CHAMPAIGN, ILL (WAND) - The heat is on and it won't be going away anytime soon, that's why doctors say it's important to know how to stay safe when you're outside. 

Hydration is always key, especially when your body is producing sweat to keep you cool. Dr. Sabrina Khan Jones at Christie Clinic tells WAND News people should drink 2.5 to 3 liters of water per day. Sunscreen is also crucial is helping your body keep cool. Sunburnt skin can't sweat or dilate blood vessels to cool you off.

If you don't protect yourself and listen to your body, heat exhaustion and heat stroke can soon follow. "You start to breath really fast," Dr. Khan Jones says as she explains what a heat stroke may look like. "Your heartrate starts to go up and the body starts having trouble getting rid of the heat through sweating and through dilating the blood vessels." She says this can be life-threatening if you remain in that state of overheating and your body could shut down. 

Dr. Khan Jones says older adults and younger children are at most risk of heat-related illnesses, as well as anyone who is consuming large amounts of alcohol or taking certain medications. A rapid heart rate, light headedness and confusing are all signs that you should seek medical attention.