How to Make Summer Walks Less Hot, Sticky, and Exhausting

6 min readGoing for walks outside on a beautiful sunny day is one of the joys of summer. And it’s also easy to turn a stress-relieving summer stroll into a low-impact workout just by picking up the pace. But when the temps rise to “hot” and humidity adds another layer of stickiness to the air outside, your brisk walk can go from invigorating to a sweaty slog real quick.Women especially are more prone to the not-so-fun effects of hot weather. “Women can respond to heat a little differently than men because of differences in hormones and the way we regulate body temperature,” explains Navya Mysore, MD. “Depending on where you are in your cycle, you may notice you feel hotter or fatigue a little faster.” Pregnancy and menopause can also make you more heat-sensitive, she says.Why Staying Cool During Hot (Girl) Walks Matters“Even if you're just going for a walk, heat can make it feel much more strenuous than it actually is, especially when you are very pregnant,” Mysore says. One of the big reasons for this is that when you're walking in the heat, your body is constantly trying to keep itself at a normal temperature, and when it’s especially hot outside, especially if it’s humid on top of high temps, it has to work a lot harder to do that.It’s important to support your body’s temperature regulation and keep from getting totally wiped out or overheating by staying as cool as possible during your walks in hot weather.Simple things like walking in the shade, wearing breathable and moisture-wicking clothing, drinking cold water, carrying a handheld fan, or taking a quick break can make a big difference, Mysore says. Staying cooler will mean you're less likely to get overly tired and have to cut your walk short.Heat Hits Women DifferentlyWhere we are in our menstrual cycle is another factor that influences how the heat hits us when we’re doing our thing outside. “After ovulation (the second half of your cycle) your body temperature naturally runs a little higher because of progesterone. Pregnancy can have a similar effect since your body is already working harder,” Mysore says.Our age is also a factor, which is why heat and brisk walks on hot days may affect us differently over the course of our lives. “As we get older, it's also harder for our bodies to cool themselves efficiently, so heat-related illness becomes more of a concern,” Mysore says.Hydrate Lots and Pay Attention to How You FeelStaying hydrated during your walks is important, no matter what the temps are like, but it’s absolutely crucial during hot weather when you’re sweating. While plain water is usually enough during walks on balmy days, when it’s properly hot out, adding ice cubes and electrolytes to your water bottle is probably a good idea.Whatever you do, make sure you’re sipping throughout your walk instead of waiting until you feel thirsty; feeling thirsty is a sign that you’re starting to get dehydrated. The daily recommendation of eight 8-ounce glasses of water is a starting point, but hydration needs are higher when you’re exerting yourself in the heat.While feeling a little dehydrated during a walk in hot weather is generally just a sign to drink some fluids, there are other symptoms that can happen in the heat that should never be ignored. Symptoms like dizziness, feeling nauseous, and getting a headache or muscle cramps can be signs of the onset of heatstroke, which is a medical emergency.“If those symptoms come on, stop, get into the shade or somewhere cool, and hydrate,” says Dr. Mysore. “If symptoms aren't getting better, or someone becomes confused, faints, keeps vomiting, or has trouble staying awake, they should seek medical care right away.”To avoid anything like that happening, Dr. Mysore advises steadily hydrating before, during, and after your walks. “Try to drink water before heading out, sip throughout your walk, and rehydrate afterward,” she says.Water Bottles and Drink MixesHydro Flask 40 oz Lightweight Flex Cap BottleCure Hydrating Electrolyte MixNalgene 32 oz. BPA-Free Wide MouthUnsweetened Hydration MixSkratch Labs Unsweetened Hydration Sport Drink MixHot Weather Walking EssentialsTo keep ourselves cool and happy as we walk everywhere this summer, Women's Health editors and staffers tested multiple products that have become our personal go-tos for dealing with the hot and sweaty days of summer. Here are the items that we won’t do hot weather walking without.Starting with sun protection. When asked for her favorite sunscreen for hot walks outside, WH beauty editor Nicole Saunders didn’t hesitate for a moment before she answered: Isdin Eryfotona Ageless Sunscreen. In fact, after almost a year spent testing sun protection, Saunders calls this sunscreen her holy grail.Personally, I’ve been loving using a sun umbrella for less intensive walks because it’s got UPF protection that I literally can’t sweat off. I find that using one also helps me stay cooler because it’s effectively like creating my own portable patch of shade. Plus, it works well as a regular umbrella too should I get caught in a surprise summer downpour.Functional Sun ProtectionSun Umbrella with UPF 50+Solbari Compact Sun Protective UmbrellaOutdoor Research Women's Oasis Sun HatISDIN Eryfotona Ageless Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50Neutrogena Beach Defense Water-Resistant SPF 50+Now 25% OffCooling down with a portable fan is one of the strategies Dr. Mysore recommends for dealing with boiling temps, and it’s one a lot of WH staffers use during their commutes and day-to-day life.Personally, I haven’t found a more powerful option than the Dyson Hushjet Mini Cool handheld fan. It’s a little noisy on the highest setting, but it produces the strongest stream of air, which feels great on my face while I’m walking fast and sweating (yay summer!).Saunders loves the Blueair AlwaysCool handheld fan. “I own the brand’s air purifier and had a certain level of brand expectancy, but this one is powerful. I can keep it around 27 percent power and I’m happy,” she says. She also finds it comfy to hold, and even reaches for it to help quickly dry down her makeup setting spray when she’s in a rush.Adding mist to your handheld fan can take a refreshing blast of air to the next level, and for a fan with a misting function we love the Shark ChillPill, which is a fan and mister combo. On a recent press trip, Saunders found that this became the MVP while she was traveling. “The lowest level was discreet enough where I wasn’t disturbing my seat mate. The highest level is impressive and helped keep me cool during an action packed travel awards trip.”But sometimes you need to keep your hands free during your hot walks, and those situations call for the breezy practicality of a neck fan. When asked about why she loves her neck fan for her commutes, WH director of product management Tanesha Smith-Wattley responded with the perfect rhetorical questions: “Are you in perimenopause? Have you ever ridden the subway in August? Have you ever been a perimenopausal woman riding a subway in August? You might want to grab this hands-free fan.”Personal FansMost Powerful Handheld FanDyson HushJet Mini Cool fanSWEETFULL Portable Neck FanNow 11% OffBLUEAIR AlwaysCool Handheld FanShark ChillPillNow 15% OffAs a lifelong runner, WH fitness writer Korin Miller has tested a lot of shoes. And we mean, a lot. Of all the pairs she’s tried, she’s found a clear stand-out fav in the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25. “I’ve had issues in the past with sneakers feeling good at the start of a walk, and ending up with aching feet after a few miles. That wasn’t a problem with this pair,” she says.Meanwhile the Skechers Go Walk Joy is a solid no-frills walking shoe that’s perfect for errands, quick hot girl strolls, or for walking your dog, according to WH associate style and reviews editor Shannen Zitz. Zitz was skeptical about whether the slip-on would be supportive and secure enough, but the breathable, stretchy mesh offered surprisingly good compression around her feet.Walking Shoes We LoveBrooks Adrenaline GTS 25Skechers Go Walk JoyNew Balance 574 CoreNow 25% OffMeet the ExpertNavya Mysore, MD, is a women's health expert and a primary care provider. She is the national medical director for sexual and reproductive health at One Medical.Natascha is an editor and writer covering health, fitness, and the ways people move through the world. She’s been a NASM-certified personal trainer for more than a decade, with a background in functional strength training, corrective exercise, nutrition, and behavior change. She has additional CES, CNC, BCS, and SFC certifications. She is also a level-2 certified Spinning instructor. Her work has appeared in Bicycling, Runner’s World, and other outlets, and her experience spans both editorial and hands-on work across the fitness industry. Whether she’s writing about training, health, or performance, she’s most interested in making complicated topics useful, approachable, and helpful.