CaN being in warm climate in the sun trigger AF episodes?

[Suntanann]

As a lover of the sun can anybody tell me is it something else to put on the 'no go' list ?

[Jalia]

Never made any difference to me in the past so try it and see but remember to keep very well hydrated.Nowadays I can't tolerate sitting in direct sunlight in high summer but that is no doubt an age thing ( unfortunately....)

Anyone taking the drug Amiodarone will no doubt be aware that sunbathing is strictly off the agenda !! There are so many good fake tan products around now to give one a healthy glow!

[BobD Volunteer]

Never had a problem myself so long as stay well hydrated. At least two litres of WATER a day. Tea , coffee and similar drinks do not count. Not allowed to sun bath now since I had a BCC removed from my face.

[rosyG]

If you get dehydrated

[philmondo]

Temperature definitely seems to affect my propensity to go into afib. If I get too hot whilst sleeping I will almost certainly wake in af. I sometimes have to wear full ppe suits at work, and in the summer it can get very hot indeed. Again, almost guaranteed afib. Having said that though, there are plenty of warm days where I don't get any episodes, so the usual unpredictability applies.

[opal11uk]

I found that I always felt better in the sunshine, I think it was because I was away from work and therefore stress so relaxed more, also the blood would circulate better due to the warmth, so always enjoyed my holidays abroad.

[The_Lord_is_with_Us]

Vitamin D from sunshine seems to be protectant for AFIB. However, if you go over a certain level of blood saturation (over 100 ng/ml) ... it can cause episodes. This is unusual though . . .

[Snowgirl65]

In my early days of a-fib, being a fanatic gardener, working long hours in the sun would surely trigger a-fib when I came inside to rest. Drink water -- lots!

[Shcldavies]

Always found the sun helped providing you stay hydrated and don't get uncomfortably hot.

[Singwell]

I find it helpful but I do cover my head and neck always. I noticed with the meds that I burn now really easily and last year managed to give myself a bit of sunstroke. I'd say anything that causes a stress on the metabolism might cause AF but it's individual. Try smaller doses and keep well hydrated.

[Hidden in reply to Singwell]

You could try my trick I get heat stroke easily...I put a damp scarf in the fridge in a sandwich bag and when I go out to the shops I put one damp scarf around me of over my head if its really bad and another in my purse because sometimes that small walk to the shop dries the scarf out and I need another to get back home without fainting. I have low bp so I think thatsbwhy it affects me so much. I used to love saunas and scorching hot days. But now I look odd but stay super cool and you can't really tell if you pick the right colour of scarf ..

[Hidden]

See this article: “8 ways to prevent Afib in Summer.” Extracted:

“According to the Cleveland Clinic, you should try to drink 6 to 12 ounces of water — about half to a little less than a full pint glass — every 10 to 15 minutes that you are outside being active.To avoid arrhythmias in the heat, it is important to keep drinking, even if you don't feel thirsty," Dr. Vasaiwala says. "And keep water with you when you go outside."

[This does seem to be rather a lot of water].

everydayhealth.com/atrial-f...

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Also you are sweating and losing electrolytes. So water will only make you lose more. And they're essential. So I'd say liwuid not water. And not sugar or coffee but something with elecrorlytes...you only need a small amount but you need them all day and if your body hasn't got them coming in and is sweating them out it will have to melt your bones to get them.

[LaceyLady]

Have you tried drinking a electrolyte drinks and maybe spraying your self with water? Just wondering if you can manage it. I’d love to go back to the Caribbean when lock downs finished and haven’t been since I was diagnosed.

[LaceyLady]

With my fair skin, I prefer to sit in the shade. With regards to electrolyte drink I’ve recently got High 5 zero, has no sugars.

[ILowe]

I agree on the scepticism about large amounts of water. I think we need to distinguish between sudden exposure to heat and gradual exposure. It is the sudden exposure that is most likely to cause problems.

Fit people find sudden changes easier to cope with. If you are not fit you need to do two things.

1/ Reduce your work load. The heat is wearing even for those who are acclimatised

2/ Regular exercise in the heat improves acclimatisation.

When I lived and worked in Tunis I sometimes had to go all day at around 35C with very little water, and I thought nothing of it. When Spring came I would deliberately train for the coming heat through wearing my winter clothing while walking. You could always identify a tourist -- they were wearing too little clothing!!

But the winter cold was another story and was definitely a greater problem.

We are all different so it is quite possible that some people have more of a problem with Afib in the summer, especially if they have the body shape that reacts badly to heat.

[Buffy-1]

I am a sun lover also. I can be in the sun for hours and it does not seem to affect my afib. However, this year I am going to avoid the hot tub. Have been in outdoor temps of 120° and no problem other than being hot.

[Hidden]

Electrolytes aren't sugar they're sodium chloride( salt) magnesium calcium potassium so a glass of water with a squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of salt ... No sugar nessisary. I quite like cocoa which has magnesium and others black with a pinch of salt... Weird sounding but kinda like a black coffee.. Of course its nicer with milk and sugar and marshmallows...but you could use a small bit of xylatol if you need sweetness. So important not to just deink water especially in the heat. You can buy sugar free dioralite satchets but they have aspartame or some such sweetener in them. Swueeze of lemon juice pinch of salt is your only man. Lots of recipes online ..I think any bitter berry or fruit will have nl sugar and some electrolytes... Maybe raspberry juice or that?

[Hidden]

I wouldn't say staying away from the sun is the only option. If it triggers you then think why? Because your hot. So stay cool. Bevsuse your dehydrated so stay hudrated. Because bright light is shining in your eyes (makes me sneeze!) Wear sun glasses. But the advantages of being in the sun are so immense. To avoid it altogether just in case seems overkill. If you avoid everything that has triggered an episode in someone else you'll be very limited. Just worry about what triggers you and what are common triggers like dehydration lack of electrolytes. When you're very warm you get vasoldilation of the extremities so that heat can escape which can drop your blood pressure ... So you might know already if a bp drop triggers you. In which case you would want to be aware of that. Or maybe it helps you. Lots of people never dilate or constrict their blood vessels because they constantly in centrally heated homes and cars and building which isn't good for your blood vessels flexibility makes it harder to adapt when needed. Some people like me are always with cold feet and need a warm bath to open them up and get circulation going. And your hesrt rste can go up in heat too to pump the warm blood to the extremities to exchange heat. I usually check my ears aren't getting warm cos I have had heat stroke before. I wear a wet scarf around my shoulders in summer when I go to the shops. Even over my heat. sometimes I bring a second one because by the time I've walked three minutes to the shop the scarf is dried out and I need a new one to get home lol! I keep them in sandwich bags in the fridge. They work. You look a bit silly but you stay as cool as a cucumber. You can also overheat if your vessels don't dilate so good...some drinks and teas they drink in hot countries help dilate peripheral vessels and aid heat exchange. But if you're on medication some of those might be contraindicated so you'd have to check. But if you take care of your body in the sun the sun is a great mental and physical nourishment and you can't sit indoors all summer afraid to go out and have fun! If we are allowed to have fun yet?!! Just take precautions.