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What Are 8 Ways To Stay Cool In The Heat?
Easy And Simple Alternatives
As we head into summer and the weather gets hot, many people crank up their A/C and close their windows. Although this is not the case for every household, for many people this is the case. I understand the need for running the air condition during the day for the elderly or ones suffering from asthma or other health problems. However, for the majority of us, it is not necessary to have our A/C running all day.
The following suggestions are a list of 8 ways to stay cool in the heat. We can easily spend a lot of money with the air conditioner on throughout the day, especially if you live in a large home. The larger the home, the more we will pay for everything surrounding it.
For those of us who are young and healthy, we can withstand some amount of heat. Even though the hot temperatures can become unbearable at times, many of us are able to handle the heat. Do not get too confident about it though. If we are not careful, we could risk getting heat stroke. Make sure to protect yourself when exposed out in the sun for too long.
My Personal Take On The A/C
For the most part, I am able to go without using an air conditioner even when it is hot outside. A slight breeze always helps make the heat bearable. However, at night when it feels too hot and it is difficult to fall asleep the cool air from an A/C helps. During the daytime there is no A/C on in the house. All the windows are open and fresh outside air is welcome inside.
If you are sick and have a medical condition the following suggestions may not apply to you. You know your body better than I do so do what works for you.
What Are Some Ways To Stay Cool?
1. Take A Cold Shower
The shower does not need to be long, but make it cold. On days when the heat is unbearable, hop in the shower and cool off under cold water. It is a great way to wash off sweat and cool down. Using soap, wash out toxins produced from heat. In the summer it is better to take short but cold showers.
Take up to three five minute showers a day if you like. When the temperature is too hot in the summer, I will take a shower in the morning, one in the afternoon and one at night. Five minute showers are all that is needed to cool off, get fresh and clean.
2. Use A Fan
When you use a fan direct it towards yourself without have it move it side to side in every part of that room. Over time when we use a fan, the room starts to feel hotter. Although a fan is a good solution, it may not be useful when the room gets hotter than the weather outside.
Have a fan on for only a few hours. If you feel hot as soon as you turn it off, follow the first suggestion, take a cold shower.
An alternative to an electric fan is to use a hand-held fan. It is a great tool to have when the weather is hot. Handheld fans are not expensive. This compact gem gives a direct flow of air to your face when the heat is too hot to handle.
3. Change Your Bed Sheets To A Light Colour
Take your comforters, blankets or duvets away from your bed. Only use your cover sheet to cover your mattress and one cotton bed sheet when you sleep. Having extra blankets and comforters will only irritate the heat situation more. You will feel hotter with all these extras on your bed. Remove them and put them away for the summer. They will be back in the fall.
The best kinds of sheets to use in the summer are light coloured sheets, either neutral colours or white. Using light colours in the summer will be able to make us feel a little cooler.
take the extra blanket off the bed in the summer
4. Wear Dry Fit Clothes Or Light Colour Clothing
For the most part, dry fit clothes are mostly worn when you workout. However, if you are hanging out at home, wear workout dry fit clothing. Dry fit clothes will keep your body dry while you sweat in the heat. Your clothes will not be sticking to your body wearing these kinds of clothes in the hot sticky summer.
Even though the colour of the dry fit shirts I have are black, it is still great because I do not feel hot or sweaty. However, wearing light colour clothing in the summer is another booster to help you feel cooler over wearing dark and black colours. Light colours will not produce as much heat as dark colour clothes. Avoid wearing dark clothing in the heat especially if you get hot quickly.
5. Turn The Air Conditioner On At Night Only
When the weather is hot and it is difficult to sleep, turn your A/C on for the night time only. When you wake up in the morning, turn the A/C off and leave the windows closed for a few hours. This will keep the remaining cool air from the A/C inside.
The Best Time To Have The Air Conditioning On
Anytime after 8pm, turn on the A/C and turn it off before 6am the next day. This is the least expensive time to be using the utilities. For those of you who have a ceiling fan or a standing one in your room, turn on the fan instead. If the fan is not enough then turn the A/C on to stay cool while you sleep. Use your air condition as a last resort.
6. Open Your Windows
If the temperature is below 23 degrees celsius at night, open the windows and let the cool night breeze come in. This little air from the outside will be enough to help you fall asleep. There is a compromise though. If you are living in a crowded busy area be prepared for noise.
It all depends on how bad the noise is. If you have to go to work early the next morning and outside noise is affecting your sleep, then this suggestion may not work. At least not for every night, but it is possible to open the windows at least a few times throughout the summer.
7. Drink Water
When the weather is hot always stay hydrated. Have water with you all the time, even if you are not thirsty. As I share this message there are two glasses of water by my side. I drink water a lot more in the summer than in the winter just because the body needs it.
Even if you are not dehydrated, keep the water around you. Sip on some clear liquid throughout the day. Staying refreshed will help you from feeling dehydrated or worse, getting a heat stroke.
8. Wear A Hat
If you are going out, hanging out on a boat, going on a hike or just sitting in your backyard, wear a hat. Protect yourself from the sun. Some people may be concerned that wearing a hat will ruin their hair. Weigh out your options. Which one is more important in this situation?
Fortunately, wearing a hat will save you from damaging your skin and getting overheated.
For those who have black hair you need to be more vigilant about wearing a hat. The heat from the sun on black hair can make your hair extremely hot. Wearing a hat will protect you from the extreme heat on your head. It also protects your face from the sun as well.
During the summer it is a good idea to wear a larger sun hat for more protection. However, if a baseball cap is all you have this is good enough.
In Summary-Cool Down
Hopefully these 8 simple ways to cool down encourage you to avoid turning the A/C on for comfort. They are some of the best cost effective ways to help us cool down. We will also be prepared by acclimating to the heat. In case our grids go down and using the air conditioning is no longer an option nor a luxury we will not lose our cool and will be able to handle the heat.
Try to adapt your body to the temperatures as we go through more drastic weather changes. If we are faced with a power outage it will be a lot harder to get used to the heat, especially if we did not acclimate ourselves to it first.
It is easy to get heat stroke when the weather is hot. Stay out of the sun between 11am-4pm. If you are outside during these times, in the high intense heat and sun, be protected by wearing a hat, long sleeved light coloured clothes and have plenty of fresh water by your side.
Although this time frame is the most important time to get your vitamin D, do not overdo your time in the sun and get burnt out. Stay protected and cool down.
Be in the sun and bask in the heat but within reason. Be able to cool down when it gets too hot to handle.
Hope you enjoy your summer.
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***Originally published on August 26, 2021 at mcinthehouse.com****
**Newly Updated: May 15, 2024**
