Every year at this time the temperature and humidity can become your worst enemy. In southern Ontario last week we reached 43 degrees Celsius with the humidex! And when the humidity is up, our capacity to sweat goes down – as does the body’s ability to release body heat. It can impact energy, sleep mood – you name it. I saw it all last week in the clinic and experienced it myself! So let’s talk cool…Use the power of evaporation to enhance your ability to keep cool. Here are a few ideas:
- Use a mister bottle to keep evaporating that heat away – add a drop of peppermint oil for a real cool treat.
- Create a cool environment – keep doors and windows closed with blinds drawn, if you have A/C use it, and if you’re like me and enjoy some air flow put some fans around the house to keep the air moving.
- Take a small hand towel or scarf, make it damp, put it in the freezer for a few minutes and hang it around your neck – remoisten/chill as needed. You can also swipe this towel down your arms and legs every so often for more of that evaporation technique.
- If you work outside – start early/finish early and use a cooling vest!
- If you have a pool or live near a body of water – get in it! We were boaters for years and whenever my husband, Mike, noticed the signs of heat setting in he would pick me up and throw me in the lake! Nothing says love like that.
- Most of all keep cool mentally and look at the things you can enjoy about this weather!
