Summer is a wonderful time of year, especially when it’s not raining. Being able to leave the house without fretting about jackets or umbrellas is delightfully freeing. But summer is not without its challenges, especially for people who rely on medical oxygen to stay in good shape. Higher than usual temperatures can affect not only your body, but also your oxygen equipment and your supply, as can sun exposure, higher than expected humidity, and a host of other summery factors that might not occur to you at first. 

Let’s have a look at how you can stay cool, travel safely and enjoy your planned summer activities without being constrained by the effects of the season on your equipment. And then we’ll look at how OxygenWorldwide can help you make the most of your travels without compromising your health or oxygen equipment in hot temperatures.

How Summer Heat Affects Oxygen Users

First, a disclaimer: any advice given in this article is general and generic and should not be accepted as being correct for every oxygen user in every instance. Always consult your medical team about dramatic changes in your circumstances, and when torn between advice found in this text and that given to you by your doctor, go with the latter! His or her advice will be tailored to suit your specific medical needs and oxygen levels and remember, hot weather and oxygen therapy can go well together – and it can also raise problems, so be alert to changes in your health.

When your body gets hot, you are at higher risk of dehydration – something already fairly well known. But you can also be at higher risk of oxygen desaturation, which is the medical term for when your blood oxygen drops below normal levels, which can mean that you should be upping your flowrate or using more oxygen during these times, in order to remain in good health.

Aside from these two, rather serious factors, traveling with oxygen in summer heat can also make you feel more tired and fatigued, and you might even feel short of breath – and this can happen even when your oxygen levels are acceptable.

When your equipment gets hot, it can be equally problematic: your device can overheat which can cause it to shut-down (not ideal when you perhaps need a treatment) or to perform poorly, so you don’t receive the right flowrate of oxygen. 

The battery of your POC (portable oxygen concentrator) or other oxygen delivery appliance might drain faster in hotter temperatures. Make sure you know how to keep oxygen concentrators cool, before you travel anywhere. Even relatively mundane parts of the equipment, such as the tubes and attachments, can overheat and work less efficiently than might be desired. Tubes can develop kinks or lose their structural integrity in the heat, meaning that the flowrate of the oxygen can be impacted.

 

‘Planning for the heat isn’t just about comfort – it’s about patient safety too’

Practical Summer Travel Tips for Oxygen Users

You can ensure that you stay in good health for your trip by following these guidelines, which can apply in cooler weather as well as in hot conditions:

  • Stay Hydrated: Drink water often, sipping from a bottle as you travel about or chugging back a big glass of water every hour or so – whichever method works best for you is fine, the main point is to get that water inside you to keep your body ticking over nicely! While all liquid does count as ‘hydration’ to a certain extent, try to avoid alcohol and caffeine as these can be drying to the system.
  • Stay Out of the Mid-Day Sun: As the old song goes, ‘Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the mid-day sun,’ but nobody should be venturing out at the hottest time of the day. Plan your activities for earlier in the morning, or late afternoon or even early evening, when it will be cooler.
  • When in Doubt: Choose AC: There is no need for anyone to stay hot and uncomfortable for too long these days, with superb air conditioning equipment available in hotels and even in vehicles. When making your hotel booking and reserving your hire car, mention your medical need to be able to control your temperature (and that of your oxygen!) so that your insistence upon an air-conditioned room or an upgraded vehicle will be hard to argue with.
  • Be Prepared for Heat: But you won’t always be within easy reach of your air-conditioned car or hotel room, so make sure you carry something portable and cooling to manage your body temperature while you are out and about during the day. This can be a small USB or battery-powered fan, a cold compress or even a small hand towel that you’ve soaked in cold water (or even frozen) and then placed in a plastic bag. There are a number of similar quick and easy tricks that can help you keep yourself cool on even the hottest days.
  • Dress for the Occasion: When it comes to high temperatures, the kindest thing you can do to yourself is to dress for the weather, in lightweight clothing that wicks your sweat away, leaving you cool and dry and comfortable.
  • Protect Your Lungs and Skin: Always wear sunscreen, even on cloudy days – the UV rays can easily penetrate clouds and burn your skin, which is painful and unsightly. Also avoid very dusty areas if you can. If you must go somewhere dusty, make sure you take and wear a mask to keep your lungs as clear as possible.
  • Pulse-Oximeter, Just in Case: Carry a pulse oximeter with you on your travels. It’s a quick and easy way for you to check your blood oxygen saturation when you’re dealing with different conditions and climate than that which you are used to – you can make sure your stats are good, or take prompt action to restore your levels if you have a pulse oximeter with you wherever you go.

Keep Your Equipment Summer Ready

Look after your equipment when you are abroad. While it is possible to source repairs and replacements – especially if you are signed up with OxygenWorldwide and are traveling in one of the many countries with whom we have reciprocal agreements – it is always better not to subject yourself to the stress of having to arrange for this!

To this end, make sure your oxygen cylinders and POCs are stored somewhere with a cool, stable temperature. Never leave your equipment in a hot car as the temperatures inside a car can shoot up to astonishingly high levels in a surprisingly short time. Instead, find a cool, well-ventilated and shaded spot (make sure your equipment won’t be in direct sunlight, if you keep it near the window of your accommodation). 

And this goes for any spare batteries too – they should be kept out of the sun and kept in a cool, dry place. Charge spare batteries and your POC overnight, storing it in a cool, dry spot to do so. As well as bringing along extra nasal cannulas and filters for your equipment, also be prepared to regularly clean and dry your equipment. Mold and bacteria can take hold in inventive and unusual ways, so try not give them the chance to get a toehold on your precious breathing apparatus.

Travelling Abroad? Let OxygenWorldwide Arrange Your Summer Oxygen

One of the first things you should do when you’re planning your trip abroad is to get in touch with OxygenWorldwide. That’s because we can:

‘We make sure your oxygen is waiting for you, so you can focus on enjoying the sunshine.’

So you can see that while summer can be harder on your health, there is no reason to let things remain that way! With a little preparation, you can travel, relax and stay healthy even as you explore the world and step outside your comfort zone.If you need any help arranging your oxygen for your trip – you know who to call!  and we’ll help you enjoy a safe, supported summer trip where you’ll make memories and have the best time.