Summertime in Florida

Summertime in Florida can be unbearable! With so many outdoor activities, you must drink a lot of water to beat the heat and stay healthy. Just remember, drinking cold water in the heat can make you sick, room temperature is the best. I know nothing tastes better than some ice, cold water when it’s 100° outside, but when you drink cold water while you are so hot, you tend to drink it too quickly which sends your body into a type of shock. This can give you an upset stomach, make you sick, and has even caused some people to faint.

The Florida heat has caused more illnesses, especially in seniors, in the summer months. The number one reason for this is because we forget to stay hydrated. Once our body becomes dehydrated, we can experience confusion, blood pressure, body temperature, and heart rate problems. If it continues, it can lead to kidney damage, brain damage, and in severe cases, death. For mild cases, be sure to drink plenty of fluids and rest; replenish your body with the fluids it has exhausted. For severe cases, seek medical help immediately.

I cannot stress the importance of staying hydrated in the heat; if you don’t like water, please drink fluids with electrolytes in it. Do NOT drink alcohol or sugary drinks in excess while out in the heat. Drinking these types of liquids will cause you to become more dehydrated.

Make sure you use plenty of sunscreen too. The Florida sun is different here; it is so much stronger than anywhere else. Not using sunscreen can lead to skin cancer which isn’t pleasant. It creates ugly patches on your skin and may have to be removed surgically. Even if your skin cancer is caught early and can be frozen, the spots that remain are red, patchy, and itchy, so just use the sunscreen and skip the hassle of possibly getting skin cancer.

Florida also has BUGS that are more prevalent in the summertime! We have horrendous summer storms, not to mention our hurricanes! Some of our summer storms can be worse than a hurricane, we are the lightening capital of the world. If you’re new to Florida and think you’ve found paradise, you are right, you did; but you need to be prepared for what’s in store for the summer months which can be wicked here in beautiful Florida.

UGH! The bugs in Florida are horrible! They literally eat you! It’s so hard to enjoy a morning or evening outside. They’re called no-see-ums, and they will give you welts, red marks, and itch like crazy. The worst part is you can’t see them until it’s too late. Then we have the biggest mosquitoes in the WORLD, okay, I’m exaggerating, but they are big, and so is their bite. Hopefully, one doesn’t get inside your house because it will buzz around your ears at night or worse, get under your covers and bite you all night long.

Storms and hurricanes are another summertime occurrence in Florida. Our summer storms can bring more rain, wind, and flooding than a hurricane. The good thing is they usually only last fifteen minutes to an hour and then they’re gone.

Hurricanes can last for days, drenching our grounds and blasting us with torrential winds. When these hurricanes stay for several days, they do so much damage to our homes, vehicles, and our mental stability. We can be stuck in our homes with no water or power for weeks, sometimes months. You must ensure you have plenty of water, food, and supplies on hand to last at least a month. Once everything is back to normal, stock up again because you never know when the next one will hit.

In 2004, Charley, Francis and Jean hit the New Smyrna Beach area all within a six-week time frame and it was brutal. Each brought their own specialties, and it is a year that will not soon be forgotten. Then in 2022, we had Ian and Nicole, both of which brought so much damage to our beachside and many structures around the entire state. It seems the storms are getting more intense as the years go by, but you can always prepare. Make sure you know what to have on hand and where you will go should you have to evacuate.



Living in Florida is the best! I have lived here all my life, and I don’t think I’d ever want to live anywhere else. If you think about it, everywhere has something and I don’t mind our summers. There are many people who cannot take the heat, bugs, or storms, but you can live with them if you plan and are prepared. Call Assisted Living Made Simple at 386-847-2322 to make a plan today!