A key focus of my blog is Health/Wellness. Many people make lifestyle decisions and life decisions based upon the climate and heat. For those who choose to live in warm weather climates, there are ways to adapt to the heat. The following contributed post is entitled, Tips For People Who Just Can’t Stand The Heat.
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If you’re the sort of person who really can’t stand the heat, you’re not alone. High temperatures mess with the bodies of people who grew up in temperate climates, leaving you feeling uncomfortable and exhausted all the time.
Unfortunately, things are getting worse. Summers are becoming longer and hotter, and winters are shorter and milder. Serious cold snaps are rare in this day and age and look to be getting rarer.
Fortunately, there are plenty of things that you can do to fight back and keep yourself comfortable when the hot weather strikes. Here’s our advice:
Keep Yourself Hydrated At All Times
Staying hydrated in hot weather is essential. Your body uses fluids to cool down.
When the temperature is above 32° C, you’ll notice that you sweat pretty much continuously, even if you’re not moving. As sweat evaporates, it cools your body down. Sweat, though, requires replenishment, which is where drinking a lot of water helps.
Drinking cold drinks also makes a difference. When you fill your body with a cool liquid, it refrigerates you slightly from the inside out. This way, it takes heat energy out of the body, making you more comfortable temporarily.
Use A Evaporative Cooler
Whether you travel or stay at home, you don’t always have access to air conditioning. That’s where a swamp cooler can come in handy. These units effectively cool down rooms, allowing you to work or relax more comfortably, no matter what you’re doing.
Reduce Caffeine Intake
Drinking a lot of caffeine during hot weather might seem like a good idea, but it can create a host of problems. First, coffee is a diuretic. This means that it draws moisture out of your body, putting you at risk of dehydration.
And second, caffeine is a stimulant that revs up your metabolism. The more you drink, the more energy your body burns, and the hotter you’ll feel, particularly at night.
Eat Lighter Meals
After you eat a heavy meal, your body may increase its metabolic rate to compensate for the extra energy. It starts to warm up, burns more calories and tries to keep your weight steady.
Of course, the problem with this is that it will warm you up considerably. You’ll feel hot and bothered after a meal. And you won’t want to go hiking or sightseeing.
Try eating foods that have a natural cooling effect on the body. Lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, and coconut water are all good options.
Wear Your Hat
If you have pale skin, or you’re not used to extreme heat, then wearing a hat is essential. It helps to protect you against sunstroke.
If that feels uncomfortable, but you still want to protect yourself, then try wrapping a moist bandana around the heat. The evaporation will keep you cool, a little bit like sweat.
Wake Up Early
Lastly, if you want to take advantage of the coolest part of the day, make sure that you get up early, particularly when traveling. The weather is most pleasant around 5 am to 8 am in the morning.
