24 Tips To Keep Cool This Summer

Summer has arrived here in North Carolina, and boy do we need to keep cool! We all know the general advice for coping in the heat: wear sunscreen, stay hydrated, use AC, stay indoors as much as possible. But, we have compiled a list of some lesser known and rather cunning hints and tips. Meaning you can quite literally chill and enjoy the summer.

So without further ado, check out our 24 tips for keeping cool this summer!

Be Cool

• Wearing light colors reflects heat, whereas dark colors absorb it.
• Rather than stripping off, try long loose clothes made from natural fibres they also keep skin shaded and protected.
• A wet bandana on the back of the neck with Peppermint oil on is a tour guide tip. Mint too is a cooling herb – good for in soaps or a cold lemonade!
• Dampen the inside centre of a cap to cool your scalp. Use the peak to keep your neck shaded.
• Wet socks sound horrid, but on the hottest days it’s a treat!
• Try cold water on pulse points to reduce overall body temperature. Dab onto the temples, elbows and joint creases. Splash your face or run the water over your wrists.
• Keep a battery handheld fan with you. Or try a damp washcloth, hidden beneath your waistband.
• Before bed have a cold shower to lower your body temperature, this helps you get to sleep. When you wake try a hot shower to help you acclimatise.

DIY A/C

Cool… Open as many windows and doors as privacy permits! Pull the curtains to allow air to circulate and prevent the sun warming rooms up.

Cooler… Spray a sheet with cold water and hang in front of an open window with a breeze blowing through.

Chilled... Place cups of ice in front of an electric floor fan. This cools the surrounding air before it is blown toward you.

At home

• If you have a ceiling fan, check it is running counter clockwise in the summer. This forces the room air down creating a wind chill feel. But do turn it off when you leave. As although the air being pushed around creates a cooling sensation, all that movement actually heats the air up.
• Turn off as many electrical items as you can. Most electric objects give out heat, collectively it can really add up.
• Wrap your pillow and sheet in a plastic bag and then put in the fridge throughout the day. When you come to sleep at night you’ll have a lovely treat awaiting you.
• Paint walls in light colours to deflect heat.

In the car

• Cover your shifter and steering wheel with a towel to prevent burns when you get back into the car.
• Keep a cooler in the car, this is useful to put bought items in on the way home or for cold snacks and drinks whilst you are out.
• Alternatively, use public transportation which is often air conditioned and keeps you out of the sun during the hottest parts of the day.

Graze

• Try eating refrigerated watermelon or cucumber it’s cool and hydrating.
• Eat little and often. This way your body doesn’t have to get hot from all the energy used digesting a big meal.
• Surprisingly, really spicy food can cool you down. Because it makes you sweat. Just be sure to drink plenty of water too!

Breathe

• In Yoga, there’s a breathing technique that can be used to cool you down and reduce stress. Roll your tongue and breathe in through it (or pursed lips), then exhale through the nose. The saliva should cool the air before it reaches your lungs.
• Hold a cup of ice next to your mouth and breathe into it. The cold air in the cup is forced out in a cooling breeze.

If all else fails…

Your body temperature drops when you sleep. So, take a nap, ideally in a wooded area. The shade is cooler, but so is laying on the ground. Because hot air rises, you’ll be away from the warmer air currents.

Our final recommendation – come visit us on the creek! Take a break from the heat on our porch, chill by the water and let life slow down a while.

To book, contact us today!