The beautiful Mrs. Ray and I don’t tolerate the heat very well. July and August in Minnesota can see 100 degrees + with humidity that would make someone from the tropics feel right at home. I wrote last year about how our AC went out and how we dealt with it. Well, we’re in the same situation this year, albeit better prepared. We’re also blessed that we’re not in the hottest time of the year.
I thought I would share some tips for staying cool that I have found over the years. If you have followed the blog for some time, you might have seen some of these. There will be at least one new one that is pure genius and makes me wish I had come up with it.
Clothing
Wear loose fitting, light colored clothing.
It might sound counterintuitive, but wear long sleeve shirts and a hat. The sun directly on your skin will heat you even more.
Wear clothes made of cotton as it wicks heat away from your body. This is the reason the phrase “Cotton Kill” exists. When the phrase is used, it’s usually in cold climates.
If you wear a hat, get it wet and put it back on. A bandana can work for this as well.
Liquids
In hot weather, you need to increase your liquid intake. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty. When you’re active, you should be drinking 16-32 ounces of water an hour.
If your urine is anything but clear, you are dehydrated and need to rehydrate ASAP.
Avoid beverages containing caffeine as it promotes dehydration.
Water is a great source to stay hydrated, but many people don’t like water. There are additives such as powdered Gatorade that can flavor water and add electrolytes at the same time.
Put a water bottle in the freezer. When you go outside, take it with you. As the ice melts, you’ll have cold water to drink.
Food
Avoid using the stove, as it will just add more heat.
Eat cold foods; fruits and vegetables are a good idea.
Eat smaller meals but eat more often. The larger the meal the more metabolic heat your body produces to digest it. The same applies to drinking very cold water; it can actually heat you up because your body quickly reacts to warm the water to core temperature.
Eat copious amounts of ice cream. (Sorry about that, the little kid in me took over for a second.)
The Body
The body radiates heat from the head, hands and feet. Getting these areas wet will aid in cooling.
When I was in the Navy, on a cruise to the Gulf, they told us to eat more salt on our food, to help the body retain water. It’s true that we lose salt and minerals when we sweat. These salts and minerals need to be replaced. A sports drink will often work. Check with your doctor before going this route.
If outdoor work must be done, do it in the morning or evening. Avoid being out in the sun in the hottest part of the day.
Put a bottle of lotion in the fridge. Squirt some on and rub it into hands and feet. (I have never tried this, but it sounds like a decent idea.)
By placing a cool water bottle between your upper thighs or in your armpits, you will cool the blood. Don’t use ice cold as this could be a shock to your heart.
A similar principle is to get a bandana wet with cool water and wrap it around your neck, head or wrists.
Take frequent cool showers or baths.
Don’t Forget Your Pets
Keep plenty of cool water available.
Make sure they have shade available to lie in.
Some of our dogs love chewing on ice cubes.
The Home
If you have a basement, the temperature there is often 10-15 degrees cooler. My home is a four level split. I would say each level is at least 5 degrees cooler than the one above it.
Keep your curtains or blinds drawn. If possible, have the outside of the blinds or curtains be light in color. This will reflect heat back outside. Dark colors will increase the temperature. This would be a good idea in the colder times of the year.
I have not done this but have heard that it works; hang a damp sheet in place of your drapes. To go with the drapes suggestion from above, use a light colored sheet.
Another thing that I have heard of but haven’t tried is spraying your roof with water. The heat evaporates the water, leaving the roof cooler. Here are several other passive cooling techniques.
This idea would only work if you have power but no AC. There are indoor AC units that give cool air inside, venting the exhaust to a panel you cut to fit into your window. This wasn’t an inexpensive solution but cooling the bedroom so we could sleep is worth it. Yes, I realize that if the grid fails, it will be worthless. But the grid is still up right now and we’ve had to use this when the AC has stopped in the last two years.
The following is an idea that I think is brilliant! For those who can’t watch the video yet, the premise is to place a frozen milk jug into an insulated 5 gallon bucket, drill 3-4 holes on the sides of the bucket and place a small fan on top of the bucket, blowing air towards the ice, forcing cool air out the holes in the bucket.
I realize not all of these suggestions will work in all climates. Please add any others you might have.
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