In order to know the meaning of the term sunstroke, it is necessary, first of all, to discover its etymological origin. In this case, we can state that it is a word that derives from Latin, exactly from "insolatio", which is the result of the union of several lexical components:
-The prefix «in-«, which can be translated as «inside».
-The noun "sol", which means "sun".
-The suffix "-cion", which is used to indicate "action and effect."
Insolation is the act and result of insolar , whose first meaning according to the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) refers to putting something in the sun to dry it or promote its fermentation. The concept of insolation, however, has several uses.
Heatstroke is the discomfort that a person suffers when exposed to the sun's rays excessively . This exposure increases body temperature , especially of the head, and generates various disorders.
Heatstroke causes headache , drowsiness, tachycardia, nausea and vomiting, and even in its most severe cases it can cause seizures. When someone gets sunstroke, they should be moved to a cool place and their skin should be moisturized with a damp sponge. In addition, ice packs can be applied to the back, neck and other parts of the body so that, little by little, the patient recovers normal body temperature.
Likewise, it is recommended that you lie on your back and with your head and body slightly higher, that you unbutton your clothes or take off what is essential and that you hydrate yourself by drinking a little water, juice or lemonade.
To avoid sunstroke, it is best not to expose yourself to the sun's rays when the radiation is strongest (between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.), hydrate frequently with cold water and wear light-colored clothing.
In the same way, another series of measures are established that are essential to comply with to avoid heatstroke. We are referring to dressing in appropriate clothing that promotes perspiration, walking in the shade whenever possible, eating a fresh and light diet and even wearing a hat and sunglasses.
All of these measures are especially important to respect when enjoying a day at the beach or in the pool, for example.
The notion of insolation, on the other hand, refers to the amount of solar energy that a surface receives in a day or a year. In the first case, we speak of diurnal sunshine , while in the second we refer to annual sunshine .
To estimate insolation, you can measure radiation in the upper sector of the atmosphere , assume that there is no gas layer or resort to a complex calculation that takes into account the atmospheric influence.
In addition to everything indicated, we cannot ignore that one of the best-known works of the Galician writer Emilio Pardo Bazán (1851 - 1921) is titled "Sunstroke." It is a novel that was published in 1889 and tells the love story between a widowed marchioness and a handsome man from Cádiz.