The upcoming weekend will be another summer weekend with hot temperatures. If you are worried about the heat, here are eight tips that will help you to stand the dog days of summer.

1.
The easiest way to get a quick cool down is to run water down the insides of your wrists. You can also splash water on your neck. A cold washcloth brings relief when you rub it on your forehead and on the nape of your neck.

2.
Another quite simple method to cool you down is putting your feet in a tub of cool water. Soak your feet and relax. There is no need to hurry during a heat wave. You can even put a small tub or bowl under your desk, if your office is too hot. It helps to stand a long work day.

3.
Having a fan in the house can come in handy as well. A Delonghi fan for example has 3 fan speeds and a 24 hours digital timer. You can start cooling down your house before you come home. So you avoid entering an overheated house. In order to boost the cooling effect of a fan, simply put a bowl of ice water in front of it and let the fan blow the cool air. This is quite energy-efficient as you don’t need to turn up air condition.

4.
Try to avoid tight clothes and wear loose fitting shorts, t-shirts and skirts instead. That helps you to move easily and prevents you from sweating too much. The colour of your clothes also plays a role in staying cool.  Light coloured, cotton materials fit the best for a hot summer day because dark coloured clothes absorb the rays of sunlight and make it even hotter for you.

5.
Summer time is all about being outdoors. However, spending the whole day outside in the summer heat is not recommended though. But sometimes you cannot really avoid being outside, especially when you are an outdoor worker or athlete. If you have to be outside, make sure that you stay in the shade. A round or rectangular parasol is the easiest way to keep the sun off. It’s not only useful on a construction site but also next to the swimming pool or in your garden.

6.
If you have guests coming over for dinner, plan for a light meal. A fruit salad, chicken or fish can easily replace beef or pork. So your body doesn’t have to digest a heavy meal . Furthermore, you can keep baking and cooking to a minimum. So the heat off an oven or stove won’t heat the whole house.

7.
Summer time is usually travel season as well. If you plan on going on holidays by car, the summer heat can be very uncomfortable, especially when you have children in the car. Besides taking a lot of breaks during the travel, you can ease the trip by using car window shades.  The window shades help to protect both front and rear facing children from the sun and glare.

8.
When you think of your house, it’s probably a good idea to have white window shades, blinds or drapes. They reflect heat away from the house. When you leave early in the morning, make sure that you close curtains on south- and west-facing windows during the day. So the temperature in your apartment or house is more bearable.

These are some tips that make your life easier during a hot summer day. Enjoy the summer and stay cool!

Did you know?

The heat wave in 2003 brought one of the hottest summers on record in Europe. It also led to a health crisis and crop shortfall in Southern Europe. More than 70,000 Europeans died as a result of the heat wave. Several weather records were broken in the United Kingdom, including the UK’s highest recorded temperature 38.5 °C (101.3 °F) at Brogdale orchards near Faversham in Kent on 10 August.

- Manuela

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