15 Ways to Keep Cool in the Summer Heat
We always seem to forget just how hot the summer months are until it’s the middle of July and we wake up in a pool of our own sweat. Here are some easy ways to keep cool this summer so you don’t suffer through the rest of the season.
The summer heat waves continue to impact almost every state in the country.
Staying safe while battling the high temps can be a constant struggle from June until the end of August. Luckily for you, we’ve created a list full of ideas to help you enjoy your summer without enduring the harsh consequences.
To keep yourself feeling cool all summer long, listen to our top 15 ways to keep cool in the summer heat.
1. Stay Hydrated
One of the best tips we can provide you with to beat the summer heat is to stay as hydrated as possible. Drinking plenty of fluids can help your body cool itself down in seconds.
This may be an obvious tip, but people often ignore the signs of dehydration before its too late. The CDC recommends that a person drinks between two and four glasses of water per day to increase your chances of keeping cool. Drink more water than you normally consume, too. You can consider buying a water dispenser or cooler for easy refilling and get cold water instantly. If you’re confused and would like to do some research first, you can ask or read some tips on buying any 5-gallon water dispenser or cooler.
Without proper hydration, you can suffer a heat stroke and rather than spending your time outdoors you will be in a hospital bed recovering. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty to start drinking water because your body will usually already be dehydrated at this point.
2. Close Your Blinds
Whenever you leave your home it’s important to keep your blinds closed during the day. The sun wants to stream brightly into every room in your house, but when you shut all of the blinds, you can eliminate the sun’s rays from coming through at all.
3. Wear Cotton
When it comes to picking out the best clothing options for the summer, choose cotton. Cotton has a lightweight material so you can feel comfortable all day long while you spend time in the sun.
As for the colors of the clothing you should be wearing, opt for light shades of white, cream, and tan to reflect the sun’s radiation. Avoid wearing dark colors at all. The cotton clothing you wear should also be loose and breezy.
4. Limit Outdoor Activites in Mid-Day
Another essential tip for beating the heat this summer is to avoid participating in outdoor activities during the hottest times of the day. For most places, the hottest time of the day starts at ten and ends around three.
Instead of heading outside during these hours, take some time to sit in an air-conditioned room and read a book. You can easily resume your outdoor activities once the sun sets later in the day.
5. Reapply Sunscreen
Do you currently wear protective sunscreen every single day? Not only will sunscreen help protect you against skin cancer but it will also keep you feeling cool. Nobody likes to deal with uncomfortable sunburns!
Be sure to keep a tube of sunscreen on your bathroom shelf and in your car for last-minute application on the go. Sunburns can leave you feeling itchy and even hotter, so carefully incorporate sunscreen into your daily routine to prevent these peeling incidents from happening again and again.
6. Keep Your Feet Cool
If you are able to put on cozy socks at night to keep your feet cool you should consider this step. When you go to take a refreshing shower at night, fill a bucket up with cold ice to dip your feet in before you turn on the cold water.
7. Watch Your Diet
In the summertime, it’s also especially important to watch the food you eat. You need to cut down on the amount of salty food you ingest because salt can affect your body.
Eating smaller meals throughout the day will ensure that your body reacts to the changes in temperature in a positive way. Decrease the amount of protein you consume, too. Of course, eating more healthy fruits and veggies will not only keep you feeling your best, but it will help you conquer the heat.
8. Sleep on The Floor
Here’s another crazy idea: why not sleep on the floor to keep cool during the summer months?
Grab some fluffy pillows off your bed and make your way down to the floor of your room during the summertime to escape from the heat. Even get your kids to join in on the fun!
Turn the living room into a fort where you can all sleep on the floor together.
9. Use Umbrellas for Shade
Considering investing in a fun and cute umbrella for the summertime to shade yourself away from the sun’s rays.
Umbrellas are also inexpensive alternatives to spending more money on lowering your AC temperature during the daytime. Keep a reliable air conditioning service in your phone just in case you face any issues with lowering the temperature of your unit.
10. Look Out for the Symptoms of Heat-Related Illnesses
When the summer rolls around, you need to be aware of the signs of heat-related illnesses. Exercise is an important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but you have to be sure not to overwhelm your body with too much cardio.
People who are over the age of 65 are also more likely to develop these signs early on in comparison to younger people. People who face obesity or problems with high blood pressure are also at risk.
Some of the signs of heat-related illnesses to watch out for include:
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Abdominal cramps
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fainting
- Heavy sweating
- Rapid pulse
- Dizziness
- Moist skin with goosebumps
- Diarhhea
11. Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol
Two beverages that are definitely not in your favor in the hot summer heat are caffeine and alcohol. Both of these beverages are only going to promote dehydration and prevent you from experiencing an enjoyable summer.
Although caffeine and alcohol are two prevalent beverages in the American diet, you must be aware of the downsides to intaking too much of either beverage.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol altogether because these strong and addictive beverages will also have you feeling more exhausted and tired over time. Drinking too much caffeine can also negatively affect your immunity level which means you could face a higher risk of getting sick.
12. Stick Sheets in the Freezer
This next tip might sound a bit odd, but have you ever considered putting your sheets in the freezer to stay cool at night?
Before you head to sleep, take your bed sheets out from your bedroom and place them in your freezer for a minimum of two hours.
When the house gets hotter you will feel insanely comfortable underneath your freezing cold sheets all night long! Tell all of your friends about the benefits of this simple and inexpensive trick, too.
13. Buy New Fans
Visit your local Sam’s Club and pick up some new fans for the summer months. Having a nice cross breeze to flow from one side of your room to the next is ideal to feel as cozy as possible.
There are so many advancements in the technology of fans so you can find the perfect one for your needs. A lot of the latest top-rated fans are so quiet you’ll never know that they are turned on.
14. Make a Spray Bottle to Keep Cool
When you find yourself in desperate need of an immediate cooldown, fix yourself a bottle of ice water to spritz on your face and body. Go to the dollar store and find a few cheap spray bottles to pick up and fill with water every day.
A spray bottle will be a simple yet effective way to beat the heat during the summer. You can also carry a bottle with you while you run errands and get in and out of your car.
The key is to accomplish thermal regulation. A lot of theme parks, such as Disney World and Universal Studios, provides guests with the ability to purchase these spray bottles to cool themselves down throughout their stay in the parks. Regulating your body temperature has you feeling hydrated with the help of a spray bottle.
15. Resist The Urge to Use the Stove
One final tip to staying cool in the summer is the resist the urge to use your kitchen appliances. The stove and the oven will create unnecessary heat to rise in your home and cause you to feel even hotter than you would be standing outside.
Instead of using the stove or oven, choose the microwave or even walk outside to your beautiful backyard to grill up some delicious steak and potatoes on your barbeque. Use the appliances you never have time to use during the winter!
Making these small adjustments during the summer months will no doubt keep you cool.
Read More Tips On Our Blog
We hope these 15 tips are insightful for you to keep cool during the summertime heat waves that have no plans on stopping any time soon.
If you are interested in learning more about lifestyle advice be sure to check out the tips section of our blog page.
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