Here's why taking a cold shower during a heatwave is incredibly dangerous, experts say
The dog days of summer are here, and NYC is currently experiencing a scorching heatwave with temperatures reaching well into the 100s.
New Yorkers are doing everything possible to cool off, which may include jumping into a cold shower — however, experts advise against it.
Advertisement
New Yorkers are doing everything possible to stay cool this week.
fizkes – stock.adobe.com
Serious organ damage can be done if people's core temperature stays high for too long, so a cold shower on an extremely hot day sounds like a sensible way to cool your body down, but in reality, it's not helpful at all.
'Although diving into a cold bath or shower straight after being out in the heat might feel nice on your skin, it isn't doing what is needed to reduce the core temperature of the body,' researchers explained in a study published by The Conversation.
Advertisement
When taking a chilly shower, blood vessels near your skin constrict, which reduces blood flow to certain areas, causing your body to hold heat in and around your organs — something you don't want to happen.
And if the water temp in your shower is borderline freezing, a domino effect happens: your body goes into a 'cold shock response,' which causes the skin's blood vessels to rapidly constrict, which then increases your blood pressure since the heart has to work in overtime mode, as explained by The Conversation.
This is bad news for people with heart conditions. Although it's rare, the shocking difference in body temperature, going from hot to cold, can cause an irregular heartbeat and worst-case scenario — can lead to death.
Before panic sets in — jumping into a mildly cold pool, shower or bath won't kill you — just be careful not to bring the water to a freezing temp.
Advertisement
Taking a freezing shower sounds like a great idea
torwaiphoto – stock.adobe.com
Expert-approved ways that are actually efficient in keeping your body cool during this treacherous heatwave are to drink plenty of water and avoid caffeine and alcohol — they can cause dehydration.
It's also recommended to avoid wearing dark-colored clothing and keep your blinds and curtains shut to keep the heat at bay.
And if you own a fan, a simple hack can help keep your home cool and will save you a few bucks on your electricity bill.
Advertisement
Les Roberts, an energy expert from Bionic, told the Daily Mail that fans should be pointed out the window instead.
'Opening opposite windows or doors allows air to flow through,' Roberts said.
'For even better airflow, you can place a second fan facing inward at the opposite opening to pull cooler air into the room, creating a strong cross-breeze.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Cooling tower at Harlem Hospital among 12 sites tied to NYC Legionnaires' disease outbreak that's killed 4
A cooling tower at Harlem Hospital was among 12 sites tied to the city's Legionnaires' disease outbreak that's now killed four people and sickened nearly 100, Department of Health officials said Thursday. The city's Central Harlem Sexual Health Clinic, the NYC Economic Development Corporation and CUNY's Marshak Science Building also all had cooling towers that needed to be scrubbed clean, officials said at a press conference. Overall, 10 sites that potentially exposed people to Legionnaires' disease were listed by officials after they initially refused to pinpoint where the towers were located. Officials spoke at a Thursday press conference about the outbreak. PIX11 Instead, the health department offered five zip codes in central Harlem — 10027, 10030, 10035, 10037, 10039 – that were at the center of the cluster, as officials stressed the disease was airborne and could reach people even outside of the directly affected buildings. 'We did not want people to think, well, I don't live there, I don't have to worry,' said Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse Thursday. 'That is the exact opposite response from what we wanted. What we wanted was for people in all five zip codes to be on high alert for developing any flu like symptoms and to immediately seek care.' At least 99 cases have been confirmed, including 17 patients that have required hospitalization, since July 25. The four deaths is a jump from three that was reported by health officials last week. Twelve cooling towers, including three on one building, have tested positive for the bacteria that fuels Legionnaires' disease with 11 of them already cleaned. One tower needs to be taken care of by Friday. The 10 buildings with affected cooling towers, as listed by the DOH, are: BRP Companies, Lafayette Development LLC, 2239 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd Manhattan, NY 10037 BVK, 215 W 125th St Manhattan, NY 10027 Commonwealth Local Development, 301 West 124th St, Manhattan, NY 10035 CUNY – City College Marshak Science Building, 181 Convent Ave, Manhattan, NY 10031 Harlem Center Condo, 317 Lenox Ave, Manhattan, NY 10030 NYC Economic Development Corporation, 40 West 137th St, Manhattan, NY 10037 NYC Health Department Central Harlem Sexual Health Clinic, 2238 5th Ave, Manhattan, NY 10030 NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem, 506 Lenox Ave, Manhattan, NY 10037 The New York Hotel Trades Council Harlem Health Center,133 Morningside Ave, Manhattan, NY 10027 Wharton Properties, 100 W 125th St Manhattan, NY 10027 (3 of 8 towers) Air conditioning units fill the windows of an apartment building in the Harlem neighborhood amid a Legionnaires' disease outbreak in New York City, U.S., August 6, 2025. REUTERS Anyone in the affected area dealing with flu-like symptoms was encouraged to seek medical care as soon as possible. 'While the cluster has been contained, we're still urging New Yorkers who live or work in the affected areas to seek medical attention,' Mayor Eric Adams said. It can take between 12 to 14 days from exposure to the droplets to start feeling sick. People can catch Legionnaires' disease from bacterial droplets that come from water systems like cooling towers and are breathed in, though the disease isn't spread person-to-person.
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Eric Adams is right — we need involuntary treatment to solve the public drug scourge
Can New York clean up its public drug-use problem? Mayor Eric Adams aims to try: On Thursday, he called on the state Legislature to allow clinicians and judges to compel people into treatment when their drug use is hurting them and the city. 'We must help those struggling finally get treatment, whether they recognize the need for it or not,' Adams said at an event hosted by the Manhattan Institute (where I work). Advertisement 'Addiction doesn't just harm individual users; it tears apart lives, families and entire communities, and we must change the system to keep all New Yorkers safer.' Adams' proposed state law, the Compassionate Interventions Act, may face an uphill battle in Albany, as 'harm reduction' advocates assail it as coercive and dangerous. But involuntary treatment should be a tool in New York's arsenal for dealing with the public drug use that has plagued it for years. Advertisement There's no doubt the city has a problem. Last year it reported nearly 4,000 homeless residents with a history of chronic substance use — probably an undercount, as such people are less likely to be identified by the city's annual late-night census. Regardless, it's not hard to find people shooting up on New York's streets — just visit the Hub in The Bronx or Washington Square Park in Manhattan. Such behavior makes whole swaths of the city unlivable. Advertisement Public drug use hurts both users — there were more than 2,100 overdose deaths in the five boroughs last year — and the places where they use. It deters commerce, and creates environments conducive to more serious crime. Too often the city has responded to these situations with benign neglect, exemplified by its two 'supervised consumption sites,' which give people a place to use with Narcan-wielding staff standing by. These sites continue to operate, in spite of the fact that they don't work and violate federal law. Advertisement Leaving people free to abuse drugs, it turns out, doesn't save lives. Involuntary treatment, by contrast, tries to correct the behavior that drives drug users to hurt both themselves and others. That's why 37 other states already permit it — and why New York under Adams' plan would join them. Critics will insist that involuntary drug treatment doesn't work, and that people have to want to change. But the balance of the evidence suggests that involuntary treatment performs as well as voluntary treatment. That's backed up both by older research on California's involuntary-treatment scheme, and by strong indications that drug courts, which route drug offenders into treatment instead of prison, can reduce recidivism. Opponents will also say that it's immoral to compel people to get treatment they don't want, and that it violates their 'bodily autonomy.' Advertisement But there's no right to shoot up in public spaces, or to ruin your body with fentanyl. And New Yorkers should have the right to expect their public spaces to be free from disorder, including public drug use. The biggest challenge for Adams, though, may be the state's limited treatment capacity. New York state as a whole has only 134 long-term residential treatment facilities. As of 2023, the most recent available data, they were serving 2,935 clients — fewer than the city's tallied homeless drug-addict population. Advertisement Implementing the Compassionate Interventions Act will almost certainly require more funding for treatment beds, much as Adams' previous efforts to institutionalize the seriously mentally ill did. That will have to be part of any ask in Albany. But the mayor's proposal will also allow diversion to outpatient treatment programs, including a new $27 million investment in contingency management therapy — an evidence-based intervention that has been shown to help treat drug addiction. What happens if Albany says no to Adams' proposal? Or if Adams is out of the mayoralty come the next legislative session? Advertisement The NYPD can still work to clear encampments. And the city can still try to divert drug users into its drug-courts system, which, while useful, faces administrative problems and lacks transparency. But actually getting drug users the help they need, rather than just cycling them through the city's jails, will be hard — much as the administration struggled to handle the seriously mentally ill before it had the power to compel them into treatment. The success of Adams' initiative to assist the mentally ill homeless — over 3,500 people moved from the subways and streets to housing, according to the mayor's office — is a sign that such strategies can work elsewhere. Advertisement Expanding the approach to public drug use is the next logical step. Albany should get on board. Charles Fain Lehman is a fellow at the Manhattan Institute and senior editor of City Journal.
New York Post
6 hours ago
- New York Post
Lots of Americans think they have this allergy — but only 1% really do
You've been itching to avoid this antibiotic — maybe for no reason. Penicillin was discovered in 1928 by a Scottish bacteriologist. The medication has since become a common treatment for a range of bacterial infections, including strep throat, pneumonia, skin infections and certain urinary tract infections. But not everyone can tolerate penicillin. People allergic to the drug may suffer hives, itchy skin, a rash or, in severe cases, a potentially life-threatening reaction known as anaphylaxis upon exposure. Advertisement 4 A penicillin allergy can lead to a rash or hives if exposed to the drug. Image'in – These patients may struggle to breathe, feel dizzy or experience facial swelling. The good news is that penicillin allergies are far less common than once believed. Advertisement Studies have shown that over 90% of people who report a penicillin allergy aren't actually allergic when tested. Less than 1% of Americans are truly allergic. 'Incorrectly being labeled as allergic to penicillin can prevent you from getting the most appropriate, safest treatment for an infection,' Dr. Elizabeth W. Covington, an associate clinical professor of pharmacy at Auburn University, recently wrote in The Conversation. 4 Penicillin is used to treat strep throat, pneumonia, skin infections and certain urinary tract infections. luchschenF – 'It can also put you at an increased risk of antimicrobial resistance, which is when an antibiotic no longer works against bacteria,' she added. Advertisement Those reporting penicillin allergies are often treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics, which target lots of different types of bacteria. Covington noted that this puts helpful bacteria in the cross-hairs, potentially paving the way for the survival and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. 'Broad-spectrum antibiotics … aren't always the best fit and can have more side effects' than penicillin, she said. 'What's more, your medical bills could end up higher due to using more expensive drugs.' Advertisement People tend to get mislabeled as allergic to penicillin if they have a rash, nausea, diarrhea or headaches after taking an antibiotic as a child, Covington reported. But those reactions can be common side effects of antibiotics or triggered by the illness itself. 4 In severe cases, a person with a penicillin allergy may suffer throat swelling. SKT Studio – 'People also often assume penicillin allergies run in families, but having a relative with an allergy doesn't mean you're allergic — it's not hereditary,' Covington said in The Conversation. 'Finally, about 80% of patients with a true penicillin allergy will lose the allergy after about 10 years,' she continued. 'That means even if you used to be allergic to this antibiotic, you might not be anymore, depending on the timing of your reaction.' How to tell if you're allergic to penicillin Talk with a doctor or pharmacist about any symptoms you have after taking antibiotics. Be sure to note when the reaction began, whether treatment was needed and what happened with subsequent attempts at taking similar drugs. Advertisement 'In many cases, this interview is enough to determine you aren't allergic,' Covington said. 'But sometimes, further testing may be recommended.' 4 An immunologist performs a skin prick allergy test on a woman's arm. Microgen – Penicillin skin testing typically involves putting a small amount of penicillin solution on the forearm and pricking or scratching the skin to let the solution enter. Then you're observed to see if you develop redness or raised bumps. Advertisement If the skin test is negative, an immunologist may administer a small oral dose of the drug and monitor you for signs of a reaction. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center said the skin and oral testing typically takes 90 minutes to two hours. The NYC-based cancer hospital suggests wearing a short-sleeved shirt for the test, which allows for easy access to your arm, and eating a meal or snack beforehand to prevent cramping, gas and bloating.
