It is still hot. Here are 5 more tips to beat the heat adapted from the British Red Cross.
Keep cool at night. Hotter temperatures can make it hard to get a good night’s sleep. Keeping your home as cool as possible is the best way to make sure you are not disturbed. Shut windows during the day and open them when you go to bed to take advantage of the cooler temperatures. If it is still too hot, try sleeping in the coolest room in your home, or if you have another level move to the ground floor. Heat rises so downstairs is often cooler. A cool bath or shower before you go to bed can help.
Try to stick to your usual bedtime routine, even if it is tempting to change it due to the heat. When you do get your head down, don’t ditch the duvet completely as this can disrupt the body’s ability to control the temperature next to our skin. Instead, try a thin sheet.
Limit your alcohol. Not a sentence everyone wants to hear, but facts are facts. Unfortunately, combining too much sun with a few too many drinks is not a good combination. Alcohol causes dehydration, which can hit especially hard if your body is already struggling to cope with the weather. Drinking alcohol can also make it harder to get a good night’s sleep, something that’s already difficult in warmer temperatures. While you may fall asleep quickly, you’re likely to have poor quality sleep and wake up earlier than usual – not exactly the refreshing sleep you’ll need. If you must drink alcohol, try to drink in moderation.
Eat light meals to feel cooler. When it’s hot, you are far better off sticking to light, well-balanced, regular meals. Food with a high water content like watermelon, strawberries, cucumber, celery, and lettuce, will also help to keep you hydrated and cool. Peel some bananas and freeze them. Then blend them up to create a healthy “soft ice cream” substitute. You can also try foods with high fluid content like soups and stews that contribute towards hydration levels.
Limit physical activity to cooler parts of the day. It’s important not to disrupt your routine too much because of hot weather, but sometimes you may have to. An early morning run may feel punishing when you’re nice and sleepy in bed, but it could be dangerous to exercise in the blazing midday sun and risk dehydration, heat exhaustion or heatstroke.
Take the temperature into consideration when planning your day and, if you can, limit physical activity to when it’s cooler. If you do decide to work out or play sport, make sure to drink lots of water and take more breaks than usual to make sure you’re not putting any extra stress on your body.
What is the fifth additional tip? Get your ducts and HVAC system cleaned so they put out better, cleaner, cooler air. Contact Mr. Duct Cleaner for your Free estimate.
Did you miss the first four Tips?