Illness & Symptoms
How long does sunstroke last?
Estimated wait
~1 day
Based on published sources
Timeline guide
- Faster cases~1 day
- Average cases~1 day
- Slower casesUp to 2 days
Rest in the shade, cool the head and neck, and drink water. Call emergency services if there is a very high temperature, confusion, vomiting, seizures or loss of consciousness — that points to heatstroke, not a simple sunstroke. Symptoms can be delayed, so keep watching for hours afterwards. General information, not medical advice.
The symptoms of mild sunstroke — headache, a hot red head, a stiff neck, dizziness and nausea — usually ease within a few hours and, at most, within about 2 days once you rest in a cool, shaded place and drink enough fluids. The symptoms often only appear some hours after being in the sun, sometimes not until that night or the next day.
More details
Sunstroke (heat irritating the head and the membranes around the brain) is not the same as heatstroke (Hitzschlag), where the whole body overheats above 40°C — that is always a medical emergency.
Last updated: 17 Jul 2026
Information is for general knowledge only.