by JULIA OLIVAS
Summer is many people’s favorite season because they get to have fun in the sun. However, after spending all day outside at the beach or walking around town, you might need some reprieve from the heat. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford to run their air conditioning all day and night to stay cool. During the summer you may also be faced with brownouts or blackouts, which means being stuck with no air conditioning no matter how bad you want it. Staying cool in the summer is essential if you want to be comfortable while you sleep and when you want to avoid sweating while doing everyday house chores. Here are just a few tips to help you stay cool during the hot summer.
Get Rid Of Body Hair
Animals have fur on their bodies to help regulate their temperature, so you might assume your peach fuzz is your body’s way to keep you warm. However, body hair doesn’t exactly make you any warmer. That being said, it can make you feel sweaty and gross because it traps sweat and dirt. Therefore, removing body hair can help you feel more comfortable during the summer heat even though it won’t actually cool you down.
Drink More Water
Staying hydrated is a great way to flush your system and cool your body down from the inside out. Your body heats any water you put in it, but drinking ice cold water can help you cool down faster, especially if you touch a cold glass to your skin or suck on an ice cube. If you’re ever feeling overheated, whether you’re inside or outside, you can quickly cool yourself down by drinking water.
Of course, drinking enough water throughout the day during the summer is important because you can quickly become dehydrated and lose moisture through sweat, which can be dangerous when spending time in high temperatures.
Take A Cold Shower
Taking a cold shower can help immediately cool your body down because it lowers your core temperature. Since your body’s temperature can take a while to rise back up after being cooled, you can take a cold shower and feel the effects for a while until you start to get hot again. If you’re worried about being too hot to sleep, consider taking a cold shower before going to bed to help you fall asleep faster.
Use Fans
Fans can help circulate the air and bring cold air in while forcing hot air out. If you get warm at night, consider using a window fan to regulate your air temperature. If the air temperature is cooler outside than it is inside, consider putting a fan near all your open windows to bring as much cold air inside as possible.
Wear Loose Fabrics
Wearing loose fabrics can help your body heat escape instead of being trapped between your clothes and your skin, allowing you to easily regulate your body temperature. You should also consider the type of fabrics you wear. Some materials like cotton and bamboo have moisture-wicking properties to remove sweat from your body and help it evaporate, effectively cooling your body.
Take Frequent Breaks
If you spend a lot of time outside during the summer, consider taking breaks when you start to get too hot. While you may love spending time in nature, you can’t let yourself get overheard because it can lead to potentially life-threatening sun poisoning. So whether you’re working in your garden or playing fetch with Fido, take time to return to your air-conditioned house to help your body stay cool and get a fresh drink of water.
Find Shade
When spending time outside, always find shade. You can find a tree for shade to help you stay out of the direct sunlight or bring your own shade by using an umbrella to keep the sun off your body and prevent yourself from getting a sunburn or too warm while hanging out outside. In addition to finding some shade, remember to always apply sunscreen before spending time outdoors.
Go Swimming
Visit the public pool to help you stay cool in the summer if you don’t want to turn on the AC. Taking a dip in the pool is a great way to cool off all day long and prevent you from spending too much money on your electric bill, at least for the day. Pools also have showers, so don’t forget to take advantage of the cold water before you head home to keep your body cool on the drive home.
Avoid Cooking
Cooking creates heat that can make your home many more degrees warmer than your set temperature. If you’re cooking during the day when the sun is out, your air conditioning might have to work harder than it should to keep your house cool. If you cook your own meals, try cooking them after the sun has started to set to allow your home to cool down faster. You can also avoid cooking altogether and instead eat cold meals like salads and sandwiches or order out on the hottest days.
Use Black Out Shades
If you want to keep your house cool during the day, don’t let the sunshine in. while you might be tempted to open the shades to brighten your house, consider using blackout shades that stop the sunlight from coming in and heating up your home. Of course, you don’t want to keep your house entirely dark during the summer, but you can cool down bedrooms with thick shades to give you somewhere to escape to when other rooms get too warm.
Staying Cool In The Summer
Everyone has their ideal temperature. Unfortunately, setting your thermostat to a cool temperature during the summer means spending hundreds of dollars if not more on your electric bill. You should also be prepared for situations when you can’t escape to air conditioning like when you’re out on the town or during power outages. Staying hydrated throughout the summer is essential because it can help you cool your body while ensuring you’re hydrated no matter where you are and what you’re doing. Of course, any time you feel like you’re getting too hot, it’s time to escape the sun and take a break in the shade or an air-conditioned room.
Julia Olivas graduated from San Francisco State University with her B.A. in Communication Studies. She is a freelance who loves sharing her passion for digital marketing and content creation. Outside of writing, she loves cooking, reading, painting, and her pup Ruby.
