Throughout the cold winter months, we long for the sunshine of summertime to warm us. However, when those truly hot days arrive, we often forget about how much we longed for them and begin to complain about the heat. With the summer of 2010 just about to arrive, we are anticipating the warmth and looking forward to it, but if we are to truly enjoy the season, we should be prepared with ways to beat the days of overwhelming heat when they come. The following are some ideas that you can use when that hot weather strikes your area.
*If you live in an area that has many days that are in the high temperatures during the summer, it is well worth it to invest in a high-efficiency air conditioner. If there are only a couple of days that are practically unbearable and the rest are just a bit on the hot side, you might be able to do just fine with a few box type fans. Ceiling fans installed in your home will also help to keep the air moving.
*Purchase a swamp cooler to use during the summer. These use water to cool your home, so they work a bit differently than a standard air conditioner, but are still very effective at cooling your home. These are especially nice for desert areas as they will also add a bit of moisture to the dry air.
*Get up early in the morning and open the doors and windows that are facing away from the sun and close off all of the ones that are facing towards it. Close the window coverings, such as blinds and curtains, at this time also. As the sun moves throughout the day, change the closed and opened up areas to keep the sun out and the air circulating through your home.
*In order to keep your own body as cool as possible, wear clothing and footwear that allows the skin to breathe. There are even some clothing products today that have cooling abilities and these are wonderful, especially if you will be doing any sort of strenuous activity. Stick with lighter colored clothing that will deflect the sun’s rays off of you, rather than dark colors that draw it in.
*If you have long hair, keep it up when those hot days come so that you don’t end up with pools of sweat underneath it. You may even want to use summertime to try out a new, shorter hairstyle.
*Have a source of water to cool down in throughout the day. You may not be able to have a full-size pool in your yard, but you can probably at least have a child size wading pool that you can sit in for a bit and feel your body temperature drop pleasantly. A cool bath or shower will also be effective for a quick cooldown.
*If you will be doing any exercise, do so either in the early morning or late evening, when the weather is less extreme. Wear clothing that will be effective in keeping you as cool as possible and take plenty of water along with you.
*Staying hydrated is incredibly important, no matter what you’re doing during those hot days. Water should be consumed regularly throughout the day and in larger quantities than usual. You are at risk for heat stroke if you are allowing your body to become dehydrated in the heat.
*Use a high SPF sunscreen to keep your skin from burning and re-apply it as necessary during the time that you are spending outdoors in the sunshine. If the skin becomes burned, you will feel hotter, not to mention that it can be miserable to have a sunburn.
As much as most of us look forward to seeing those sunny summer days arrive, it isn’t nearly as pleasant when the heat rises above a comfortable level. The above tips can help to keep you as cool as possible so that you can enjoy the summer season, rather than being sticky, hot, and uncomfortable.
