As many of you know I live in Greece during the summer months which is the home of my partner Michael and where I hold my Dancing With Life holistic holiday. Each year when I arrive here it takes some adjustment for me to get used to a slower pace and to manage the heat at night! As I’m writing, I know that the UK is experiencing some record highs and enjoying a lovely summer. I thought I’d share 5 ways to stay cool in a heat wave.
- Wear loose, natural fibre clothing such as cotton, linen, and silk. For a more eco-friendly natural fibre, hemp and bamboo are a good option.
- Stay hydrated – know this is obvious but staying hydrated does keep us cool. Our body’s work best when properly hydrated. During the hotter months, we sweat to keep our core temperature stable. This means we need to make sure we put the water back in. It’s a great idea to add a tiny pinch of natural sea salt or pink rock salt and a squeeze of lemon to your water too. This helps to replace the electrolytes and minerals lost through sweating. Read more here.
- Aircon – I’m not a fan of air-conditioning as it tends to be too dry but maybe this homemade alternative I found on wikkihow would work a treat?
- Hot water bottle for night times – no I haven’t gone mad. Dig out your hot water bottle, fill it with water and pop it in the fridge a few hours before bed so that you can cool down ahead of sleeping. Putting it on your pillow to cool it before you rest your head can be a treat.
- Mint – and since I’m here in Greece, I’d like to mention mint and share a few Greek myths with you.
According to myth, Minthe was a beautiful wood nymph who caught the eye of Hades (also known as Pluto). Hades’ wife Persephone became enraged with jealousy over her husband’s wandering eye and turned Minthe into a crawling plant. Hades, of course, wanted the object of his affection back but couldn’t reverse the spell. So he made Minthe smell good so that she would always be noticed and never taken for granted.
Mint is also a symbol of hospitality. Two strangers were visiting a village but were greeted with a serious attitude. The villagers didn’t welcome them or offer them food or a place to stay. Finally, an old couple in the village invited the strangers in. Philemon and Baucus offered to feed the strangers. Before the meal, the couple rubbed down their table with mint to give it a clean and fresh scent. After receiving such hospitality, the strangers revealed themselves to be Zeus and Hermes. Zeus and Hermes turned the couple’s home into a temple and mint became a symbol of hospitality as a result. Whilst mint doesn’t actually lower your temperature it does have a cooling effect on the body and offers relief from many symptoms such as stomach cramps and anxiety. Try a refreshing cup of fresh mint tea for yourself.
If you have any other hints and tips to add to my 5 ways to stay cool in a heat wave, I’d love to hear from you in the comments
Want more tips?
You can read 16 more here on another blog I posted some years ago.
Candy says
Wet hankercheif round your neck during the day.
Akash says
Hey Tracy, thanks for sharing the tips. The hot water bottle one looks weird, I am going to try it.
fitoru.com says
We should be aware of this 5 ways to stay cool in a heat wave. This would surely be a huge help. Thanks for sharing this great article.