I'm swooning in the extreme heat, dreaming about the sewing I would like to be doing, but my hands are too hot and sweaty ...
I thank the Lord that I never went to Africa as a missionary. I'd have been useless! Mind you, the swooning woman in the top picture and Katharine Hepburn are both a little overdressed for hot weather imho.
I thank the Lord that I never went to Africa as a missionary. I'd have been useless! Mind you, the swooning woman in the top picture and Katharine Hepburn are both a little overdressed for hot weather imho.
Here's a few hot tips for staying cool
- check out this NHS advice page - we are keeping curtains closed during the day, and it does make a difference
- the BBC has good ideas here - limit 'hot' activities, so don't spend hours at a hot stove, and keep showers short and cool
- keep to your regular routines, and avoid daytime naps which can disrupt your sleep patterns.
- try to keep the bedroom comfortable and cool. I sleep best under a sheet or empty duvet cover.
- my neighbour puts his socks in the fridge and they cool down his feet [and thus his whole body] I keep a damp facecloth in a lock&lock in the fridge and it is always fresh and cool if I need to wipe my hands, and face.
- wear natural fibres - cotton or linen - rather than nylon and polyester
- wear fewer, looser clothes, eat smaller lighter meals
- wear a hat or visor to keep the sun off your face - but keep out of the sun as much as possible
- keep a bottle of cold water in the fridge [don't wastefully run the tap till the water is cool]
- stay hydrated
- don't rush about
Wetter is better - Kezzie carries a water spray to mist her face for instant relief. Rosie has a small water pistol for cooling her grandparents in the garden.
Limit your alcohol - it dehydrates you, and affects sleep patterns [moderation is always good] but up your fluid intake with water, and foods with high water content [cucumber, melon, strawberries etc]
Wear sunscreen - reapply it frequently. Sit under a sunshade.
Be aware of the risks - heat exhaustion and heatstroke can have serious consequences
Watch out for the vulnerable - children can easily get sunburned, or forget to have drinks. My elderly neighbour went outside 'just to quickly check on the garden' and very quickly became disorientated and overcome by the heat. I'm so glad I popped round to see her - and was able to help her back inside. Pets need to be monitored too, refill water bowls, and never leave them in hot cars.
Please avoid lighting fires or portable BBQs, or dropping cigarette ends. This is Studland Heath, Dorset at the weekend
Please share your hot tips for staying cool.
All very good tips! I had to laugh at the "avoid caffeinated and hot drinks" on one of the sites you linked - I had been brought up with the "drink hot tea to cool off" rule!
ReplyDeleteI half fill a bottle with water and keep it slanted in the freezer, then, fill it with cold water when I go somewhere - the ice in the bottle will keep the water cool for longer and provide more cold water as it melts. Slanting the bottle helps to provide more surface area of contact for the water you pour in.
Yes I noticed that too - tea is refreshing whatever the weather imho. Your slanted ice idea is brilliant!!
DeleteHave you tried making neck coolers? A simple tube of fabric divided into 3 compartments with a quarter of a teaspoon of water retaining gel in each section, and the ends left to act as ties. Soaked in cold water until the beads swell, then tied around the neck it is wonderfully cooling and refreshing. There are plenty of instructions for making them on YouTube
ReplyDeleteThis sounds good (I've made neck WARMERS which you fill with rice and heat in the microwave, but never coolers. Thank you
DeleteYou can put those wheat warmers in the freezer too!
DeleteGood tip
DeleteI do the same with the rice filled neck warmer I made for myself, Angela - I keep it in the freezer in the summer and drape it around my neck to cool off. In the winter, it gets heated in the microwave to warm me up!
DeleteLove the idea of the neck coolers but like you, I usually just use a wet cloth on my neck. We have had raucous thunder and lightning all night with some bursts of rain but need a lot more to fill the reservoirs back up. Stay cool. Catriona
ReplyDeleteExpecting thunderstorms here later (hope the washing dries first)
DeleteWet a large enough square of cotton and put it under your hat and down the back of your neck to keep cooler. Dunk the cottong cloth in water as needed!
ReplyDeleteHugs!
I think these are called legionnaires hats
DeleteI sympathize with the extreme heat. Closing curtains during the day is certainly helpful, and of course windows have to be closed during the day to keep out the hot air. This drives me nuts as I love to have fresh air during the months when we can open windows. It is indeed best to keep out of the sun as the body absorbs it and radiates it out at night.
ReplyDeleteWe've kept the curtains closed during the day, and kept the windows shut. Meals have been light and 'picky'.
ReplyDeleteI remember reading about the Memsahibs of British India and you could tell that they had 'let themselves go' when they went without corsets - corsets in the heat of India!