Today, August 1st, we’re in a period of time often known as the dog days of summer. Do you know where that phrase got its name?

The term dog days relates to the position in the sky of the star Sirius, a bright star also known as the dog star. The brightness of Sirius led ancient people to believe that the star contributed to the heat of the Earth, although it does not. The appearance of the dog star + hot weather during that time = dog days. Since this period in the summer often (but not always) includes the hottest days of the year, people often refer to hot summer weather as dog days.

Whether they are known as dog days or not, hot weather can be dangerous. People can run the risk of heat stroke, dehydration, and/or sunburn if they stay outside in the hot weather for too long. This risk increases if they are exercising or engaging in other physical activities in extreme heat.

Using sunscreen and finding shade is important during these times. So is drinking a lot of fluids. That’s where some people might run into some problems. Because it’s important that they drink the right kinds of fluids on hot days.

Some people might choose to drink a lot of alcohol on hot days. They might believe that since they’re sweating, they’ll just sweat the alcohol out of their systems. But drinking a lot in hot weather can be dangerous.

For one, alcohol can dehydrate you. It can harm your judgment and coordination. But excessive heat can also do all these things, so alcohol can intensify the effects of the heat. And if you’re having trouble with your judgment, you might participate in dangerous behavior. You could dive into shallow water or drown, for example, because you were unable to determine the depth of water.

Instead, consider drinking other drinks in hot weather, such as water and sports drinks. The heat and dog days can be brutal enough. We don’t need to make them any more dangerous.