HOW TO STAY COOL WHEN YOU ARE GETTING HOT
Every year, hundreds of individuals are killed by extreme heat. Heat-related fatalities and illnesses are avoidable, yet in the United States, about 700 deaths are reported each year from high heat. Take precautions to be cool, hydrated, and educated. Overheating might make you ill. If your body cannot adjust to the heat and appropriately cool you down, you may become unwell. The factors below have the greatest impact on your body's capacity to cool itself in severely hot weather:
Personal Characteristics
Sarafino & Smith (2014) stated that health conditions like obesity, heart disease, mental illness, or sunburn greatly affect how your body cools. Other factors like alcohol and drug usage also alter homeostasis, interfering with the body's temperatures.
High Humidity
Sweat evaporation is low when there is high humidity. This causes a delay in the release of body temperatures. Persons of 65 years and above, children under 2 years of age, and patients with severe ailments or mental illness are among the most vulnerable issues related to high humidity. We have got you covered if the heat has been a pain in your ass. The following tips can help in cooling your temperatures;
Do Not Sleep Naked
When your room feels like a sauna, stripping down is tempting, but sleeping in your birthday suit is not the best thing you can do to cool yourself. Clothes absorb sweat away from your skin, preventing you from feeling sticky and disgusting. Wearing a pair of thin, baggy pajamas trousers or pants (with no underwear, tighter, and less airy) may seem counter-intuitive, but guarantee it will be a conducive night for you; the temperatures will be cooler.
Go for Lighter Sheets.
You can Sleep on top of your duvet to get the full benefit of the fan while avoiding extra layers, or sleep beneath it to escape haunting monsters. The solution is to avoid the duvet if it is a heavy one. Wargocki (2018) suggested that sleeping under light sheets will allow more air to circulate freely, making the sleeping environment more friendly.
Move Air With a Fan
You can use an air conditioner to reduce the temperature if you're getting too hot. One can use a fan (or two or three) to circulate the air. Through open windows, make a passage for the air. Put ice cubes so that they are directly in front of the fan to boost your cooling efficiency.
Close the Curtains and Open the Doors and Windows
It is okay to flood your space with natural light. Goldberg (2016) noted that direct sunlight only adds to the heat in your room, and shutting your curtains will keep the worst offenders out. The next step is to open your windows and enable fresh air to circulate in your home. Nobody wants to live in a stuffy apartment, and if there's a pleasant breeze outdoors, you would want to bring it inside. Keep your house's internal doors open to promote ventilation (external doors are an exception).You share a home with people you trust, and leaving your bedroom door slightly open overnight will keep you cool while sleeping.
Wear A Sunscreen
Gwak et al. (2021) noted that sunburn dehydrates you and makes it difficult for the body to cool down. When you're outside, particularly in direct sunlight, wear a cowboy hat or a similar one and sunglasses. Also, apply sunscreen to any exposed skin. Thirty minutes before going outside, apply SPF 30 or higher. You'll need to consider applying it more than once if you stay outside.
Apply Ice On Some Body Parts
Cold water or ice helps you feel better, but you should be aware of where it's best places to apply them. Applying ice to your wrists is our favorite; if you sleep with your hands close to your face or body, this may be a shockingly efficient method to remain cool. This is because the wrists have pulse points that radiate heat. You may reduce the impact of the heat your wrists emit by exposing them to cold water over them right before going to bed.
Ease into it
Don't jump into many activities, especially outdoor ones, if you're in a new area that's considerably hotter than you're used to. Over two weeks, gradually increase your exercise level. If you feel dizzy, lie down and lift your legs above your head. Find a cool spot and drink some water as soon as you can.
Drink lots of water
Sweating is an air conditioner for your body, requiring water to function effectively. It is significant in sports. A couple of glasses of water should be added to your tank a few minutes before you go for a workout. Carry a water bottle to sports or practices, and aim to drink 10 large gulps every fifteen minutes. Remember that you won't see your sweat in a pool or the air conditioning.
You might be dehydrated even though your urine is clear. When the stomach is empty, plain water travels through the body. The water has no nutrients to absorb, and because there is no food to digest—which needs water—the digestive system grants the water permission to move through the body as quickly as it wishes. It's like a liquid version of a high-occupancy vehicle lane. It does not mean one should stop taking water, keep often sipping since you're absorbing part of it. If you have food in your stomach, the rush of water will be slowed, creating time for it to be absorbed. Watch what you eat. From fresh fruits to a Snickers bar, any food can assist. Salty foodstuff is, however, the greatest. The sodium in your body aids in the absorption and retention of water. A package of nuggets is my go-to climbing snack.
Dress Lightly
If water retention is your main concern, wear long sleeves and pants. You'll feel stuffy, but the cloth will retain moisture off your skin, reducing sunburn if you're in direct sunshine. You can wear shorts sleeves or shorts if you know you won't be in the sun for long.
References
Goldberg, N. (2016). Writing Down The Bones: Freeing The Writer Within. Shambhala Publications.
Gwak, M. A., Hong, B. M., & Park, W. H. (2021). Hyaluronic Acid/Tannic Acid Hydrogel Sunscreen With Excellent Anti-UV, Antioxidant, And Cooling Effects. International Journal Of Biological Macromolecules, 191, 918-924.
Sarafino, E. P., & Smith, T. W. (2014). Health Psychology: Biopsychosocial Interactions. John Wiley & Sons.
Wargocki, P., Lan, L., Lian, Z., & Wyon, D. P. (2018). Thermal Environment, IAQ And Sleep. ASHRAE Journal, 60(4), 60-63.