Heat waves are no joke. Yes, we love the sun and the happiness that summer brings, but don’t forget that with prolonged heat waves comes a constant thirst for cold drinks along with those tossing and turning, sleepless nights. What does that all add up to in terms of trying to stay focused and keep sane, well… it means we need to take action! Luckily, there are many ways you can help your body (and sanity!) get through the hot summer sun by giving one or all of these a try.

 

Clothing Choice is Key

It all starts off in the closet! Set your entire day up for a 10/10 on the comfort-ability scale by dressing for the temperature. Staying cool in a nice cotton dress will be much easier than trying to fit yourself into those tight skinny jeans. When it comes to ideas, we suggest looking for clothes that are breathable and lightweight. Consider choosing lighter colours that reflect the sun’s rays over darker shades which absorb them faster. As a rule of thumb, always keep a hair tie and hat on hand to help reduce extra sun exposure if you have to be outside for longer periods of time.

 

Stay Hydrated to Beat the Summer Heat

It’s as simple as this – when you’re hot you sweat, and when sweat you can become dehydrated. When you’re dehydrated you also become more of a target to heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and the simple solution to all this is nonother than water.
Even just drinking a few glasses of cold water during your day can be a game changer when it comes to keeping your body hydrated and cool. Adding electrolytes (aka. the ions in salt we lose through sweat) back into your body is also a small step you could take to ensure your body is working in tip top shape.

 

Make your Own Electrolyte Drink

2 cups water
½ cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
¼ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 tbsp honey, maple syrup, natural sweetener of your choice
1/8 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt

 

Adjust the way you Eat

The last thing we want to do on a hot day is binge on a big bowl of pasta, but rather than sticking to things like salad and ice cream, why not adjust the times and sizes of your meals. By swapping out your standard three meals a day, for smaller portions more frequently, you’ll help reduce the internal temperature of your body; seeing as metabolic heat is needed to help break down your food.

Salads can also only do so much, so don’t forget about protein. Try adding chicken, fish, tofu or hard-boiled eggs to give it a boost. Whip up a smoothie with protein, greens and fruit to help you stay full but also keep you cool and refreshed. We would also suggest to prep your meals the night before (when it’s cooler) so you have a food-plan already set up for your hot day ahead!

 

 

Get Creative

Finally, time to get a little creative and we don’t mean closing your curtains and opening the refrigerator door. Have you ever tried keeping your lotion/sunscreen in the fridge? It’s heavenly. Finding it hard to sleep at night? Escape the heat by staying low and setting up a sleeping fort on the ground to avoid the rising heat. Pop your pillow in the fridge before bed (yes, we know that sounds crazy!). Take face clothes and dip them in water with your favourite essential oil and roll them up and store in a Ziploc bag in the fridge- they make perfectly refreshing cold compresses for anytime you need a quick cool down. Wet a towel or a sheet with cold water and hang in front of your window with a breeze, you’ll be surprised at the temperature change. Reverse the way your use your hot water bottle in winter – the point is, there are plenty of ways to use household items to your advantage, so get a little creative with it!