This record-breaking heat wave might as well be called record melting. With temperatures near 40 Celsius, we are all looking for ways to beat the heat.
Everyone has their favourite ways to stay cool, whether it’s the kids jumping through a sprinkler, families camping out by the lake, or nerding out about ways to improve your fan’s efficiency. If you’re not one of the lucky ones with an efficient heat pump or air conditioner, you are likely finding other ways to reduce this feverish pitch.
Clothing and diet play a key role in how our bodies are able to reduce their temperature organically. Natural fibres breathe better than synthetics and loose fitting clothing that allows air to flow around the body cools better than anything tight. Tying a wetted kerchief loosely around your neck mimics the cooling sensation of sweat.
Beyond this, what we put in our bodies will affect our ability to sweat, which is how we cool down. Staying hydrated with water, iced herbal teas and frozen fruit and berries keeps our engine’s coolant flowing.
Steering clear of caffeine and alcohol, however counterintuitive that seems on a hot summer’s day, prevents the dehydration they cause. The ice cubes floating within are the only thing hydrating about them.
If you know you’re headed out in a few hours, place your water bottles in the freezer filled about three quarters full. They will quickly start melting into a satisfying cold beverage on a hot afternoon. Add a drop of food safe peppermint oil or mint from the garden, as the menthol is known to create the sensation of being cool.
Home can become more of a sanctuary on a hot day when we open windows for a cross-breeze and place our feet in a cold foot bath. For nighttime relief, put sheets in the freezer during the day and opt for a non-foam pillow which tends to trap heat. Buckwheat-filled pillows are a great investment for anyone who tends to sleep hot.
When you’re out and about, be loud and proud about wearing a wide-brimmed hat. While you’re at it, consider the merits of the sunbrella – that’s right, umbrellas are not just for the rainy months. They have all the benefits of a hat, except you can offer shade to a friend as well and avoid a sweaty head.
Isn’t it fascinating that nature seems to keep her cool naturally?
We are drawn to lakes, the ocean, gardens and forest trails when the temperatures soar. Stagnant air of houses and the heat islands of parking lots are not nature’s way. She is always allowing open spaces for breezes, concrete-free surfaces for water to flow and pool, and organic materials that absorb heat without becoming scalding.
Finding ways to be outdoors could be the best way to hack the heat. Because the UV index tends to be the highest between the hours of 10 am and 2 pm, choosing times outside of these may be the best.
Heading out to the lakes and trails is an incredible way to dive into summer. Have fun and stay cool.
Let’s Talk Trash is qathet Regional District’s (qRD) waste-reduction education program. For more information, email [email protected] or go to LetsTalkTrash.ca.
