Sustainable Heat Tips For The Summer – How To Keep Cool In Hot Weather?

Craving a summer cool down and still looking for some sustainable heat tips? Then you've come to the right place! The climate change shows its face. One "hottest summer since weather records began" follows the next. 40°C and more are not uncommon.

But what can you do in these temperatures? Air conditioner on and Eat ice cream? This is actually rather counterproductive. After all, the large temperature differences resulting from the power guzzlers place an extreme strain on the body's own circulation. Even a cool ice cream only provides cooling for a few minutes before our body has to warm it up to its normal temperature, which ultimately makes us sweat even more.

So how do you behave properly during the next hot spell? In this article I would like to give you now really valuable and environmentally friendly heat tips to hand! Use them also to prevent sunstroke. Let's go!

1. bathing in the forest

I could just give you blanket advice right now, cool and shady places and to avoid strong sunlight. But I would like to go a little deeper with this tip - deep into the forest!

Under the Forest bathing is actually a conscious stay in the forest, where you perceive nature with as many senses as possible. But at no time of year is it as pleasant among the many trees as on extremely hot summer days. The trees supply themselves with water with the help of their roots, which then evaporates again through their leaves and needles. Thanks in part to this process, it is in the already shady woods so refreshingly cool.

Attention: Extreme drought also increases the risk of forest fires. Fires are usually started by human error (negligent or intentional arson). So be careful when you go into the forest.

2. ventilate and darken properly

If outside extreme temperatures prevail, this does not necessarily apply to the interior of your four walls! Shock ventilation simply in the early morning hours and in the late evening when it gets a little cooler again. To keep the heat away from the interior and the apartment cool, you should also at least the Lower the blinds and close the curtainswhich are located on south-facing windows. The positive side effect of these measures: you can also substantially sleep better!

Tip: To prevent the humidity in your rooms from getting too high and the room temperature from feeling warmer as a result, make sure you do your laundry outside in the fresh air dry. This is also much faster.

3. schedule sports rather in the morning or in the evening

If you are not trained for it, you should avoid sports sessions or physical exertion in extreme heat (e.g. in the midday sun). Bend to a Effort heat stroke by setting your time window for exercise in the early morning or late evening hours. In addition, after exercise, you should especially Drink a lot of liquid. It is also advisable to change sweaty clothes quickly after the end of the session so that your body does not cool down.

4. drink a lot

And not alcohol or coffee (they deprive the body of fluid), but Sufficient amounts of water throughout the day. Because in this way you prevent circulatory problems and other health complaints. Exactly how much water you should drinkThe amount of water you drink depends primarily on whether or not you engage in strenuous, sweat-inducing activities. About 3 liters a day are generally recommended.

But when you are hot and thirsty you should refrain from drinking ice cold beveragesThe cold only refreshes you for a short time, but makes you sweat even more during the day. Instead, it is advisable to drink water or tea lukewarm (i.e. at about body temperature), even if this seems a bit strange at first.

Tip: How you "boring" Add flavor to tap water and make it a little more exciting, you will learn in the linked article.

5. take light meals

More heat tips? No problem. For one thing, you should keep away from hot, greasy and spicy mealswhich are hard on your stomach anyway. With rising outside temperatures, the appetite for such dishes is fortunately limited anyway.

Instead, you're better off "staying afloat" with lighter, refreshing snacks. Salads, cucumbers, tomatoes, pineapple or quite classic, the watermelon, for example, are very watery and support your body in the next heat record!

Tip: In addition to the short-term advice, you can also prepare your body very well for the hotter season in the long term with a generally healthy, balanced, plant-based diet. The more resilient your organism is, the more relaxed it will be in dealing with stronger temperature changes.

6. switch off electrical appliances

By the way, it will also be one or two degrees cooler in your apartment automatically if you costly power guzzlersturn off your TV, laptop or fan completely if you don't really need or use them. As a small rule of thumb you can remember that all things that require electricity, heat up your premises. By doing in the heat Saves electricityyou also automatically ensure at least somewhat more pleasant, cooler interior temperatures.

Tip: Please refrain from sticking your head into the refrigerator or freezer. The refrigerators give off heat when they are opened. As a result, the room only heats up further - added to this is the energy consumption, which pollutes the environment and costs cash.

7. cool properly

As already explained, you should avoid ice-cold foods as much as possible. An important basis for the coolest possible course of the day is laid by airing the room in the morning and darkening the windows on the sunny side. But also a window that is considered to be Cooling bottle converted hot water bottle or cold water and cooling pads wrapped with fabric on the wrists can provide a real cooling.

In addition, in extreme heat, you will surely be magically attracted to the surrounding lakes for a quick refreshment. Please keep in mind the general Dangers at bathing lakes. For example, an often neglected risk is jumping directly into cold water after a long stay in the sun. The sudden cooling can, for example, lead to immediate circulatory problems and possibly result in a life-threatening situation.

Tip: It's also tremendously refreshing to put a spray bottle filled with water in the fridge and give yourself a few cool pumps to the face and arms as needed.

8. rely on evaporative cooling

From the so-called evaporative cooling you can at hot temperatures not only in the forest (Remember: water is absorbed through the roots of trees, evaporates through the leaves and cools the immediate environment) benefit.

For example, if it is quite humid in your four walls, you can also create the cooling effect artificially with the help of a moistened cloth generate. The water then evaporates and cools the room. But beware: as soon as the cloth is dry, it heats up - the humidity also increases, which is why you may have to let fresh air in again soon.

9. wear light, loose and airy clothes

When talking about helpful heat tips, we must also talk about a heat-friendly clothing style. And what should you wear to cool off in the summer to prevent heat buildup? First of all, light-colored (light-reflecting), loose and airy-fitting, loose-fitting clothes made of natural fabrics. Really good are especially Linen and cotton shirts, shirts or blouses. (also Silk offers itself, but in the conventional version is not vegan and less sustainable)

Attention: Of course, short clothing also increases the risk of sunburn. Therefore, protect yourself against the UV rays, for example, with a light sun hat and appropriate sunscreen.

10. have an eye for fellow creatures

When temperatures rise, it is even more important to keep an eye on other people and animals. After all, not all people act so carefully and deliberate as you do - certainly not in this heat.

Children for example, should not play in the sun for too long - and babies should never be exposed to direct sunlight. Sufficient UV protection is indispensable.

Car theme: In addition to children, dogs and other animals must not be left in the car when the outside temperature is hot. Just five minutes in a heated car can lead to fatal heat stroke in dogs, for example. Even a rolled-down window or a shaded parking space won't help.

First Aid: If you observe someone experiencing heat exhaustion (recognizable by dizziness, confusion, or bright red skin, for example), you should get him/her out of the sun as soon as possible, keep their body flat and feet elevated, and cool them with cold-moist towels, hydrate them, and stay with them. Also call a doctor, as their condition can worsen abruptly.

Use the best heat tips for the summer!

To beat the heat, there are many sensible and also sustainable options. Air conditioning is an electricity hog and definitely not one of them. Instead, you should definitely try a cooling forest bath, a visit to an outdoor pool or bathing lake, plenty of fluids, light meals and loose clothing.

In this article I have explained these and some other heat tips to cool down in the summer. During the hot summer days, pay even more attention to your fellow human beings and fellow creatures to save them from a possible heat exhaustion.

Do you have any questions or further advice to do something against the heat and cool down sensibly? Then I look forward to your comment!

Stay cool,

PS: You can also use shady trees in your own garden to keep your hammock as cool as possible even in the hot summer hours. How you can Garden basically sustainable designYou can learn more about this now in the linked article.