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Please note, that everything said here should be done with (as Buster noted) room temperature or slightly cool water.
Alright, you find yourself in a hot environment and know that you will be spending a whole day there.
What you can do is put some powdered sugar into the water (do not over-do it, though, it is generally two table spoons per liter). Sugar help you to replenish the energy. It is cheap and effective.
a) bubbles will make you sick the second you try to run after having drunk half a liter of it
b) all the crap in it (all the ENumbernumbernumber stuff) will make you sick in the long run
c) sugar will make you want to drink even more without quenching your thirst.
What you should drink on the other hand is the following:
Water
Electrolite (Gatorade, etc. lots of things with carbohydrates and saccharides, a natural juice is not bad at all)
Water with added flavor (freshly squeezed lemon or orange will add great flavor while still keeping the water potable for quite a long time)
Some energy drinks - try to say no to Redbull and other crap. Instead, get something that has at least some dietary value. Monster energy drink is a little bit better. For those over 21, a beer is a good idea to replenish minerals and SOME vitamins. AFTER ALL AIRSOFTING (driving, etc.) IS OVER, OF COURSE! The two do not belong together under any circumstances!
Make sure you have an easy access to WATER during the whole time!
Very similar procedures apply to airsofting in cold weather, where a lot of your body fluids are used to keep the body warm! No matter what, do not eat snow, ever! It cools down your metabolism and you will need more and more fluids to keep it at a stable temperature. Instead, get a canteen and let the snow melt in there!
I guess this is pretty much it about staying safe and well, so let's recap this whole thing.
Bad signs:
Urine has a dark color - the darker the worse. You need to replenish your fluids right now.
Urinating hurts, urine has a dark golden color - a very bad sign, it is almost too late.
Dizziness - A very good sign of your body slowly getting dehydrated. Drink a whole lot and sit back for a couple minutes.
Dry skin - the more dehydrated you get, the drier your skin. If you pinch the skin on your wrist and it takes a while for it to get back to its former condition (dark spots take a while to dissipate, the pinch marks stay a while), drink!
Call the ambulance next! Time is a factor here. Get the person to the most easily accessible point for the paramedics and wait there until they arrive.
Hopefully, this will help every of you to stay hydrated and know what to do to prevent it and how to deal with it.
Should anyone have anything informative and important to add, go ahead!
Stay safe,
Shifty
Alright, you find yourself in a hot environment and know that you will be spending a whole day there.
The answer is simple: Lots of water. If possible, do not buy Coca-Cola, Pepsi, etc. Water is the best way to go.
That is an even simpler answer. It is cheap, easy to carry around in a camel bag, and can be replenished from almost any source. Yes, there are other beverages (more on that later), but water seems to work the best.
What you can do is put some powdered sugar into the water (do not over-do it, though, it is generally two table spoons per liter). Sugar help you to replenish the energy. It is cheap and effective.
As much as you can. You should always drink as much water as you can and well water your organism. What we were thought in boot camp was to drink a lot during one to two days prior leaving the base so that your skin and every part of body has enough water in case you got into some sort of trouble. That is quite a good thing to do before longer events.
No, but if I were you, I would scrap all the sodas right away. The amount of
a) bubbles will make you sick the second you try to run after having drunk half a liter of it
b) all the crap in it (all the ENumbernumbernumber stuff) will make you sick in the long run
c) sugar will make you want to drink even more without quenching your thirst.
What you should drink on the other hand is the following:
Water
Electrolite (Gatorade, etc. lots of things with carbohydrates and saccharides, a natural juice is not bad at all)
Water with added flavor (freshly squeezed lemon or orange will add great flavor while still keeping the water potable for quite a long time)
Some energy drinks - try to say no to Redbull and other crap. Instead, get something that has at least some dietary value. Monster energy drink is a little bit better. For those over 21, a beer is a good idea to replenish minerals and SOME vitamins. AFTER ALL AIRSOFTING (driving, etc.) IS OVER, OF COURSE! The two do not belong together under any circumstances!
The most important - and I cannot stress this enough - is to stop playing and find a spot in the shade. Sit back and relax. Pull out your death rag and have a drink. Pour some over your head and neck. It should cool you down a bit. Remove all as many layers of clothing as you are willing to to get your body to a lower temperature.
Ask someone politely to help you to get to the Staging Area. If it is a sanctioned field, they should have someone who can give you first aid. If this is not the case, make sure someone tries to find anyone with any experience. If that still is not possible, get someone to take you to the hospital.
Make sure you have an easy access to WATER during the whole time!
Choose your clothing for the day! Make sure you get light breathable materials (most summer uniforms are) and that you do carry enough fluids!
Very similar procedures apply to airsofting in cold weather, where a lot of your body fluids are used to keep the body warm! No matter what, do not eat snow, ever! It cools down your metabolism and you will need more and more fluids to keep it at a stable temperature. Instead, get a canteen and let the snow melt in there!
I guess this is pretty much it about staying safe and well, so let's recap this whole thing.
Bad signs:
Urine has a dark color - the darker the worse. You need to replenish your fluids right now.
Urinating hurts, urine has a dark golden color - a very bad sign, it is almost too late.
Dizziness - A very good sign of your body slowly getting dehydrated. Drink a whole lot and sit back for a couple minutes.
Dry skin - the more dehydrated you get, the drier your skin. If you pinch the skin on your wrist and it takes a while for it to get back to its former condition (dark spots take a while to dissipate, the pinch marks stay a while), drink!
Make sure you call someone who has a first aid experience or at least knows what they are doing! If the person is really dehydrated, they will breathe slowly and will have dry lips. If the person is actually breathing, the best thing you can do is pour some water into their mouth. Do not worry, the swallowing reflex will work. Once the water reaches the root of the tongue, the person will swallow. That prevents you from inhaling a spider crawling into your mouth while you are asleep.
Call the ambulance next! Time is a factor here. Get the person to the most easily accessible point for the paramedics and wait there until they arrive.
Hopefully, this will help every of you to stay hydrated and know what to do to prevent it and how to deal with it.
Should anyone have anything informative and important to add, go ahead!
Stay safe,
Shifty
