7 Tips to Beat the Heat This Summer

It’s July, the middle of summer and the heat waves are here (or will be soon!) It can be hard to deal with the extreme temperatures that come with the sunny season of beaches and ice cream. That’s why we’ve put together a list of tips you can do yourself at home to help beat the heat!

#1 Think Cold Thoughts

Heat fatigue is part temperature, part power of suggestion. Avoid looking at the temperature during the summer; read books about the winter; convince yourself that it’s not THAT hot – you’ll be surprised at how much power you can weld just with your mind!

#2 Hydrate & Eat Light

Water consumption helps your body regulate its internal temperature – and staying hydrated will make sure you have enough water in your body to produce the ever-useful sweat you need to keep cool. Combine your H2O consumption with light, water-filled foods like fruits and veggies. These snacks and meals will keep you satisfied without the sluggishness that comes from asking your body to digest heavy, carb-based meals in the middle of a heat wave.

#3 Enjoy a spritz or two

Keep a water bottle in the fridge and, every so often throughout the day, spritz yourself with cold water. This is called “thermal regulation” and it’s something all animals do (think elephants spraying themselves with water)… which means it works! Start with your wrists and then face.

#4 Freeze things & then use them well

Freeze your fruit and juices, make popsicles, eat ice; the ice-cold temperatures of these delectable additions to your diet will keep your body heat down. Make a cold compress for your bed: fill a cotton sock with rice and put it in the freezer for two hours. Slip it between the sheets and sleep well. Ice can also help cool your space – make your own AC by putting a shallow bowl of ice in front of your fan. As the ice evaporates, it cools the air in front of the fan, which will then be spread through your space.

#5 Use your fans strategically

Fans don’t cool the air; they just push it around… unless of course you’ve placed that bowl of ice in front of it. Use the fan to suck the heat out of your space by pointing it OUT the window, instead of into the space – sounds ridiculous, but it works. This works best when the air outside is cooler (below 77°F) and at night, as while the fan is blowing the hot air out, the cooler air can flow in.

#6 Block the sun

While sunlight is pleasant and enjoyable, when it’s streaming through your windows, it’s heating up your space. Close your curtains and blinds during the day; if you can, use white on the window side, as it blocks the sun without heating up. One great DIY cooling trick is to douse a sheet with cold water and hang that up – the evaporating water will cool the air as it passes through, doing double duty as a sun blocker and AC.

#7 Dress for the heat

Natural fibers, such as cotton or linen, are the best for heat waves because they let your body breath. Make sure they’re loose fitting and lightweight for the best clothing experience for the heat.