We all daydream about hot summer days during the cold and rainy months of fall, winter, and spring. Then suddenly, the dog days of summer arrive. Our days are filled with trips to the beach, family barbecues, and outdoor activities. But, as the long days grow steadily hotter, we may find ourselves thinking longingly of the cool days and colder nights of winter.
July 2021. This article is independently written by Fusion 360. All opinions given are the opinion of Fusion 360
The heat can even be dangerous if we don’t find ways to cool down. Your body naturally cools itself by sweating. Most of the time, we don’t have to think about maintaining the balance between heat and cold since our body does the work for us. But on scorching days or after strenuous exercise, your body may have a hard time regulating your internal body temperature. The most common symptoms of heat exhaustion include dizziness, fatigue, low blood pressure upon standing, muscle cramps, and nausea.
Nothing ruins a day on the beach faster than overheating. So try a few of these simple tricks to beat the heat this summer.
Stay Hydrated
The average person needs about two liters of water per day and a half-liter extra during the warm summer months. If you are sweating because of the heat, you are most likely losing more than water.
Your sweat contains ammonia, urea, salt, and sugar. Ammonia and urea are waste products, but salt is as essential as water when it comes to maintaining our health. Your body uses salt to balance fluids in the body and maintain healthy blood pressure. Water with added electrolytes is designed to replace the vital nutrients that we lose when we sweat.
Try some of these summer hydration hacks to stay hydrated and cool this summer:
- Drink Hot Tea: An unconventional way to stay cool is to drink hot tea. This tip may seem counterintuitive, but its effectiveness is backed by science. Essentially, hot tea makes you sweat by raising your internal temperature. When the sweat evaporates off of our skin, it cools the skin and the blood beneath.
- Limit Your Alcohol: While a beer or hard seltzer may seem like a great idea as you lounge on the beach, alcohol is dehydrating. The combination of sweating in the hot sun and an excess of alcohol means losing water twice as fast as you would normally.
- Coconut Water: This refreshing tropical beverage can help you rehydrate whether you are spending a day in the sun or replenishing your water after exercise. It contains several essential vitamins and minerals that your body craves after exertion. The only thing that coconut water is missing is salt. So, add a pinch of sea salt for a well-rounded hydration experience.
Keep Your House Cool
A refreshing retreat is necessary when the heat gets too overwhelming. If we spend the whole day in the sun, a few hours in the shade can be as refreshing as a dip in the pool.
Try a few of these tips to keep your house cool even during the hottest days of summer.
- Draw The Shades: An easy way to keep the sun from warming your house is to lower the shades. This small act can also reduce your AC electricity bill by up to 77 percent in the summer.
- DIY AC: If you do not have an AC unit, you can make your own with a fan and some ice. Place the ice in a bowl in front of the fan, and as the water evaporates, it will cool the air blowing into your room.
- Plant A Tree: If you own your home, adding a couple of trees to your yard can make a massive difference in the temperature of your house.
- Avoid Using the Oven: Your oven will heat your house while it’s on and for a few hours afterward. In the summer, choose salads over roasted vegetables, sandwiches over stir fry, and if you have to cook, take it outside! Grilling is both a fun and practical way to cook in the heat.
Eat Cooling Foods
Try adding these three ingredients to your summer diet for added cooling effects.
- Watermelon: This late-season fruit comes around at the exact right time. Watermelons contain over 90% water and make a refreshing addition to any outdoor activity. It also includes a plethora of essential vitamins and nutrients to replace those lost in our sweat.
- Cucumbers: Cucumbers contain 95% water. A salad with crisp lettuce and cucumbers is the perfect cooling and hydrating meal. Not only that, but post-exercise studies on hydration suggest that cucumbers may hydrate your body twice as effectively as a glass of water.
- Mint: This cooling herb stimulates the specialized nerve endings in your mouth that allow you to feel cold. Make some chilled mint tea, add it to salads, or mix it into vegetable dishes for a soothing menthol flavor that will relieve an overheated palate.
Work Up a Sweat
To exercise safely during the hot months of summer, try a few of these cooling tricks.
- Exercise early in the morning: The sun is at its hottest midday, so if you plan to exercise outside, get up early to beat the heat.
- Wear loose, light-colored clothing: Moisture-wicking clothing helps keep you cool even when you are active, and light colors reflect the sun’s rays.
- Use sunscreen: Sunscreen protects you from harmful UV rays and keeps you from getting overheated during the hottest parts of the day.
Stay Safe This Summer
