18/07/2022
❄️❄️KEEP COOL WITH ALOE! ❄️❄️
On the hottest 2 days of the year you might think you need to resort to using a strong antiperspirant to stay cool and fresh.
I find that the Aloe Evershield Deodorant works just fine and personally I only need to use it in the morning, it works so well!
However if you’re prone to perspiring a lot or this weather makes you feel hot and sticky, you can use it multiple times a day to freshen up because it’s so safe and natural. The way it works is because Aloe is antibacterial so it prevents the bacteria that cause odour.
So put your deodorant in your bag if you’re going out today and wear loose clothes so you can discreetly reapply it as necessary.
If you’re able to, keep it in the fridge for even better cooling! ❄️
Here are some other general tips for staying cool:
❄️ Fans over air-con
Air con units are serious energy drains - using more electricity than any other mainstream appliance in our homes.
Fans are a much better option, and can go a long way to warding off insufferable interior temperatures when positioned right.
Setting up your fan across the room from an open window is one way of creating a cooling airflow. Alternatively, point it out an open window on the cooler side of your home to create a ‘chimney effect’ that will pull in air from this shaded direction. You can also freeze some bottles of water and put them in front of the fan to cool the air.
🪟 Take charge of air flows
There are even simpler ways to get the upper hand in heatwave conditions, however. Stay attuned to the way temperatures inside compare to outside; once it’s hotter out, close windows and doors to keep the warmer air out. It’s also best to close internal doors, to stop the house air becoming one soupy mix.
Reverse this advice when the relative temperatures switch in the mornings and evenings, so that a cooler air flow comes in.
☀️ Close curtains and blinds
Relatedly, close curtains and blinds on sunny windows to stop the sun breaking in too much. Southern European countries are typically better equipped for this, with shutters, but there are quick solutions if you’re suddenly finding certain rooms too hot.
🥗 Do your meal prep earlier in the day
It’s common sense that anything that generates heat is going to bring up the overall heat of your home. Intuitively, you’re going to find a hairdryer less desirable (not least because wet hair is a balm on days like today).
But one place in which it helps to rethink your daily activities is in the kitchen. A nutritious salad is more likely to hit the spot on a hot day, but if you are still needing to use the oven, how about prepping food earlier in the day?
🥒 Stay cool as a cucumber (drink)
Drinking enough water really bears repeating - especially as frequency over volume is a key message from health bodies. But there are a whole range of other refreshing drinks to quench your thirst.
A cold or hot mint brew is great for cooling you down, as the natural menthol stimulates cool receptors in the body. It’s also a very low maintenance herb to grow on a windowsill or patch of back garden.
Put a slice of cucumber in your water, which makes the drink taste refreshing even when it warms up.
🌛 Stay cool at night
While there are many things you can do to regulate your temperature during the day, restless nights are often the worst part of a heatwave.
If you’ve already dispensed with a duvet, another soothing tip is to roll a cold wet flannel around your neck at night.
❄️ Damp sheets inside
In fact, making things damp needn’t just be a nighttime resort. A damp cotton t-shirt can provide some relief during the day, and leaving wet sheets and clothes to dry inside will help lower the temperature of the room.
👘 Wear loose clothes
Speaking of garments, loose clothes are highly recommended. Natural fibres like cotton and linen make the fabric extra breathable
The weave of biodegradable fibres better absorbs sweat, and aids air circulation around the body.
🌅 Start your day earlier
One of the struggles of heatwave conditions is that - with even more people working remotely than pre-pandemic - it’s hard to keep your energy and motivation levels up at home.
A way to ease this is starting your day earlier, thereby making the most of the cool hours, and getting an earlier night’s sleep. As exercise is key to fending off feeling sluggish, setting aside some active time between 7 and 9am is a great way to rise and shine.
😴 Take a nap
Northern Europeans looking at the coming heat might want to follow the lead of southern Europeans and take a nap during the hottest part of the day.
Granted, this won’t fit in with everyone’s schedules, but it’s best to save tasks that need the most concentration to cooler parts of the day anyway.
🚿 Enjoy a cool shower
If a siesta is off the cards, then a quick jump in the shower might be the change of scene you need mid-afternoon. Even putting your feet in a bowl of icy water could do the trick.
Come the weekend, it’s bigger bodies of cooling water that people will be after. Though limiting your time in the direct sun is of course advisable, it’s hard to think of a more refreshing way to make it through the day.
