Fitness & exerciseHeart healthHydration

6 ways to protect your heart in hot weather

Keep your heart healthy when summer temperatures rise.

Jan, 2026
LearnWinter health6 ways to protect your heart in hot weather
Slide 1
Certain medicines affect your ability to cope with heat
Drinking enough to stay hydrated is important
Wear clothing that can help keep you cool
Avoid being out during the hottest times of the day
Eat smaller, more frequent meals
Take steps to cool your body temperature

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Slide 1

Hot, humid days can put a strain on the heart. If you already have heart problems, the heat can pose even greater risks. “In general, very high heat is not good for anyone, but it is much worse for people who have heart diseases," says Devender Akula, MD, cardiologist at LourdesCare at Cherry Hill in New Jersey.

Learn about some things you can do to protect your heart health when the temperature rises and it gets very hot outside.

Written byOlivia DeLong.
Medically reviewed byMark Arredondo, MD.September, 2025
Sources: American Heart Association. Protect Your Heart in the Heat. July 31 + 1
  1. American Heart Association. Protect Your Heart in the Heat. July 31, 2015. Accessed July 6, 2022.
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Natural Disasters and Severe Weather: Extreme Heat. June 17, 2022. Accessed July 6, 2022.

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