[ad_1]
Editor’s note: This story was first published in 2020 and has been updated.
CNN
—
Whether you’re without power, enduring extreme heat or trying to save money, there are ways to feel comfortable without artificial cooling.
The heat can encourage fun summer activities, but the body should not be too hot for too long, as too much heat can damage your brain and other organs, according to the United States. National Institutes of Health. Sweating is the body’s natural cooling system, but when it is not enough, there is an increased risk of developing heat-related illness hyperthermia – the signs of which include heat cramps, heat edema and stroke of heat. The heat combined with high humidity exacerbates this risk, as the saturation level of the air causes sweat to accumulate on the skin, preventing the body from cooling down naturally.
Staying cool can be done by using some basic supplies and knowing how to manipulate your home to control its temperature. Here are 14 ways to do just that.
When you’re hot and flushed, hydrating yourself is the first and foremost step to cooling down, said Wendell Porter, a teacher emeritus. in agricultural and biological engineering at the University of Florida.
The temperature of the water doesn’t matter as your body will warm it up, he added. If your body suffers from the heat and needs to cool down, it cannot do without enough moisture, since the body cools itself by sweating.
Taking a cold shower or bath helps cool your body by lowering your core temperature, Porter said.
For an extra cool breeze, try peppermint soap. Menthol in peppermint oil activates brain receptors what your body says something you eat or feel is cold.
Apply a cold wash or ice packs (packs) on your wrists or drape around your neck to cool your body. These pulse points are areas where the blood vessels are close to the skin, so it will hurt cool off sooner.
Place the box fans in front of the windows of the rooms where they spend time to blow the warm air and replace it with the cold air inside.
If the weather in your area tends to drop between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit in the mornings and evenings, opening windows on both sides of the house during those times can facilitate a cross-flow ventilation system. If you do this, you can choose to use or not use fans, but fans help cool the house faster, Porter said. The open air can pull warm air out of your home, leaving a cooler temperature or bringing in a breeze. Just make sure to close the windows as the sun comes out, then open when the weather is cool again.
Just resting near a fan lowers body temperature.
If you have windows that face the direction of the sun from morning to afternoon, close the curtains or blinds on them to “keep the sun from coming directly into the house and heating (it) inside,” said Porter.
You can also install blackout curtains to insulate the room and reduce the temperature increase that happens during the day.
If you turn on the air conditioner, don’t put it on is below 70 degrees Fahrenheit in an effort to cool the home faster, said Samantha Hall, founder. of Spaces Alive, an Australian design research company helping to create healthy and sustainable buildings.
“It just takes longer to get to that temperature and it will continue until you start to feel a little cold and then it’s hard to balance,” he added. Instead, keep the temperature of the unit as high as possible while still being comfortable.
Cotton is one of the most breathable materials, so cotton sheets or blankets can help keep you cool at night.
The lower the thread count of the cotton, the more breathable it is, Porter said. That’s because the higher thread count has more texture per square inch.
If you can’t sleep through the night because you’re too hot, try sleeping somewhere outside of your bedroom, if that’s an option. The heat rises, so if you have a lower level or basement in your home, set up a temporary sleeping area there to experience cooler temperatures at night.
Common tips for staying cool without air conditioning include soaking wet socks, blankets or clothing in the refrigerator or freezing them, then wrapping them up. to wear while sleeping. But that’s not a good idea, Porter said.
Because of “The amount of energy they can absorb from your body that night, they will be warm in a few minutes,” he said. “And then you’d have wet stuff molding your mattress. So, of course, you don’t want to do that.”
If no one is using a room that has no vents or registers, close the door to that area to keep fresh air limited to only occupied areas of the house.
Use the exhaust fan in your kitchen and/or bathroom
Flip the switch for the exhaust fan in your kitchen to remove hot air that rises after cooking or in your bathroom to remove steam after showering.
Incandescent bulbs generate a higher temperature than LED bulbs. To make the switch, look for energy-efficient light bulbs for sale, then slowly replace the light bulbs in your home, Porter said.
Changing light bulbs can save money, but it doesn’t reduce much heat in the home, Hall said. However, if you focus on changing the bulbs in the areas you are close to, that would make a more noticeable difference, Porter said.
The heat from the oven can spread throughout your home. Keep the heat centralized in one area, like a slow cooker. Or, cook outside on a grill to keep the heat out.
Eating an ice cream or an ice cream to cool down can help for a while. But don’t go overboard on sugar if you’re overheated or at risk of overheating, Porter said.
“Sugar will boost your metabolism and you’ll start to feel hot inside,” he said. “So the fresh treatment might be good, but the extra sugar might not.”
If you’ve tried everything and still can’t beat the heat at home, you can search online for any local programs that offer ductless air conditioners.
Depending on your state, some cooling centers – air-conditioned public facilities where people could go for relief during extremely hot weather – can be opened and precautions taken to ensure they are as safe as possible. You could start by checking with your local utility offices, as they know who offers certain programs, Porter advised.
READ MORE: Get inspired by a weekly summary of living well, simplified. Sign up for CNN’s Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being.
