Sunstroke: The Dangers and What To Do if You Have Been Affected

October 28, 2025

3 min read

The membranes of the brain swell, and blood pressure rises. The work of the nerve centers responsible for vital functions is disrupted. These sound like symptoms of a rare fatal disease, right? The above is a description of what happens in the body during a sunstroke.

Key takeaways

The membranes of the brain swell, and blood pressure rises.
What is it and why does it happen?
What should you look out for?

Who this is for

People exploring Healthy lifestyle through headache, sunstroke.

Why it matters

This piece helps you get oriented quickly, then move into a collection or series if you want to keep going.

Article author

Dr. Helga

General practitioner

What is it and why does it happen?

Sunstroke differs from heatstroke in that overheating does not occur in the entire body, but only in the head due to prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. Most often it happens in the middle of the day when the sun is most active.

Doctors recommend that during this period, you should try to stay in the shade, drink water, and wear a hat. People suffering from heart diseases and obesity should be especially careful in the heat, while children under the age of 3 should not be exposed to the sun during the daytime.

Do not drink alcohol in the heat, because its effect on the body gives symptoms similar to sunstroke, and it is easy not to notice the first signs of overheating. It is important to note that not everyone feels unwell at the same time. In some cases, a person may feel ill a few hours after exposure to the sun, while in children the symptoms appear much faster than in adults.

What should you look out for?

You should first look out for sudden weakness, lightheadedness, and nausea. Most people think of these symptoms as signs of food poisoning, fatigue, or the initial stage of an acute respiratory infection.

However, they are often the first signs of sunstroke. The first step to take is to immediately get into the shade and drink cool water. If you don’t, you will experience a faster heartbeat, shortness of breath, severe headache and vomiting, and impaired movements.

The state of a person with second-degree sunstroke is very similar to alcohol intoxication. If no action is taken at this stage, the third stage will develop with hallucinations, delirium, seizures, a critical rise in temperature, and even coma.

What should you do?

Cool and fresh air is necessary, and the person should be laid out in the shade or in a cool room, with the head turned sideways in case of vomiting. Under no circumstances should you put ice on the head or body, as this will cause vasospasm. For this same reason, you should not offer a person ice cream, ice water, or turn on the air conditioner to a temperature below 73 degrees Fahrenheit.

A wet towel or simply pouring water on the head can significantly alleviate the symptoms of the patient. You can put cool compresses on the forehead and under the back of the head. If the person can drink, offer mineral water in small portions — as much as he or she is able to swallow.

It is best to call/go to an ER since it is difficult to assess the severity of the condition yourself. This is especially important if the person is a child or elderly.

Next steps

The person should rest in bed for at least one day, which will give the body an opportunity to recover. In the days following the sunstroke, you should limit physical activity, even if you feel well and all symptoms have disappeared. Drink plenty of fluids and rest.

After a day or two, you should be close to fully recovered. However, if any of the symptoms persist for 24 hours or more, especially the headache, you should seek medical attention. It is possible that you will need to be admitted to the hospital if you have had a micro stroke as a result.

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