Hot weather and high humidity can lead to dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. It is important to follow certain steps to prevent harm to your health in hot weather.

Our bodies need to be kept at a normal, constant temperature of approximately 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit to help protect our brain and internal organs.

When our bodies get above 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, our sweat glands become activated. As our sweat evaporates, it helps to cool us down. However, humidity can stop the evaporation process and, as a result, our body temperature remains elevated.

You can become overheated and dehydrated at this point. Blood vessels become "limp" and blood can pool to lower parts of the body. This pooling of blood can cause fainting, especially when a person stands up from a seated position. These symptoms are called heat exhaustion.

Heat exhaustion can progress to heat stroke, which occurs when the body’s temperature rises to dangerous levels (more than 105 degrees Fahrenheit).

Older adults are at high risk for heat stroke due to the decreased thirst mechanisms that occur with age and a decreased sense of "feeling hot." They may become dehydrated more quickly than other age groups.