14 Simple Tips to Help You Keep Cool on Hot Days
How can we imagine a poor city-dweller without air conditioning do when the temperatures hit 40C+ degrees? There are so many ways to tackle the climate crisis, like getting yourself a few ice packs and a fan, staying at a cool place. No matter what way, staying hydrated is critical.
Here are some more cheap tips for you keeping cool at home.
Eat spicy foods
Maybe it is a crazy idea on a hot day. Some scientific data shows that spicy foods have a function on exciting the receptors in the skin that normally respond to heat.
Some chemical capsaicin are included in the spicy foods, which acts as an irritant in humans, triggers both the sensations and the physical reactions of heat, and gets people to sweat more, cooling people down
Set your ceiling fan to run counter-clockwise
If you turn the blades clockwise in summer, it will bring your house some warmth. However, if you switch the rotation to counter-clockwise in winter, a feeling of cool will come to your house immediately.
If possible, you just need to switch on the body of the fan and change the direction. It may be a easier and cheaper way.
Eat less salty food and protein
As to ordinary people, it is not good to eat too much salty foods and protein. Scientists have showed that there is a relationship between digestion and metabolic heat for many years. Too much salt and protein can produce metabolic heat and it needs too much water to digest. Meanwhile, you need to eat more fruits, water and vegetables throughout the day.
Wet your curtains
Curtain is a very effective trick to cool down your house. •Close curtains and blinds on sunny windows to stop the sun breaking in too much. •Spritzing or soaking your curtains, or leaving the bottoms to sit in buckets of water to cool down any incoming sunlight or breeze from the outside. It will perform better if you can run a fan at the same time.
Buy or build an ice-pack hat
There are some useful tricks in the market to cool down. Here we suggest buying an ice-pack hat. It not only makes wonders on your head, but sometimes cures your headaches. Owing an ice-pack hat does not cost so much, but cools yourself down soon.
Sometimes, you can freeze some wet towels. They may produce the same effect on hot day.
Put a bowl of ice in front of your fan
A lot of us may take this uber-easy trick in summer. Just getting air flowing directly onto the icy surface, a cooling air comes out. This DIY air conditioner is very popular. You just need some ice cubes to make you feel the effect immediately.
A nice tip: Remember to refill your ice trays once it is about to thaw.
Do your meal earlier in the day
In hot summer, some machines may produce many heat, such as the oven. If you need to use it, how about prepping food earlier in the day? Or you can choose a nutritious salad to take replace. After seeing this idea, you should rethink your daily activities is in the kitchen. Maybe some actions can been taken to avoid bringing up the overall heat of your home.
Stay cool with some natural cucumber and mint
If possible, growing some mint and cucumber on a windowsill or patch of back garden would be very useful. These plants need a very low maintenance. However, they can be regarded as natural menthol stimulates cool receptors in the body.
Especially in hot summer, no matter what a cold water or hot water with a slice of cucumber or mint not only makes the drink taste refreshing, but quenches your thirst - frequency over volume water is a key message from health bodies.
Stay cool at night
It is very important to stay cool at night. Imagine a high temperature at night, you are keeping sweating. That would be very terrible. It will surely impact your daytime working. You cannot focus on your job or class.
Although you can regulate your temperature during the day with many ways, please do not make your night in a heatwave. Rolling a cold wet flannel around your neck at night will make you feel better.
Wear loose clothes
Speaking of garments, loose clothes are highly recommended in summer. Choosing some natural fibers like cotton and linen will surely make your clothes more breathable and well-absorbed sweat, aiding more air circulation around the body. That is also the reason why cotton and linen clothes are more popular during hot day.
Start your day earlier
Like elderly people, getting up early - starting your day earlier, is a way to make your things in the most of the cool hours. Also doing some activities or working between 5 and 9 am is a great way to keep your energy and motivation levels up.
Taking a lion’s breath
Some animal’s way to cool themselves down can be used on human body. Scientific data has showed that taking a lion’s breath at overwhelming times of the day not only boosts people energy, but stays cool and calms people down.
It is very easy - simply open your mouth wide and let your tongue hang out, take a deep inhale through your nose then a big exhale out of your mouth.
Take a nap
Taking a nap during the hottest part of the day can ease your hot mood and make you cool down. Of course, this won’t fit in with everyone’s schedules, but it’s best way to do the most concentration to cooler parts of the day anyway.
Enjoy a cool shower
Enjoying a cool shower may be the fastest way to cool you down. Even putting your feet in a bowl of icy water could do the same effect.
The first time you try it, you’ll hate it. Relax, keep your breathing steady, focus your mind and stick with it, it will help you build the mental fortitude you need when committing to a tough training programme.