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Europe is seeing an early start to their summer season, with Germany hitting an all-time record high. The US isn’t faring much better, with temperatures in some places hitting 100 degrees in June. This summer is gearing up to be a brutal one.
Exposing yourself to high levels of heat for a prolonged period of time can be dangerous and even life-threatening in some cases. Follow these top tips to beat the heat and keep yourself, and your home, cool and healthy this summer.
If it is 100 degrees out, you might not want to eat that second bowl of chili or finish that burger. Heavy, hot meals are going to weigh you down and make you feel worse.
To avoid this, eat more small meals that are lighter and cooler, like salads. Choose fruit instead of fries to keep your body temperature down, and if you are eating hot and heavy meals, choose cool, hydrating drinks (like water!) instead of hot drinks, or liquids filled with sugar and carbs.
Sound silly? It’s not! Blackout curtains don’t just block the light, they block the sun too. Reducing the amount of sun that comes into a room is going to keep that room cooler, which will make your living space more comfortable.
This is especially important for those who don’t have central air in their homes, but the tip can apply to any home, of any size. Keeping cool at home is very important!
Lunch at 1 pm with friends sounds great until you realize it’s 103 degrees with full sun. Plan your day around the weather as much as you can. Do yard work and errands in the early mornings or evenings just before dark so you don’t overheat.
The goal is to stay indoors and cool between the hottest times of the day, which are usually 11 am to about 5 pm, depending on the time of year. This will make your life a lot more pleasant, too.
Just because you aren’t spending all day outside does not mean you don’t need sunscreen! Doctors cannot overstate the importance of sunscreen, and encourage people to use it every day.
Sunscreen won’t just help you sidestep skin cancer but keep your skin young looking too. Extended exposure to the suns rays cause premature aging and those dark spots your grandparents had on the backs of their hands.
Chose a broad-spectrum sunscreen (That will cover both UVA and UVB rays) with at least 30 SPF, preferably waterproof so it sticks around when you sweat. Your skin, and future health will thank you.
Just because an outfit looks like it will be cool doesn’t make it right for the summer! If you’re somewhere outside a lot or feel like you might overheat, focus on the fabric choice and cut of the garment.
Loose clothing in natural fibers is the best for staying cool. Linen and cotton are best, but always choose a blend of natural and synthetic fibers over full synthetic. They let in more air and allow sweat to be picked up from your skin, cooling you.
It’s hard to judge how dehydrated you actually are, and it is very easy to ignore the signs until it is too late. When you’re in the middle of a heat wave, you should be drinking a lot more water than you feel it necessary.
Keep a cold glass of water or a cold bottle with you at all times, and sip throughout the day. Aim for at least 12 ounces more than you would normally drink, but you can’t really overhydrate in the heat.
If you feel a headache, extreme fatigue, or unusually hungry, try drinking 8-10 ounces of water before trying anything else. You could be ignoring your body telling you it needs liquid!
And remember: coffee and tea are good, but the main liquid you should be drinking in the heat is water.
