Keeping cool at home while the weather is getting hotter can be a real problem, especially when you don’t have air conditioning. So here are our top 10 tips for staying cool this summer.
Staying hydrated will help you stay cool and combat heat related illness. Aim to drink at least 2 litres of water.
While a cold beer or fruity cocktail sounds like the perfect way to cool down, alcohol can dehydrate you and make heat related illnesses worse. Likewise, caffeine can make you feel hot and buzzed, so stick to water or fruit juices.
Wet paper towels and wrap them around bottles of drink and pop them into the freezer for a short time to cool them down quickly.
The good weather is the perfect time to barbecue or use that outdoor pizza oven. Cooking outside also means that the oven in your kitchen is not heating up your house. If you do need to cook or bake, try doing so early in the morning or later in the evening when the temperature is cooler.
Try eating vegetarian in the hot weather. Your body will heat up after a heavy meal while it breaks down the proteins found in red meat and some fish. So avoiding larger meals and eating smaller portions can help you stay cooler.
Eating a curry may seem counterintuitive but capsaicin, a chemical found in chillies causes your face to sweat and cool you down.
Loose fitting, cotton clothing will allow air to circulate and help to keep you cool. Your exercise gear or hiking clothes are are designed to wick moisture away from the skin so are another good option.
Sitting with your feet in a bowl of cold water will bring your whole temperature down. If you don’t have time for that, putting your wrists under cold running water for a few moments will have a similar effect.
Strangely, wearing socks can help to draw moisture away from your feet and help to keep you cool.
While we might want to get fresh air into your house, it is best to keep windows closed if the temperature outside is higher than the temperature inside. Opening windows will cause the cooler air inside to leave and actually warm the room up. Keeping curtains closed will prevent the hot sun from heating the room (and fading your furniture and furnishings).
Opening windows on opposite sides of the house and keeping doors open can create a pleasant through draft.
Weather is most uncomfortable when it gets hot and muggy. Counter this by using a dehumidifier to remove water from the air and make your room much more comfortable.
The last thing you want is a fan that is simply circulating the hot air. Positioning a fan so that it points slightly out of the window can help to draw hot air out of the room.
Alternatively you might try positioning two fans to create a cross draft and circulate any cool air.
If you find that there is no cool air to circulate, create your own by placing a bowl of cold water and ice in front of your fan. The fan will then circulate the cool air and mist that comes off the surface of the melting ice.
Ideally your room should be around 18 degrees for a good night’s sleep. Take some time to cool down before attempting to go to sleep.
Open windows in the evening as the temperature outside gets lower.
Put your bedsheet or duvet cover into a bag and pop that into the freezer for a few minutes before bedtime. It won’t stay cold for long but should be enough to get you off to sleep.
Taking a warm shower or bath before bed will help too. Don’t let the shower be too hot as this will fill the room with steam and make you feel even hotter.
Try spraying your net curtains with water before you go to bed. The nighttime breeze will blow a lovely cooling breeze around the room. And if you don’t have net curtains, try hanging a cotton sheet at the window and spraying that instead.
You could also invest in a cooling pillow to help you get your beauty sleep. A clean sock, filled half-full with rice, knotted and then placed in the freezer will create a cheap cold compress that can also help.
Your chargers and electronic devices all create heat while they are plugged in. So switch off and unplug whatever you are not using.
If you or someone you live with is struggling to keep cool, watch out for a headache, dizziness, confusion, nausea, cramps, fast breathing, a high temperature or being very thirsty. These can all be signs of heatstroke or heat exhaustion.
If you think someone is suffering from heatstroke move them out of the sun and into a cooler place, get them to lie down and raise their feet slightly, ask them to drink plenty of water and cool them down with a fan or light water spray. If their symptoms persist for more than 30 minutes seek medical help.*
*Please note that we are not medically trained. Official advice can be found at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heat-exhaustion-heatstroke/
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