Common over the counter and prescription drugs can make heat waves more dangerous

Did you know that hot weather can interact with certain medications? If you or anyone you know is on antidepressants, antihistamines, or blood pressure medication, they may be more susceptible to the dangerous effects of extremely hot weather. Being on Lexapro, Benadryl, or Lisinopril, for example, can put you at much higher risk for dehydration or heat stroke during a heat wave. Yale Climate Connections has a great table listing medications that interact with heat.

If you don’t have air conditioning in your home, I recommend filling a hot water bottle with cool water to hug/keep near your torso to stay cool. Fomentek hot/cold water therapy bags are my favorite, as they are large and rectangular so you can even lay on it- it stays cool for a few hours. It definitely helped me sleep during a heat wave when a small window A/C unit was not enough to cool my tiny studio apartment while living in NYC!

Flowing Health offers acupuncture and cupping in North Seattle. We moved to the Ballard neighborhood a few months ago and are excited to be working with Ballard Wellness clinic to help decrease your stress levels and improve your health!