If you don’t know what to say, you can always talk about the weather. In fact, every July 23, we’re encouraged to do exactly that. Today is Hot Enough For Ya Day. Is it hot enough where you are? Ask a friend and find out! Making light of the heat is a tried and true way of coping with it. But in case you’re looking for something a little more direct, here are a few tricks to help you stay cool in hot weather.
Refrigerate Your Shirts & Bedsheets
All fabrics warm us up to some degree. It’s one of the reasons people have difficulty falling asleep during summer. As soon as they hit the bedsheets, they start to overheat. If you’re having trouble getting comfortable at night, try sticking your sheets in the freezer. The cold air will give them an agreeable chill that will help lull you to sleep.
But place them into a plastic Ziploc first, to keep them from becoming damp. Fold rather than stuff; they’ll fit better. Put them in roughly 30 minutes before bed. Otherwise, they’ll likely be so cold they’ll keep you awake. The same trick works with your shirts as well. After 20-30 minutes in the freezer, they’ll be cool and refreshing ‒ the perfect thing for a hot day.
Tuck Ice Packs Beneath Your Sheets
If you’re not in the mood to remove your sheets, prepare some ice packs to take to bed with you instead. They won’t cool you off as quickly, but they will last longer. To save effort, consider buying frozen gel packs. They’re not only cold; they’re also reusable.
Ice Your Pressure Points
Heat circulates via the bloodstream. Therefore, any place where blood runs close to the surface is going to be particularly susceptible to cold. These spots are commonly called pressure points or pulse points. You might be familiar with a few already.
- Temples
- Back of the Neck
- Crook of the Elbow
- Wrists
- Between the Legs
- Behind the Knees
- Ankles
Take an ice cube or ice pack and apply it directly to one of these points for at least 20 minutes. You should notice results almost immediately.
Eat Spicy Food
Spicy food feels hot because it increases blood flow, which raises skin temperature and makes us sweat. Eating spicy food on a hot day seems counterintuitive, but in reality, it’s a great way to cool down. It brings a lot of excess heat to the surface of your skin and kicks the body’s cooling mechanisms into overdrive. However, make sure you’re standing next to a fan or window before you start eating. The cross breeze will dispel the excess heat rushing to your skin and speed up the cooling action of your sweat.
Eat Salads
Heavy meals require more energy to digest than light ones, especially meals high in protein. Consequently, the harder your stomach works, the hotter you feel. That’s why people sweat after eating too much Thanksgiving turkey.
With that in mind, it’s easy to see why, if you need a snack in the middle of the day, you’re better off reaching for a salad instead of a sandwich. Lettuce and other vegetables, such as tomatoes and cucumber, also have a higher water content, so they’ll keep you hydrated as well.
Store Moisturizers in the Fridge
Warm air dries out your skin. Moisturizer helps keep you looking fresh, but it can also double as a cooling agent. Rather than storing moisturizer in the bathroom, put it in your fridge. That way, when you apply it, it’ll act as a cooling salve.
Wear a Ponytail
One of the simplest tricks to stay cool. While there’s no doubt long hair looks nice, it insulates the back of your neck. And, as stated above, the back of the neck is one of your body’s pressure points. Leaving it covered traps heat instead of dispersing it. Tying up your hair allows air to circulate and cool you down.
Buy a Hammock
Hammocks are a great way to relax and stay cool. By lifting you off the ground, they allow for better airflow, whisking away heat before it gets a chance to accumulate. If you live in a hot climate, you might be more comfortable sleeping in a hammock rather than in your bed.
Eat a Popsicle or Smoothie
One of everyone’s favorite tricks to stay cool. Though perhaps not as popular as ice cream, popsicles and smoothies are more effective due to their higher water content. Water helps regulate body temperature, especially on hot days. So put down that ice cream cone and have a popsicle or smoothie instead. They’ll help you stay cool in both the short term and long term.
Tricks to Stay Cool & Save Money
The biggest trick, when it’s hot out, is learning how to stay cool without spending too much money. Fortunately for you, that’s one trick Agway Energy already mastered. Whether it’s surviving heat waves, creating energy-efficient swimming pools, or keeping your pets cool this summer ‒ we’re always searching for cost-effective solutions.
When temperatures climb, it’s good to know someone’s got your back. We not only provide power at competitive rates, we also protect customers with EnergyGuard. EnergyGuard provides you with an affordable way to repair home cooling systems. You can’t afford to wait until your air conditioner goes down. That’s why we promise every EnergyGuard customer a 24-hour response and no out-of-pocket expenses for covered parts and labor.
