Summer has finally arrived after what seemed like a very long and wet May. But June has come to the rescue bringing us some much-needed sunshine and warm weather that we’ve all been longing for.
But being British, sometimes the heat can get the better of us despite our love for the summer months.
It’s important to stay cool and to look after yourself correctly during these warmer days, something that our bodies haven’t been used to in a long time.
We’ve come up with the best ways to stay cool this summer to help you enjoy the summer without overheating.
How to stay cool in hot weather
(Image: E+)
Keep light out during the day
Keeping your curtains or blinds drawn through the day in your house will help keep the light and the heat out.
If you’re heading to work keep them shut all day and if you’re at home and need sunlight open them slightly, or just open one’s you need, keeping others closed such as the bedroom.
Later when you head to bed your room will feel much cooler than it would if your curtains were open all day.
Freeze water bottles
This is a good one if you haven’t got any ice in the freezer available. Grab a plastic bottle of water and put it in the freezer for a few hours.
They’re great if you’re heading out for the day and want a cold drink to take with you.
If you have kids simply put some squash in it for them, the ice will slowly melt leaving a refreshing drink on the go!
Comfy, loose clothing
What you wear will certainly help during hot days. Loose-fitting and lightweight clothing are best to wear to allow your body to breathe in the heat.
If you’re going out and want to protect your skin wear a long sleeve lightweight top, it won’t feel hot and will help protect your skin at the same time. It is best to avoid wearing black clothing as this attracts the sun, wear lighter colours if you can.
Use a fan
Some people love them and others not so much. Sometimes fans aren’t much help, continuing to blow hot air around the room, not making the room any cooler. So the best way to use a fan, particularly at night, is to open a window and position the fan so it is blowing the hot air out of the window.
This will help remove the hot air in the room rather than the hot air simply being blown around the room.
(Image: Diane Diederich)
Long hair, don’t care
If you have long hair and you’re feeling too hot, tie it up. Having long air can make you feel even hotter, very quickly if you’re wearing it down.
By tying it up helps keep the hair off the back of your neck and is particularly useful at night time to help stay cool.
Cool your wrists
A quick fix to cooling down is to run cold water on the pulses on your wrists. Doing this will bring your body temperature down without having to jump in an ice-cold bath or shower.
Alternatively, you can apply ice packs or a cold compress to the wrists to help you cool down.
Stay hydrated
It is always so important to keep drinking water throughout the day wherever you may be.
If you’re out for the day remember to take enough water with you to keep you going, many water bottles help keep your drink cooler for longer too. Or try the frozen water bottle as mentioned before!
Wear a hat
When you’re out and about in the sunshine your head can get hot quick from the sun directly above it, so wear a hat when you’re out.
This will not only protect your head from the sun but will also help you to stay cooler for longer.
Change your exercise routine
If you regularly workout, that being at home or the gym you may want to think about working out at cooler times, either early mornings or late evenings.
If you can’t change these times workout for a few minutes less than usual and remember to drink lots of water throughout the workout.
Summer bedding
If you usually have a thick duvet, change it for a thinner one or a sheet instead. This will make all the difference when trying to sleep when it’s warm.
A thick duvet will feel heavy and hot, whereas thinner duvets or sheets are easier to move around during the night and are a lot less bulky to sleep with. Having a cold shower before bed will also help you to cool down before a nights sleep.
