How To Deal With the Summer Heat

As the world is experiencing climate change, the weather keeps getting more extreme. The winters are colder, the storms are more substantial, and the summers are hotter. Especially the latter is something to get used to. After all, you can wear more clothes for winter and with storms, well staying safe is key. But what do you do about peak temperatures when you can’t possibly take more clothes off than is considered decent? Here are some top tips dealing with these peak temperatures.

Air Conditioning and Fans

Air Conditioning is usually a saving grace. Get airco wherever you go, in your car, at your office, and in your house. It does require some investment and to make the most of your airco unit, especially in the house, is to make sure you have a good sealed-off space. An airco won’t work with all the windows open as it needs a stable volume of air to work its magic on. Air Conditioning units come in different sizes, and there will be one that fits your budget. If an AC just isn’t practical, you could also consider getting some fans to maintain airflow in your home. Fans are easy to place and relatively flexible in use. You might want to consider going a step up though and getting a ceiling fan, for example. Large blades will move more air around. Also very effective are double ceiling fans that really keep the air flowing around, thus providing more agreeable surroundings.

Water

It goes without saying, but in the heat, you’ll have to drink more water. You will really have to work on this if you’re not one of those people who walks around with a drinking bottle already. In the heat, we lose loads of water, even simply sitting still. It’s important that we replenish this at a steady pace. Avoid buying bottled chilled bottles from the convenience store, and build your own supply. An insulated drinking flask with chilled tap water from the fridge will do just fine. Top tip: drop a few ice cubes in there to keep your water cold for longer. There is nothing more refreshing than being able to take a swig of ice-cold water when the sun is burning on your skin.

Cold Meals

Avoid cooking or being near hot things. Yes, the summer is BBQ weather, but what you really want is to avoid being around sources of heat. You have gotten the prime one already being unescapable (the sun), there is no use adding a second one. The summer is a great time to have cold salads, soups and anything else that doesn’t require fire and heat. And if you really do need to fire up the stove, cook for a few days in one go. A big pan of pasta can be pasta salad the next day!

Slow Down

Last but not least, slow down. It’s tempting to go at your normal pace, even in sweltering weather. But your body will be screaming for you to slow down, listen to it. Keep in mind that you want to avoid the times when the sun is at its most intense: noon. Take a leaf out of cultures that have always dealt with an unforgiving sun, have a siesta!