Keep Cool in the Summer Heat

With record heat the past few weeks, keeping cool this summer will be important for everyone's health. Here are some ideas to beat the heat and keep your cool.

Keep Your Home Cool

Here are a few ways to make changes around your home to help keep cool.

For spot cooling, place a bowl of ice in front of a fan. The fan will blow across the chilled surface, providing a cooling sensation. Bonus tip: add salt to the water when you make these ice cubes to keep them from melting as quickly.

Put your computer in sleep mode after a set amount of time away (like 10 minutes). It's amazing how much heat a computer can put off. By allowing your computer to sleep, there will be less heat your air conditioning has to counteract.

Turn off the heat dry feature of your dishwasher and allow the dishes to air dry. Much like the computer, this will keep from adding extra heat to your household.

Skip using the oven and use cooler methods of cooking. For example, the stove doesn't add as much heat to your space. Likewise, the microwave won't add extra heat. Better yet, grill out and keep all the heat out of the kitchen.

When you're doing the laundry, hang your clothes out to dry rather than running the hot clothes dryer. In addition to cutting down on the amount of heat added to your space, your clothes will have a fresh, outdoor scent.

At night, when the temperatures drop to 77 degrees Fahrenheit or below, use a window fan to blow hot air out. Open more than one window, and the cooler air will come in to displace the hot air that is being forced out.

Use your bathroom vent fan or open a window to remove the extra humidity from taking a shower.

During the hottest part of the day, make sure your shades and curtains are drawn closed to keep out as much heat as possible.

Change your bed linens to something breathable and lightweight. Don't use a heavy comforter.

Spend time in the lowest part of the house. Because heat rises, spaces like the basement tend to be the coolest areas.

Keep Yourself Cool

Little things you can do to yourself can help keep the summer heat at bay.

Keep a spray bottle close by and spritz yourself with water to cool off. The evaporation works like sweat to cool you down. Bonus tip: use peppermint tea or add a few drops of peppermint essential oil to add an extra layer of cooling. (Keep this away from your face and especially your eyes)

Wear loose-fitting, light-colored, and light fabric clothing.

Go barefoot. Our feet sweat a lot, and keeping them uncovered helps to regulate your body temperature.

Change your hairstyle. Opt for something short and wispy to help keep you cool.

Keep out of the sun. If you have to be outside, make sure you find a shaded area to keep cool. Wear a hat and sunglasses, and be sure to put on sunscreen before going out.

Take a cool shower to help beat the heat. Air dry afterward to allow the evaporation to cool you off even more.

Chill yourself quickly by applying ice to your pulse points. The inside of your wrists, the back of your knees, along the sides of your neck, your ankles, and the tops of your feet are all areas that can help cool you off instantly. Don't put the ice directly on your skin. Wrap it in a lightweight towel.

Relax with chilled cucumber slices on your eyes. Keep the cucumber in the fridge to ensure maximum chill factor. Take a break for 5-10 minutes and take this opportunity to chill out, cool off, and reduce your puffy eyes.

Using Food To Cool Off

One of the best ways to cool off is to enjoy an icy beverage. Iced tea, iced coffee, or anything else over ice can really help to beat the heat. Bonus tip: be careful not to drink too much caffeine as it can dehydrate you.

Hydrate! Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. If you are perspiring more than usual, you will need to drink even more to replace those fluids you lost. Also, when you're dehydrated, your core body temperature rises.

Use drink pouches as a way to cool off by tossing them into the freezer. After a couple of hours, take them out, cut off the top, and enjoy a chilling slushy.

Eat light. Salads are a great way to fill up while not heating up. Adding more fruits and vegetables to your summer diet can also help to cool you off by adding more hydration and less cooking heat.

Make fruit smoothies as a snack or a meal that will cool you off, fill you up, and hydrate you all at the same time. Place your smoothie in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to add an extra chill layer.

Freeze juice, chunks of fruit, and other beverages and enjoy them while keeping the heat at bay.

Eat something spicy. Capsaicin, the main spiciness in peppers, can cause some people to sweat which can help to cool you off.

Quirky Ways To Beat The Heat

Here are some unique things you can do to chill out.

Have a water fight. Use water balloons, water guns, and even hoses to spray each other down. Everyone wins!

Set up a sprinkler and run through it a few times. Let your inner kid have a little fun.

Make a cold compress to use when you're overheated. Fill a sock with rice and tie it off. Place the rice-filled sock in the freezer for a couple of hours then use it to cool off. Either place it on your neck or put it in your bed between the sheets to cool it off before bedtime.

Read a book or watch a movie set in wintertime. Believe it or not, the suggestion of cooler weather can trick our minds into thinking it's cooler than it is.

Dampen your top sheet before bedtime. When you go to sleep, place the damp top sheet over you, and the evaporation will help to cool you. For added chill, aim a fan to blow across the damp sheet to help with the evaporation.

Keep your cosmetics and your beauty regime products in the fridge. Get one of those small 6-pack refrigerators and place your face masks, foundation, toner, and other cosmetics inside to keep them cool. In addition to helping to cool you off, it also extends the life of your beauty products.

Try meditating to keep cool. Use a guided meditation that takes you to a cool place and lets your mind cool you off.

Use soundscapes to whisk you away to cooler climates. White noise machines with rainstorms, ocean waves, and other cooling sounds can be used to help with your mindset and cooling off.

Be Safe

Finally, if the temperatures are rising and you don't have air conditioning, visit someplace that does. Head to the library, the movie theater, the mall, a restaurant, or any place that has AC you can take advantage of for a couple of hours during the hottest part of your day.