Humidity is defined as the amount of moisture that is present in the air, it depends upon change in temperature, when there is more moisture that is present in the air there is higher humidity and when the moisture content is low the humidity level is less.

The higher levels of humidity especially during the summer months makes it uncomfortable for us when we are outdoors and also cause health conditions.

The human body feels the heat during the summer season and when this happens we sweat, which is the nature's way to keep us cool and keeping us from overheating. When the humidity levels are high, it prevents the sweat from drying up and we keep on sweating which makes us feel constantly tired and thirsty.

When you check the weather forecast using the Google app, it gives you regular updates saying that for example the temperature is 30 degrees celsius and it feels like 40 degrees celsius, I never understood what this meant until I did some checking and found that the reason why the two different temperatures are given, what this means is that although the temperature is not very high when it is measured with the humidity, it gives you an idea of how hot it really is.

Spending too much time outdoors in the sun during the summer season when the humidity is high can cause some serious health problems: 

1. When we are involved in physical activities, it could be work related or an outdoor sports event, then the high humidity can make us lose energy quickly which leads to tiredness, dehydration and being unable to think clearly due to exhaustion.
2. When you sweat excessively in humid conditions, then your body begins to lose the essential nutrients that are needed to prevent you from losing your strength.
3. Humidity also affects the functioning of the body, which leads to numbness of the hands and legs and interfering with the smooth flow of blood through the body.
4. We may also suffer from skin allergies due to the humidity which leads to the presence of excessive dust and viruses in the environment.
5. When we work in humid weather conditions, it affects our ability to concentrate on what we are doing which in turn reduces our productivity.

We need to deal with humidity and reduce its effects by the following ways: 

A) We need to drink more water to prevent dehydration and avoid soft drinks, alcohol etc. which are not a substitute for drinking water.

B) Unless the situation is unavoidable, avoid taking part in physical activities in humid conditions. For example, if you play football or cricket, instead of playing the game during the day, it is best to play during the evening time when the humidity levels are lower.

C) The body needs to maintain the right temperature in humid weather and for this we need to wear clothes that are made from cotton and are light in colour.

D) We need to beware of closed vehicles, never leave children locked up in a car when you need to go to the market, there have been cases of children who have died due to overheating taking place in the car.

High humidity is not something to be ignored, we must take the necessary precautions to stay healthy and lead a happy life despite the extreme weather conditions.