10 Cool Tricks To Beat The Heat Without Central A.C.

Triple-digit temperatures are tolerable if you’re frolicking around a pool or playing tag with ocean waves, but if you’re stuck indoors with no air conditioning, sweltering summer heat can be a living hell.

Check out these ingenious ways to stay cool on scorching days without the help of central A.C. Some solutions have been around for decades, while others are decidedly fresh and innovative.

Beat The Heat With Sheets

One of life’s simplest pleasures is slipping under a set of cool bed sheets, no matter the season. Increase that satisfaction during hot summer nights by keeping the sheets in the freezer during the day and putting them on your bed right before retiring. The coolness won’t last forever, but you might be able to doze off to dreamland before the soothing chill dissipates. Adding the pillowcases to the freezer is an added comfort source — and when your head is comfortably cool, so is the rest of your body.

Body Heat

Your body has cooling spots that lower your body temperature more quickly than others do. Although many believe your forehead is one of those zones, the very best ones are your neck and wrists. Again, the freezer is imperative to this process. Keep a plastic bag full of cold compresses, towels, ice packs, or washcloths in here all through the summer. When you apply them to your neck and wrists, your body temperature will drop to a nice, comfortable level.

Bring On the Hot Sauce

The countries with the hottest climates are also the ones with the spiciest, hottest cuisines. Hot chillies and curries are not only mouth-watering, but they also keep you cool. When these foods hit your taste buds, your internal temperature skyrockets, your blood circulates faster, and you profusely perspirate. The more you sweat, the cooler you’ll feel. And you enjoy a tasty meal at the same time!

Hidden Heaters

Every item in your home plugged into an electrical outlet emanates heat, from your eco-friendly light bulbs to your refrigerator. That’s why bedrooms and bathrooms always feel cooler than the other rooms in your house. It’s not practical to unplug everything, of course, but try keeping lighting to a minimum and electronics turned off when not in use to lower the ambient temperature of your apartment.

Ice and Rice

Fill water bottles about two-thirds full and freeze them. Then rub them on your body or strategically place them around you in bed to keep cool. For less intense coldness, place rice-filled pouches or pillows in the freezer for a few hours and apply them to your body’s hot spots.

Minty Fresh

Taking a long cold shower is a common way to cool down in the midst of sizzling summer heat. To keep cool longer, lather up with a peppermint soap or body wash, which will keep you feeling fresh long after you exit the shower. You can also mix up a refreshing homemade body scrub using coconut oil, peppermint oil, and Epsom salt to stave off intensely high temperatures.

Playing Footsie

Warm footbaths soothe aching feet, but ice-cold ones cool your whole body. Just fill a large bowl or shallow bucket/tub with cold water, toss in a few ice cubes, and dip your feet in to experience a coolness that will reduce your entire body temperature. Cool feet always equal a cool body — hence the popularity of sandals during the summer.

Tea Party

Holistic practitioners maintain that a pitcher of chrysanthemum tea is a great remedy for overheating and also has properties that promote clear thinking. Plus, it’s an even better coolant than lemonade or black tea because it has no sugar or caffeine to dehydrate you. Whether you drink this tea hot or chilled, you’ll find it has all the same cooling properties.

Vested Interest

Cooling sport vests seriously defend against temperatures that make you feel like you’re roasting in an oven. Some come with gel fillings, while others are simply soaked in water. Either way, you’ll find that most are available for less than $30. If a vest seems too extreme, cooling sleeves, bandannas, and caps are also available.

Wonderful Water

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) strongly recommends plain water for beating the heat. They recommend you chill it for best results, so fill your glass with crushed ice and enjoy a nice watery slushie to keep cool. Don’t worry about over-hydrating, either. Since normal kidneys ensure you expel excess water, drinking too much water is not really a risk unless you have kidney problems.

Whether you go all out and sport a cooling vest during the summer or demurely sip tea and water to beat the heat, you should never forget the local businesses around you that offer central air conditioning for free. Go hang out at the mall, enjoy a leisurely meal in a cool café, or indulge in a double feature at a nearby movie theater. Even a few hours respite in an air-conditioned environment will make your day better.