Summer. Generally associated with the time of baseball, pools, and evening walks, it’s also the time of the year that traditionally presents the challenges to staying cool and healthy.
That may seem odd, given that summer fashions favor light material and the activities tend to occur around water, like beaches and splash pads. But don’t be fooled; it’s still hot outside, and it’s important to take steps to prevent problems like heat stroke and sunburns.
So let’s start with the most basic rule of staying cool:
- Drink Up
This one seems obvious, but it’s not uncommon for people to forget how important water can be in hot weather, especially if you have happen to be indoors for most of the day. The average person needs to consume between 11 and 15 cups of water a day to be healthy, but it’s easy to miss that target when you get busy.
Best solution? Keep some water with you at all times. Normally, that would mean taking advantage of public water fountains and refillable water stations, but in the name of personal safety, stick with water from your home or bottle water from stores.
You can also try sports drinks, fruit juices, and iced tea to keep cool, but don’t forget to drink water.
- Try Playing in The Water
Few things call to mind summertime than a dip in the pool. It makes sense; it’s hot outside, so jump in the pool and cool off. But as with public water fountains, using a public pool might not be an option.
Well, not to worry. If you’ve got the lawn space, invest in an inflatable pool and jump right in. No lawn space? No problem; get a bucket, fill it with water and some ice, and put your feet in. Bucket has a hole and the store has run out of buckets? When in doubt, jump into the shower and put the faucet to cold.
Also, try just soaking your head if you don’t want a full shower.
- Dress for Success
Many important people have said to dress for the job you want, not the job you have. And if the job you want is to be comfortable, the advice still applies.
In other words, invest in some comfy clothes, especially tank tops and shorts made from thin, stretchy materials that can breathe and reflect the sunlight. Forget about sneakers for a few months and invest in some sandals, which can be worn everywhere at any time of the day.
If you’ve got long hair, keep your hair up and get a good hat. If you’ve got short hair, keep it short and get a hat, too. It’ll come in handy on sunny days when the clouds disappear.
- Get Down
Heat rises, so anyone living on the upper levels of a multistory apartment building might do well to get outside and closer to the ground. If you’ve got more than one story to your home, try to spend the hottest parts of the day on the first floor.
If you’ve got a basement, get some fans and create a spot to stay cool and low to the ground. And we do mean low to the ground; get some bean bag chairs or comfortable floor mats to sit on and keep low.
- When In Doubt, Just Sit Still
Moving around takes energy. Energy creates heat. The solution? Just be still.
That’s another classic summer image; sitting around and chilling with a cold drink in the shade. Who are we to argue?