How to keep cool during the hazy, crazy, lazy days of summer

Now it’s February, the weather can be extremely hot and humid, making it hard to motivate yourself during the day, and sleep at night.

While going for a swim on a hot day is very refreshing, work and life can be busy so this may not be an option until later in the day. Packing up the kids and/or the dog and heading to the local beach or river for a dip during our long evenings is a lovely way to end a sticky, humid day.

Electric fans or some other form of air conditioning certainly keeps your home cooler, but these cost money to run. As we are in the middle of a cost of living crisis, this may not be an option for you.

Here are some other ideas to help you cool down so that you can enjoy the summer without it costing an arm and a leg, and allow you to still function properly.

During the day:

1. Eat coffee ice blocks: Instead of drinking hot coffee or tea, try consuming your brew of choice completely frozen as an ice Popsicle! Just make a hot drink as you like it, let it cool, pour into some Popsicle moulds and freeze.
2. Make an an ice cube necklace: There are various ways to do this and some are messier than others! Here is a step by step method of making one using a necklace that you already have on hand:
   
   https://www.instructables.com/The-Nice-Necklace
3. Make a cold water bottle: We usually use these in winter to keep warm, but they work just as well as a means of cooling off!
   
   Fill a hottie or a plastic water bottle almost (but not all the way) to the top then freeze. Water expands when it freezes, so you need to allow space for that by not filling it completely.
   
   You may need to wrap it in a towel or pillow case to hold it against your body as the cold can ‘burn’ your skin.
4. Wear an ice vest: Who new these were a thing? These are particularly useful if you have to do active work that makes you extra hot and sticky.
   
   They are easy to purchase online and work by using highly absorbent fabric that is designed to rapidly absorb cool water when soaked in it. The cool water slowly evaporates from the fabric over the course of several hours, usually between four to ten, providing a cooling effect throughout.
5. Slip ice cubes into your hair: If you have long hair, loosely braid it, stuff with ice cubes and pin the ends of the braids to secure. This will create cold water melting onto your hot scalp – delicious!

During the night:

1. Switch to cotton: Using white or pale-coloured sheets made of lightweight cotton instead of silk or polyester can make a huge difference to how hot you get in bed. Wearing cotton nightwear will also help as cotton is breathable and helps with ventilation, keeping you more comfortable.
2. Freeze your sheets; Pop your sheets into a plastic bag and put them into the freezer for a few minutes. Although they won’t keep you cool all night, it will give you some respite.
3. Sleep like an Egyptian: Ancient Egyptians dampened their blankets before going to bed to keep cool on hot nights, so you might like to give this a go! Lay the sheets on a towel before dampening to avoid soaking the mattress.
4. Cool off your heels: Our feet are very sensitive to temperature because they have many pulse points. You can cool down your whole body by soaking your feet in a bucket of iced water just before you hop into bed. A quick dunk in the middle of the night will also give you instant relief if necessary!
5. Turn off lights and gadgets: Lights, gadgets and small appliances generate heat and warm the air around them. This compounds the warm air in your home, so turn off all that you can as night draws in.

Hopefully some of these tips will be useful to help you enjoy your summer but function well by day and sleep well by night

Heather Knewstubb

Time Genie Support Services for Creative and Educational Businesss

Kapiti Coast

New Zealand

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