The sun is always fun, they said. But even the most devoted sun enthusiasts would admit that a sudden, extreme heat wave may be quite unpleasant.
Exposing yourself to the sun without a care in the world may be liberating, but excessive heat can be fatal for younger and older people, pregnant women, and anyone with a history of health problems. That said, with the excessive heat we’ve been experiencing of late, there’s only so much we can do to safeguard ourselves and our loved ones. So if you’re looking for ways to beat the heat, we’ve got 8 heat wave hacks to help you cool down.
Wetter Is Better
The skin, the biggest organ in the body, serves as a heat-exchanger. Therefore, it is best to cool off as much skin as you can. Dousing a t-shirt with water and keeping it wet can be highly helpful in this oppressively hot climate. You can purchase cooling spray or take a chilly shower to avoid walking around in drenched garments. By submerging your hands and feet in cold water, you can immediately cool yourself. You will cool down more quickly since your wrists and ankles contain several pulse sites where blood vessels are near to the skin. For added fun and keeping cool, you can always enjoy some splashing water time at your own backyard.
Drink Plenty Of Water
In this heat, you’ll eventually sweat a lot and lose more water from your body. Hence, it’s important to keep yourself hydrated. To prevent dehydration, you must replace the liquids you lose through sweating throughout the day. Dehydration can cause headaches, a dry mouth, and confusion or drowsiness and can lead to heat exhaustion if left untreated. One way to stay hydrated at all times is to reduce your coffee intake and make sure you’re getting plenty of water. You can also ago for isotonic sports drinks to replace the salts, sugars, and fluids you’ve lost. But still, water is a priority here.
Go For Light Meals
You are far better off sticking to simple, regularly scheduled meals when the weather is hot. The ideal choice? Eat food that is high in water. You may stay hydrated and cool by eating foods with a high water content, like strawberries, cucumbers, celery, and lettuce. Additionally, you might try foods like soups and stews that have a high fluid content.
Lukewarm Showers
An excellent technique to lower your body temperature in the early morning or right before bed is to take a chilly shower or bath. But it’s better to choose warm water than ice-cold. Your body works hard to try to warm up after a cold shower, which might make you feel even hotter. Take a lukewarm shower to better control your body temperature because hot water actually causes your bloodstream to cool.
Keep Your Home Cool
Making your home a place where you can escape the heat throughout a heatwave is crucial, therefore keeping it cool is essential to feeling comfortable. If you live on the hillside or much greener side, it’s more helpful, since it’s naturally cooler. But if you live in the lower parts, it’s gonna be a challenge but not impossible. When the weather is warm, it may seem natural to throw open the windows and doors, but in doing so, you’ll be unable to keep cold air inside and hot air outside. The best thing to do is open the windows during the evening, when the heat has gone down a little. Additionally, you can strive to limit the amount of heat your home generates by utilising fewer heat-generating electrical appliances. Select meals that don’t need additional heat, or if they do, attempt to prepare them earlier in the day. If it gets too hot, you can also choose to invest in air-conditioning or extra fans.
Limit Your Alcohol Intake
With on-going heat season, most people think the best way to cool off is to go for more alcoholic drinks. Unfortunately, it is not a good idea to combine too much sun with too many alcoholic beverages. Dehydration brought on by alcohol can be particularly painful if your body is already having a hard time adjusting to the weather. Additionally, drinking alcohol might make it more difficult to sleep soundly at night, which is already a challenge in warm weather. While you might nod off quickly, your sleep will probably be of low quality, and you’ll probably wake up earlier than normal. If you feel the temptation to drink, attempt to limit how much you consume.
Moderate Exercise
Again, hot seasons make you lose moisture through sweat. So, exercising vigorously is only gonna make you lose more water from your body. Additionally, exercising outside in hot weather stresses your body more and raises your risk of heat stroke. If you don’t want to skip your daily run, go swimming instead of running or go to the air-conditioned gym to avoid the midday sun.
Mind Your Outfit
Choose natural fibres to help you stay cool and wear light, loose-fitting cotton clothing to wick perspiration away from your skin. The ideal choice at night is to wear comfortable, well-ventilated cotton pyjamas. Do not wear synthetics that will stick to you at night. Additionally, you might spend money on cotton sheets to prevent major overheating during a heatwave. To keep you cool, use bedding made of breathable materials like bamboo, cotton, or linen.
