BEAUMONT, Texas — The Southeast Texas heat has been brutal and this is especially true for people who work outside.
Emergency rooms are seeing more and more people coming in for heat-related illnesses.
Doctors at CHRISTUS St. Elizabeth Hospital tell 12News that they have treated 16 patients since July 9, 2023 due to sickness from heat.
"Just be aware of the signs cause this heat is extreme, this time of day, this time of year," said Tasha Wilson, a Beaumont resident who exercises outside everyday.
Every morning Wilson makes sure she drinks plenty of water before setting out for a run at Central Park.
It's important to know your limits when doing physical activity outside.
"In the heat of the day like this it's been several times that I have felt a little bad and then I'll go to a shaded area and rest and you know drink my water. And then when I'm feeling better I'll determine if I need to go home or come back later when the sun goes down it's a lot cooler," said Wilson.
Listening to your body is key to avoid ending up in the ER with a heat-related illness.
The best piece of advice from doctors is to wait for cooler hours of the day to exercise.
"Really right now in between 10 and 7. Because that's when the heat of the day is really hot, that's number one. If you want to go exercise do it before then, or later at night," said CHRISTUS Family Physician Dr. William Pickard.
The first sign if dehydration is thirst. Sweating is another sign.
Dr. Pickard says that if your body stops sweating, that's when real problems begin.
"Your body is getting too hot. Your internal temperature is rising above 100 degrees, and you will start to feel bad. Meaning you're going to start to feel a little weak, light headed, kind of disorientated, when you're not really thinking straight," said Dr. Pickard.
This is when heat exhaustion starts to set in. It's important to find some shade, sit down and drink some water and electrolytes.
"We sweat, we lose salt. And especially for people that work in the heat day, everyday. If they don't replace those electrolytes they will start to get cramps. So waters fine. But I would recommend if you're doing one water, then do one electrolyte solution after that," said Dr. Pickard.
For those who work outside Dr. Pickard asks that you take a water break every 35-45 minutes and suggests avoiding consuming coffee or alcohol because they are dehydrating.