1. Drink Water (and lots of it!)
2. Soak Yourself
3. Make Your Own Spray Mist Bottle
4. Make Use of Your Sprinklers
5. Protect your Skin
6. Always Be Aware (Stay inside if too hot!)
Tips on How to Keep Cool in the Summer
by Marisela Meraz
With the first days of summer approaching, the first few things that come to mind are beach days, family barbecues, and ice cold glasses of water. However, what also comes to mind when you think of summer is the heat. Dangerously high temperatures can result in heat stroke, heat cramps, or heat exhaustion. To prevent this from happening, here are some simple tips that will help you stay cool outdoors all summer long:
1. Drink Water (and lots of it!)- Freeze bottles of water ahead of time to carry around with you before heading out. Chances are by the time you are outside, the water will already be thawing. On a hot summer day, you will benefit from drinking ice cold water.
2. Soak yourself- To relieve some heat buildup, grab a bandana, shirt, or wash cloth and soak it in cool water to provide some much needed cooling down. You can also run cold water over your wrists, elbows, and neck, which are the areas on the body where heat is easily dissipated.
3. Make your own spray mist bottle- As well as drinking water to keep yourself hydrated, here’s another way to keep yourself cool: Fill up a spray bottle with water and place it in your refrigerator. If you anticipate you will be sitting outside for a long period of time, take the bottle with you and use it to spray your face and body.
4. Make use of your sprinklers- On a particularly hot day, and after spending a long time over the grill, turn on your sprinklers, either running or walking through them to keep yourself cool. This is also a way for the kids to shake off the heat in a fun way!
5. Protect your skin- Not only does this mean wear lots of sunscreen when outdoors, but it also means wearing loose-fitting and lightweight clothing. Instead of wearing absorbent darker colored clothing, choose lighter, heat-reflecting fabrics. Wearing clothes made of cotton allows for better air circulation, decreasing the chances of intense body moisture caused by sweat.
6.
Always be aware- Use common sense and be mindful of rising heat temperatures. If the heat is intolerable, choose to stay indoors.