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Everything about acclimatization before, during and after your vacation
Work is a big part of the modern lifestyle. Therefore, it is difficult for us to go on vacation more than twice a year. But travel is the best way to escape from the usual place, experience new sensations and generally cheer up.
At the same time, changes occur not only on the emotional level, but also on the physical. The body always reacts to climate change. Only in some it does not manifest itself strongly, while for others, a change in temperature and humidity can become a threat to health.
In fact, acclimatization can be called the adaptation of the organism to new climatic or geographical conditions that force it to rebuild. It lasts about three to four days, and for children under adolescence, even a week. Does this mean that you need to sacrifice your vacation and not go, for example, to the Black Sea or not fly to Turkey? You decide.
In summer, Russian tourists usually rush to the southern regions. There is a pattern: the greater the difference in climate between the hometown and the resting place, the more pronounced the symptoms. Children and the elderly suffer the most in such conditions. No wonder, because the former have not fully formed and strengthened their immunity, while the latter have chronic diseases. Young people and middle-aged people generally react normally to temperature changes, however, sometimes they may develop weakness, sleep disturbance and exacerbate illness.
In some countries with dry air, you may not feel any change at all. Thanks to him, sweat evaporating from the surface of the body will retain the necessary thermoregulation. But there is an exception here – in arid or desert regions, such as Egypt or Israel, a huge amount of dust can prevent good health. Although it is easy to get used to it.
There are regions in which, on the contrary, high humidity is superimposed on hot weather. In such places, sweating is hampered by the fact that the liquid slowly evaporates from the body. Because of this, it overheats, pulse and respiration become more frequent. Remember, in such conditions, you are constantly tormented by thirst.
Prevention. Watch out for heatstroke, be sure to wear a hat, do not give up a cool shower, or swim more often in the sea. If you are staying at a hotel, then choose rooms with air conditioning – this is not a whim at all, but prevention of acclimatization. As for food, it is better to just have breakfast and dinner – avoid meals in the midst of the daytime, you can have a snack at lunchtime with fruit. Don’t forget to bring your first aid kit. Ideally, it should contain antipyretics such as ibuprofen or paracetamol. Medicines against influenza and SARS will be useful.
Low atmospheric pressure is the main factor causing poor health. The amount of air at altitude becomes much less than that to which the body is accustomed. Oxygen starvation, as a rule, develops at a level of 2 thousand meters. At the same time, the body undergoes significant changes: the hemoglobin content in the blood increases. As a result, heart rate increases, tinnitus, dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath and general weakness of the body appear. If you notice these symptoms in yourself or your friend, it is better to stop climbing for a while and go down lower.
Prevention. Do not travel more than 400-600 meters per day. Diversify the hold at the same height with walks. Trust me, you won’t be bored! Also, skip frequent snacks, because digestion slows down during this journey. Give preference to fermented milk products. Drink twice as much as usual. From medicines, you will need multivitamins and drugs that improve brain activity.
Acclimatization in northern latitudes
Recently, Arctic cruises have become popular – tourists are increasingly traveling to cold areas to see the northern lights. In addition to low temperatures, magnetic storms and a lack of ultraviolet radiation affect the body there. These factors cause insomnia, a sharp decrease in appetite, and drowsiness.
Prevention. Eat more high-calorie foods than usual. Don’t forget about ascorbic acid or other vitamins. Take care of warm clothes. It is better to forget about alcohol for a while.
It would seem that just a couple of weeks spent in a different climate could not rebuild your body. But this is not the case. Re-acclimatization is observed in those who return to their homeland from more favorable conditions. For example, a noticeable restructuring of the body is formed when returning to Siberia from warm regions. Fatigue, insomnia appear, chronic diseases are exacerbated.
Prevention. Try to buy plane tickets home on such a date that you have about two days to rest on your return. It is not recommended to start work immediately. Vitamin C is your friend, take it in the form of rose hips, lemon or pills. Do not pounce on food, eat light salads and cereals.