The heat is on! Tips for hot weather

Our experts provide essential tips to help you stay safe and manage your diabetes throughout the summer season. From staying hydrated and protecting yourself from the sun to storing your insulin and keeping your CGM secure. Read on for practical advice to help you enjoy the summer while prioritising your well-being.

Summer is well and truly here, and we’ve had some hot days this season. So, it’s important to look after yourself and your diabetes accessories.

Keeping your glucose lowering medications, insulin and diabetes devices working well is essential.

Keeping yourself in good condition is just as important!

Tips to help you stay safe are:

• Stay hydrated
  • dehydration can cause glucose levels to rise. Drink plenty of water. Start drinking in the morning and keep up your fluids throughout the day. Drink more if you’re exercising and don’t wait to feel thirsty!
• Avoid drinking alcohol and sugary drinks, and limit caffeinated drinks such as tea or coffee.
  • If you don’t like the taste of plain water, you can add mint leaves, lemon or orange slices to your water – refreshing
• Don’t stay out in direct sunlight
  • You can still get your Vitamin D in the shade! Apply sunscreen before going outside, and reapply as needed. Wear a wide brim hat to protect your scalp, skin and eyes.
• Cover up
  • Wear clothes that are: light weight; light coloured; loose and breathable such as those made of cotton or linen.
• Check glucose levels more often as extremes in temperatures can affect glucose levels

Tips to keep your medication and devices working well:

• Keep your insulin, glucose lowering medication, devices and glucose strips cool in temperatures of 25 degrees or less and out of direct sunlight.
• Insulin and glucose lowering injectables are to be stored in the fridge between 2-8 degrees. However, once an insulin cartridge or pen or glucose lowering injectable is open and being used, it can be kept at room temperature at 25 degrees or less for up to a month. If you’re not sure about your specific medication, please refer to the instructions for use or check with your pharmacist.
• If your house gets too hot in summer, you can keep medications that you are currently using in an insulated bag or cooling wallet. Some cooling wallets can be activated by immersing them in water and some need ice packs to be place in them.
• Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) are a great invention and stay in place with adhesive tape. However, in hot weather, these tapes can easily come off due to excessive sweating therefore, causing sensors to fall out before their time. Using reinforcement with specially designed tapes may be needed. Check with your diabetes educator or product company about some tape options you can use.
• Don’t forget to stay in touch with your diabetes team if you have any concerns about your diabetes management or any of your devices.

Get in touch with your team

If you don’t currently have a diabetes educator and need support you can make an appointment with our diabetes educators in the Diabetes Victoria Clinic on 1300 153 123 or book an appointment online.