Heat vs Humidity

[Jacksmom516]

Most of us have had an unbearably hot summer - but this past week the humidity on the east coast has been ridiculous -  I am in the mid-atlantic and every day is more and more humid!  I handled 106 better than this stuff -  Who else out there is feeling the humidity more than the heat we had.  My legs feel like lead weights when I am outside.  In the AC much better.  

Never wished for fall and winter more!  LOL!!!  

[doublevision1]

We live up north where it's hot and dry in the summer and freezing cold and dry in the winter.  So not an issue for me here.  The heat does weaken and fatigue me and makes my hand feel worse than usual, but I don't go out much in summer anyway as in addition my skin is extremely sensitive to the sun since I went on so many meds.  So I'm usually freezing in the house with the AC cranked.  We just returned from the East coast and the humidity in Maine and Nova Scotia were crazy, felt like 40 Celsius.  And like Lulu my hair would frizz up like crazy almost immediately after straightening it.

Autumn has always, always been my favourite season and like mayperl I wish it could be year round.  Unfortunately it's a short season where we live, it seems to go from summer to winter instantaneously.  And then I will be complaining about minus 30 - 40 Celsius and no, I'm not exaggerating.  It's brutal and really heightens my extensive numbness.

[Lulu54]

check out this chart - 82 degrees with 97% humidity feels like 122 - no wonder you felt hot!

http://www.weatherimages.org/data/heatindex.html

[Jacksmom516]

Its funny I can handle 90 or 100 degrees when it isn't humid I get tired but can still function. Yesterday it was 82 degrees out but 97% humidity and I could barely lift my legs after a half hour outside.  PT was a joke last night.  

Always loved spring and fall -  Love it even more now!!!!!!!  LOL

[Sailorsong]

Yes both heat and humidity do affect our MS. I was just reading about this in an article that JJ posted a link to. According to the article it only take 1/2 of 1 degree centigrade  in body temperature to set off things in our bodies. And either humidity or heat can cause this body temperature rise.

Normally I can handle 75 degree weather but if the humidity gets very high I can't even handle that amount of heat.

Lulu, Yes I find it harder to breath when it is very humid no matter what the temperature is.

Dennis

[Lulu54]

Doesn't the humidity make it harder to breathe ? It always feels that way to me.  And it curls/frizzes my hair.

Think about all those weather forecasts that give the heat index- you combine the ambient temperature and the humidity and come up with a different number of what the temperature 'feels' like andthat is almost always a crazy higher number.  

High humidity also makes it difficult for us to sweat - which is the body's way of keeping cool.  And our body has to work way harder to get us cooled off.

If you want to read more about this, check out this allergy site - they have a great explanation on heat index and the rest of this...

http://www.achooallergy.com/effects-of-humidity.asp

[JaneK1975]

@Sarah: Haha! Missed you, you crazy lady ;)

I've had major issues with humidity in California, but in Boston I feel okay so far. Sometimes I wonder if it's actually high barometric pressure that sets me off? It's weird.

[SarahL2491]

Ok I admit it, cell phones and vision problems don't mix, I just saw my post and am ready to crawl under the table but sure you guys knew that wasn't on purpose!!

[SarahL2491]

Me too!
I got too hot today and am curled up in the recliner, vision all screwed ipbtilbi bool fien enough.....come on fall

[debgen]

Humidity totally kills me!
I literally can't function when it is humid out. I immediately feel like I am having a flare up when it gets humid.
It has gotten so bad this summer that I have had to limit my time outside, pretty much just going from the sit conditioned house to the air conditioned car to another air conditione destination! My only time actually spent outdoors was in the pool!

I also can't wait for Fall!
Deb

[Jacksmom516]

Exactly Kyle

I went to St Martin in April -  sat on the beach - at least 8 hours a day - 4 sun 4 shade.  Went about my business no problems -  walked went to dinner all was great -  Actually spent 8 hours in the sun one day = great breezes and was tired but that was more from being in the sun than anything.  And like I said this summer we had several over 100 degree days but could handle it -  This stuff my max is with you 45 minutes or an hour and I am done!


It was 82 yesterday but 97% humidity and it was awful!

mayperl   I am with you Fall or Spring are is my fantasy -
This past winter was pretty mild here so I shall see how I do this winter

[kwarendorf]

I was going to ask exactly this question today! When I was on vacation in July it was warm but there was no humidity. We were hiking and biking and I had no problem. My energy level was great. Back home in NYC, even on days when the temp is OK, the humidity just kills me.

After about 45 minutes outside, with the humidity at anything north of 50%, I start to fade.

Kyle

[mayperl]

awe.  Well, I guess I'm a weirdo because although the deep south humidity has me in the AC on most days, I'm not looking forward to winter temps near the 40s.  My toes and arms numb up and legs burn in the cold.  

My fantasy land is fall year round :)  

[sllowe]

Me! Humidity is sucking the life out of me each day. Can't wait for it to be gone. It's been downright tropical since I can't remember how far back since before summer started.

Right there wishin with you!

[jibjen]

Hi,
I am with you. the humidity is the killer for me..but I noticed being "overheated" gets to me as well...

Jibs