Helpful tips to help you beat the heat in metro Atlanta

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) - With extreme heat and humidity continuing in north Georgia for several more days before lower humidity arrives this weekend, it is important to prepare for hotter weather.

Tuesday is a First Alert Weather Day for feel like conditions between 100 and 110° from noon until 8 p.m.

According to the Red Cross, here are some helpful tips to help you beat the heat.

Stay hydrated:

It is very important to learn how to stay hydrated and make sure you drink enough water to prevent heat-related illness.

Making sure you stay away from sugary, caffeinated, and alcoholic drinks is key.

Eating meals and snacks throughout the day with adequate water intake is enough to help you maintain electrolytes and replace salt that you lose when you sweat.

Gather water and emergency supplies:

Gather food, water and medicine in advance if you have the opportunity is key.
Make sure to plan and pack two weeks of supplies in case you may need to stay at home.
Make sure to have a one-month supply of medication in a child-proof container.

Take action to keep your home cool

Keep your air conditioning on, if you have one in your home.
Install window air conditioners and insulate them.
Cover your windows with drapes or shades.
Use window reflectors, such as aluminum foil-covered cardboard to reflect the heat outside.
Use a powered attic ventilator or fan to regulate the heat level of your attic, if you have one, by clearing out the air.

According to the Red Cross, it is very important to pay attention to possible signs of heat exhaustion. For example, if you or someone around you experience muscle spasms or muscle pain, call a medical professional immediately. Heat cramps are muscle spasms that often occur in the abdomen, arms, or calves that are caused by a large loss of salt and water in your body.

Try to avoid any intense physical exercise at all costs. Make sure to pay attention to heavy sweating during exercise or non-physical activity.

Plan to visit a cool place:

Spending some time in your home with your air conditioner is a good way to help prevent or reduce heat-related illness.
If you don’t have an air conditioner in your home, try to identify a place where you can spend the hottest part of the day. Perhaps, visit a nearby neighbor, friend, or relative who has air conditioning.
Check to see if local public libraries or shopping malls are open to help you stay cool.
Visit a local beach, lake, or pool to help you stay cool. Pools in metro Atlanta and across DeKalb County opened in May, so take a trip to your local pool and go swimming if you can.

Extreme heat is the most dangerous type of severe-weather event in the U.S., but we can take action to prepare our loved ones and communities for extreme heat events and related power outages. Heat exhaustion is a severe heat-related illness requiring emergency medical treatment, according to Red Cross experts.

Signs to look for:

Heavy sweating
Cold, pale and clammy skin
Fast, weak pulse
Nausea or vomiting
Muscle cramps
Tiredness or weakness
Dizziness
Headache
Brief fainting (passing out)

What to do:

Move the person to a cool place
Loosen their clothes
Put cool, wet cloths on their body, use misting and fanning, or help them take a cool bath
Have the person drink water

According to the Red Cross, a heat stroke is the most serious medical condition caused by extreme heat. It requires immediate emergency treatment. It can result in death without immediate medical attention.

What to look for: