes — like sodium, magnesium and potassium — when you sweat, Nedra Lopez, CPT, personal trainer and owner of The P.E. Club, tells LIVESTRONG.com. Because electrolytes are crucial to your body's healthy functioning, you need to make sure they remain properly balanced.

How can you tell if your electrolytes are off? If you're losing steam, getting cramps, feeling dizzy or your blood pressure is low, you might be experiencing an electrolyte imbalance. Or, pinch your skin and let it go, Turner. says "If it stays raised up, you're likely dehydrated and in need of sodium and water."

Don't reach for sports drinks, though, as they tend to be packed with sugar, high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners. Instead, opt for a quality electrolyte supplement to help your body replenish and repair after vigorous exercise. You can also sprinkle a tiny amount of Celtic sea salt (less than a quarter of a teaspoon) on your food. Just don't dissolve the salt in water, which may cause you to feel nauseated, Turner says.

To minimize stress on your body, it's wise to avoid the sun at peak hours, Lopez says. If it's an extremely hot day, it's best to exercise in the morning or the evening when it's cooler. Try to find a shaded area where you can avoid direct sunlight. This will help you stay cool and keep your body temperature and heart rate from soaring to an unsafe point, Fagin says.

But if the mercury rises above 80 degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity increases to more than 80 percent, you're at a greater risk for heat-related illness, so you're best off taking your routine indoors for the day and savoring a safe, air-conditioned environment.

If you can't avoid the sun, you need to protect yourself from harmful UV rays. Not only does sunburn hurt, it also affects your body's ability to cool itself, which can be dangerous when exercising in intense heat.

Need more reasons to wear sunscreen? It helps prevent against skin cancer and premature aging.

Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen that shields you against both UVA and UVB with SPF of 30 or greater. Better yet, choose a mineral-based one with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, two minerals that were recently deemed the only safe and effective sunscreen actives by the Food and Drug Administration.

And don't forget to reapply at least every two hours (more often if you're sweating profusely or swimming) even if the label claims the product is "water-proof."

When you exercise outside in the dead of summer, you fatigue faster than usual. Even a light, easy routine on a recovery day might feel grueling in the hot weather. That's because your body's working doubly hard. Not only does it have to pump blood to your active muscles, but also to your skin to keep you cool.

When exercising in the heat, yo should listen to your body and know when it's time to ease up a bit. "Lower the intensity of your regular routine in the beginning until your body adapts to the heat," Lopez says. For example, if you normally run, slow your pace to a jog, shorten your distance and take frequent water breaks.

As you adjust to the weather, your body will become more conditioned, and gradually, you'll be able to increase your intensity. "It may take a week or two before you can push yourself to the next level safely," Lopez says. So, give your body time. Slow and steady wins the race.

Exercising in the heat accelerates your heart rate. That's because warmer weather increases the demands on your ticker, which must pump more blood throughout your skin to regulate your body temperature.

And the hotter it gets, the more stress there is on your heart. In fact, for every degree your body's internal temperature rises, your heart beats about 10 beats per minute faster, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Monitoring your heart rate is a good way to ensure you're not overtaxing your cardiovascular system, Fagin says. To estimate of your max heart rate (MHR), subtract your age from 220. For example, a 30 year-old adult's MHR would be 190.

"Typically, you want to stay within 55 to 85 percent of your MHR," Fagin says. If you take medication or have a health condition, discuss your safe target heart rate zone with your doctor.

Nothing's more refreshing than a dip in a pool on a sweltering summer day. Swimming and other water-based workouts not only keep you cool, but also burn calories and build muscle thanks to the resistance of the water.

Aquatic exercise is also a great, low-impact alternative to land-based aerobic and cross-training workouts. Because they're easier on your joints, water workouts are great for active recovery days or if you're rehabbing an injury. As an added bonus, water-based exercises have positive effects on pain, physical function and quality of life, according to a September 2014 review in the ​Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.​

Your workout clothes can make or break a summer workout. Because the goal is to stay as cool as possible, wearing tight-fitting tops and bottoms might not be your best bet.

"Our bodies naturally cool through the process of perspiration and evaporation of sweat from our skin, and tighter clothes prevent sweat from evaporating," Fagin says.

So, keep it loose. Choose breathable, lightweight clothes that let the air flow around and through you. And stick to light colors. Dark colors absorb and trap the heat.

For an extra refreshing blast of cold when exercising in the heat, Turner suggests wearing a cooling bandana, like Kafka's Kool Tie (REI.com; $11), around your neck. Made of drip-free, hyper-evaporative fabric, dunk one in icy water for long-lasting cooling effect.