9 Easy Ways to Stay Cool in the Heat this Summer

9 Easy Ways to Stay Cool in the Heat this Summer

Few things are worse than being sweaty in your own home. If your home doesn't have an air conditioner and AC installation isn't on the cards, your house will undoubtedly become warm in the summer months.

That doesn't mean you have to feel hot though. Here are nine ways you keep cool this summer, even on the most blisteringly hot days.

1. Stay Hydrated
Keeping hydrated is an important part of keeping cool and staying healthy in extreme heat. Your body's natural defence against being hot is to sweat. As the sweat evaporates from your skin, it takes heat with it, creating a cooling effect on your body.

There are a whole host of heat-related illnesses you could fall prey to if you become dehydrated during extremely hot weather too. So embrace the sweat and keep up the hydration all summer long.

2. Dress Appropriately
No matter how nice that silk dress might look, you're going to get hot in it. Opting for loose-fitting clothes made from natural fibres (think cotton) will help to wick away the sweat and keep things breathable.

3. Use Your Fans Correctly
Did you know most ceiling fan settings have summer and winter modes? In summer mode, your fan should spin counter-clockwise, pushing the cool air onto you and drawing warm air away. Winter mode has the opposite effect.

If you've got a pedestal fan, these can be a great tool to help push hot air out of a room. When the temperature outside is lower than inside, point your fan out an open window. This will blow hot air out and the cool outside air will replace it.

This method won't work if it's hotter outside than in, you'll just be blowing your hot air out and pulling hot air from outside in!

4. Keep the Sun Out
One simple way to keep the heat out of your house is to keep your curtains and blinds shut when the sun is out. Any direct sunlight passing through your windows will quickly heat your home up.

While curtains and blinds will do a decent job at keeping the heat out, block out curtains will be far more effective at insulating your home.

5. Cook Outside or Don't Cook at All

One of the biggest heat producers in our home is the stove and oven. If you must cook, opt for pulling out the trusty BBQ and cooking outside where it won't matter. Even better, don't cook at all if you have to. Fresh salads and other cool meals can help you to feel cooler and are easier to digest on a hot summer's day.

6. Prioritise Your Pulse Points
When you do get hot, the fastest way to cool down (aside from jumping in the nearest pool or shower) is to cool down your pulse points. Take an ice pack wrapped in a cloth, a cool bottle of water, or even a wet towel and wrap it around one of your main pulse points. These include your neck, temples, wrists, inner elbow, ankles, and backs of the knees.

7. Spend Time Away from Home
If you just can't beat the heat at home, going out might be your best bet. Public shopping centres, movie theatres, restaurants and the like are all well air-conditioned, making them fun ways to cool down on a hot day.

8. Sleep Low
We all know that heat rises, so when it comes time to sleep, get as low as you can. Whether this means pulling your mattress onto the floor or even setting up camp on the ground floor for a few nights, you'll notice a difference.

9. Upgrade Your Pillows and Bedding
If you're one of many who just can't go without the top sheet or else you're at risk of monsters of the night, it's important you ace your pillows and bedding. Cotton sheets with a low thread count are your best option for a breathable, thin sheet to keep the night demons at bay.

There's been a persistent rise in new sleep inventions like the Bedjet 3 Climate Comfort System to help you transform your bed to get a great night's sleep. Tech-savvy beds like the Bedjet 3 also have dual rapid bed cooling and heating systems for couples. This device makes you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer and wake up feeling more refreshed.

Cooling pillows are also a great option to help you get a good night's rest. These pillows are infused with a gel that means they feel cool or at least room temperature. This means when you lie your head down on the pillow, your head and neck are kept cool so you can fall asleep faster and sleep better.

With these nine ways to keep cool, you'll be comfortable all summer long without the need for air conditioning.