Keeping Cool: A Guide to Managing Early-Stage Alzheimer’s in Heat and Humidity

“Extreme heat has been linked with increased hospitalizations among people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias,” says Claudia Perez, MD, an assistant professor and the neurology clerkship director at the TCU Burnett School of Medicine in Fort Worth, Texas.

• Decreased Thirst Response Because of brain changes, you may not feel thirst when you should, which can lead to dehydration.

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• Trouble Sensing Temperature Your body’s reduced ability to feel a hot environment can lead you to stay out in the heat too long.
• Changes in Body Temperature Control Older age and Alzheimer’s can change the way your body keeps your temperature stable, making overheating more likely.

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• Bidirectional Symptoms Getting too hot can make Alzheimer’s symptoms like confusion and irritability worse. But Alzheimer’s can also make it hard to explain heat-related symptoms like dizziness or feeling faint, says Dr. Mournighan.
• Less Mobility If you can’t move around like you used to, you may have a harder time staying hydrated or getting help when you need it.
• Medication Side Effects Some Alzheimer’s medications can change the way you respond to heat.

“All these things individually and especially combined can put people with Alzheimer's at high risk for bad outcomes during heat and humidity exposure,” says Perez.

Besides keeping your living spaces cool, you also need to drink plenty of fluids. Air-conditioning creates dry air, which can cause dehydration even if you don’t feel hot, says Dylan Wint, MD, a neurologist specializing in memory and cognitive disorders at Cleveland Clinic in Las Vegas.

• Carry water around with you.
• Create a drinking schedule.
• Sip drinks throughout the day.
• Put drinks on several easy-to-reach surfaces.
• Use alarms and reminders to drink.
• Eat high-liquid foods like fruit, yogurt, and popsicles.
• Keep chilled herbal teas or other decaffeinated beverages in the fridge.

When you are out and about, you may need different heat-safe strategies.

Watch the Forecast

Schedule Around the Heat

If you go out, avoid exposure to the sun during the hottest part of the day, which is usually between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., says Perez.

You may need to change your routine in the hot seasons and rearrange when you take a daily walk or do yard work, says Wint. For example, if you typically weed your garden after lunch, try moving this activity to after breakfast.

Dress for Success

Use the Buddy System

Find Indoor Alternatives

Sometimes, no matter what precautions you take, outdoor heat can get overpowering. If you get hot, head somewhere cooler — in shade or indoors — because just slowing your activity may not be enough to cool you off in hot or humid weather, says Wint.

• Body temperature of 104 degrees F or higher
• Confusion, disorientation, agitation, or hallucinations
• Loss of consciousness or fainting
• Seizures
• Hot, red, dry skin
• Fast heart rate
• Severe headache
• Vomiting that won’t stop
• Muscle weakness or cramps
• Fast, shallow breathing

Once a caregiver has called for an ambulance, they can try to cool you off by moving you to the shade, applying cool water, using fans, and placing ice packs on your neck, armpits, or groin while waiting for help, says Perez.

• Managing early-stage Alzheimer’s in heat and humidity can be challenging because Alzheimer’s disease changes the way you feel temperature, lessens thirst, and can cause confusion that prevents you from drinking enough and getting help if you need it.
• You can stay safe and cool in the heat by timing outings for the morning and evening, staying in an air-conditioned space, wearing cooling clothing, and drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
• For symptoms of overheating and heat stroke, call your doctor, who can assess your symptoms and direct you to the emergency room if needed.