Stay cool in the hot weather, tips and tricks!

 

 

While hot weather is nice, it’s crucial to know how to keep yourself cool. Here are some tips and clever hacks to do just that!

 

Keep out the sun – Keep shutters, blinds and curtains closed during the day to help prevent your room from overheating.

 

 

Bowl of ice – If you place a bowl or tray of ice in front of a blowing fan, your room will become cooler as the ice melts. The fan picks up the cool air coming from the surface of the ice.

 

 

Keep hydrated – Bring your body temperature down by drinking cool glasses of water regularly. Dehydration can be caused by sweat, which can make you vulnerable to heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

 

 

Keep your feet cool – There are plenty of pulse points around the feet and ankles, placing your feet into an ice bucket can help take your temperature down.

 

 

Where to put your fan – When it’s hot, really all fans  do is blow hot air around. Point your fan outside, slightly towards the windows, then they push out the hot air. For ceiling fans set them counter-clockwise to pull the hot air away

 

 

Hanging a wet sheet – Hang wet sheets in front of an open window will help bring down the room’s temperature.

 

 

Taking a shower – Showers are a great way to cool down and reset, but make sure the water is tepid rather than warm or hot.

 

 

Rinse your wrists – Cool water on the wrists or feet will cool you down quickly, a good time to do this is just before bedtime.

 

 

Wearing cotton clothing – Cotton is the coolest fabric to wear in the heat. Avoid dark colours and go for whites and beiges which will help reflect the sun’s rays.

 

 

Freeze your sheets – Speaking of sheets, stick them in a plastic bag and put them in the freezer for a few minutes before bedtime. it won’t last all night , but will help you get  off to sleep!

 

 

DIY freezer pack – Ah but not with hot water, fill it up with tap water and stick it in the freezer, create your own freezer pack.

 

 

Make a DIY cold compress – Fill a sock with rice and put it in the freezer. You have created your very own cold compress, the beauty is, it won’t melt.

 

 

How low can you go – We all know that heat rises, so the advice is to get low, so you could sleep downstairs.

 

 

Shut the windows – Don’t just shut blind, shutter, curtains, during the day, keep the windows shut too.

 

 

Unplug your chargers – Gadgets like smartphones and tablets produce unnecessary heat while they’re plugged in. Unplug all electrical devices before bed, or charge them in another room.

 

 

Stay away from the oven – Using the oven or a hob will quickly increase the temperature in your kitchen. Stick to heatwave-friendly meals of salads, cold soups and sandwiches.

 

 

Turn off the lights – All light bulbs create heat. Switch them off.

 

 

Block windows with plants and find Green Spaces – Trees and shrubs are your secret weapons in a heat. They not only provide cool shade, but they also release water vapour through their leaves in a process known as transpiration. In fact, trees in urban areas have been shown to cool the surface temperature of European cities in the summer by up to 12°C.

 

 

Wear loose, long-sleeved clothing – Direct sunlight heats the blood vessels in the skin, raising your body temperature. Babies are particularly vulnerable because they have a high surface area of skin relative to their volume. Wearing loose, long-sleeved clothing can help avoid this. It also protects you against sunburn.

 

 

Use cotton sheets – Light-coloured cotton sheets – which are breathable and better to sleep in