Contrary to what many people believe, not everyone looks forward to the summer months. In fact there are many people of all ages, who actually dread the heat and humidity. As a result, they feel more irritable, lethargic, tired and fatigued, as compared to normal. In fact many people also experience a drastic reduction in their appetite, or nausea because of the heat. If you are one of them, you will be glad to know that you can use a few ways in which you can beat the summer heat and keep yourself cool (and calm), even during the warmest of the months. Given below are a few tips on ways to beat the summer heat:
Fabrics and Clothing
The clothes that you wear have a huge impact on your body temperature and how you react to the heat. You need to avoid clothes that are heavy, tight fitting or made from thick fabrics. Instead, go in for loose-fitting clothes that are preferably made from cotton. Dark colors make you feel warmer too and therefore, they should be avoided, especially during the peak hours of the day. When indoors, it is fine to leave your arms and legs bear, by wearing shorts and sleeveless tops. However, if you are venturing out into the sun, you may want to cover up, so that the ultraviolet rays of the sun do not affect your skin directly. Invest in a few essential summer accessories, such as hats and shades, as they will help you feel cooler than normal.
Although cotton bed sheets do not seem particularly fancy, they are the best for summers. Other fabrics may cause your body temperature to rise a bit, while you are sleeping. This problem can be avoided, by choosing bedcovers and sheets of light material.
Diet
Loss of appetite is quite common in the summers, as most people find it difficult to eat their regular fare. You may feel like eating nothing but ice cream, popsicles or other such cooling foods during summer, but you need to stay away from them, mainly because they are high in sugar. However, there are several foods that you can eat during the summer season, that will make you feel good and can improve your health significantly. As in case of any other season, fresh fruits and vegetables should form the major part of your diet. Make sure to include higher amounts of tomatoes, onions, peppers, zucchini, asparagus, carrots, cucumbers, avocadoes, berries, oranges, melons, pineapples, limes and so on. You could also include some fish or lean poultry to you summer diet. Salads and chilled soup are known to have a cooling effect on the body and they help you feel light, thereby avoiding nausea or other digestive problems. Yogurt is also another favorite summer food for most people.
Foods that you should avoid during the summer season include red meat, oily or fried food, processed foods, condiments, and so on.
Drink Up
There is nothing better than sipping a cool drink on a hot summer's day, to make you feel better from within; but try to ensure that drink you sip is fresh water. It is important to drink an adequate amount of water each day, especially during summer, to avoid dehydration. Make sure that you drink more than 8 to 10 glasses of water each day. There are many people who drink chilled beer or cocktails on summer afternoons. However, there are healthier alternatives like coconut water, iced tea, lemonade, fruit juice without sugar or preservatives, smoothies, skim milk and so on. Stay away from sodas, coffee, tea and other caffeinated beverages. Make sure that you drink at least half a glass of water every half an hour.
Change the Home Environment
We are all used to modern appliances for convenience purposes and simply cannot do without the television, laptop, music system, oven, toaster, dishwasher, and so on. But did you know these appliances emit heat, even when they are not in use? Fortunately, you could reduce the heat from these appliances and cool your environment, just by unplugging these devices when they are not in use. This will also help you save money in your utility bill. If you'd like to avoid using the air conditioner, hand a wet cloth near open windows in your house and the air coming in, which be naturally cooler.
Check if your lights are the kind that gives out a lot of heat, when in use. If so, you may want to switch over to other varieties that use one-fifth of the energy as compared to others and emit less heat.
Skin Care
Most of us take additional care of our skin during the winter season, because of the additional dryness and all. However, it is important to realize that your skin goes through a lot during the summer season too, which is why it requires some extra attention. Invest in a few sun blocks or sun screens and make sure that you apply them carefully, every time you step out in the hot sun.
Activities and Exercise
If you think that it is alright to quit exercising during the summer months, you couldn't be more wrong. In fact, many people workout excessively before summer, so that they can fit into a swimsuit when summer finally arrives. There are several activities that can actually help cool your body, like swimming and surfing. If you are used to a walking routine, it may be best to continue that too.
Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.