20 Ways to Beat Summer's Heat

According to the CDC, between the years 2006 and 2010 a total number of 3,340 (including all ages) people died from heat-related illness in the United States.  This number may not sound very high but that's probably because it just doesn't tell the whole picture. 

Actually, this is a common problem when it comes to mortality statistics.  The numbers often given have to be viewed using a wide-angle set of interpretative skills.  Perhaps an explanation is in order?

High heat, especially the kind that people may not be used to (as may be experienced because of global warming), can affect people's health in intricate, difficult-to-keep-up-with and rather far-reaching ways.  Take people who suffer from diseases like asthma, COPD, CVD, etc. 

These people may succumb to extreme heat more easily and more seriously than other folks.  If some of these people were to die during unexpectedly hot days, they will probably not be counted as having died from "heat"--in fact, in most cases these people would be said to have died from their respective already-diagnosed diseases (even if peripheral factors precipitated or may have contributed to the death). 

What about the elderly?  They are especially susceptible to the dangers inherent in extreme temperatures but, when they pass away, it's not uncommon for them to be listed as having died from "natural causes."  And, indeed, the elderly often do die from natural causes. 

In the death certificates, coroners and physicians might be aware of extenuating circumstances, possible complications, and facts that may have contributed to the death (i.e., stress, not eating well, several falls, forgetting to take medication, etc.) but these, in general, are not listed as the "cause." 

After all, even an autopsy (and few of those are ever performed--only, in fact, when requested or mandated by suspicion of foul play) would not reveal whether these peripheral factors actually led to cessation of life.  "Contributing" doesn't constitute "causation," in most  cases. 

Seniors whose deaths are precipitated by heat, therefore, could easily not be counted as "heat-related deaths."

What about Acts of Violence Leading to Deaths & Other High-Temperature Health Effects?

When people lose control, usually after fits of rage, they can commit horrible crimes--e.g., murders, suicides, euthanasia, shootings by police, acts of terrorism, etc.  None of these deaths, though, would be counted as "heat-related."

Furthermore, hot temperatures can affect the human body in several negative ways.  Heat stroke may be the end result in many cases, especially for people most susceptible, those who can't afford mechanical cooling, or who have to spend lots of time outdoors (perhaps because of their jobs). 

More research is needed, though, when it comes to the mental/psychological effects of excessive heat on people.  In theory, a human being may fall into the depths of psychosis (in essence, a state of least amount of control over one's behavior) after being exposed to intense discomfort or pain.  It may also lead to cellular and organ damage, if the heat is intense enough to overcome the body's natural cooling mechanisms. 

Because so much is at stake from a health perspective, you need to do what you can to protect yourself from the summer's potentially harmful (if not "deadly") effects.  Here are some suggestions that may help:

1.  Fill a spray bottle with ice water.  Periodically deliver a gentle mist, preferably to your upper torso (more specifically, the head and neck) and from a discreet distance.  You may even turn this into a game with a fun-loving adult or kids.  They spray you; you spray them, and so on.  Don't forget to keep adding ice in order to keep the water cool. 

2.  Wear a wet bandana (using mildly cool water) around your neck.  It will draw excessive heat from the blood coursing through your neck; in other words, this doesn't just help cool your skin--it helps to dissipate heat from your body into the surrounding air.

3.  Dip your bare feet into cool water.  The water doesn't have to be super cool for it to help cool you down.  You can either use a local river, pond or lake, or, if you're blessed enough to live near it, the ocean.  Or you can just fill a basin large enough to accommodate your feet.  Keep changing the water, as needed.

4.  Fill a basin or bucket with ice water, then put a fan behind it to blow air in your direction.  This simplest form of a make-shift "air conditioner" will deliver cool air for as long as the ice water stays cool.

5.  Keep a cold, iced beverage near you at all times, preferably not carbonated or alcoholic (since these types of drinks actually make you thirstier and don't help cool you down).  Your best bet is plain, filtered water, maybe flavored with lemons and sweetened with Stevia.  Keep sipping slowly and regularly; this will help you cool off from within.

6.  Take a cool-water shower or bath several times a day.  Clean pores can manage extreme weather changes (whether hot or cold) better.  Besides, the water will help your body's heat dissipate more efficiently.   

7.  Set up shop in a basement, cellar, or the coolest room (probably the one that's best insulated, the smallest, furthest away from the kitchen/laundry room, and best protected from the sun's rays--i.e., not on the East or West side of the house) in the house.  Remember that the lower you go to the ground (or, what's best, beneath the ground) the cooler it will be.  This is why building a home beneath ground level makes perfect sense if you live in an area that experiences high temperatures during the summer.

8.  Wear the coolest types of clothing you can find.  Don't, however, expose the skin too much if you are going to be exposed to the sun.  As you may have noticed, the people who are most experienced/used to dealing with heat (such as those persons who live in the deserts of Africa and the Middle East) don't wear t-shirts and shorts.  They wear loose-fitting clothing that covers most parts of the body.  For your part, try to wear light colors (which reflect rather than absorb heat) of breathable, soft materials made for hot-weather wearing.

9.  Avoid sunlight and other "heat" sources.  For example, mow your lawn in the early morning (while it's still cool) or in the late evening.  In fact, don't go out at all (unless absolutely necessary) when the sun is hottest.  If you must go food shopping, do so at night.  Instead of heating up the house by using the stove or oven, try fixing a cold meals (i.e., sandwiches).  Avoid doing laundry in the daytime, especially if the washer and dryer are in the house/apartment.

10.  Give your body what it needs to keep you from over-heating.  Start by eating a healthy diet.  Stay hydrated (though not with soft or hard drinks or so called "energy" drinks) and, by all means, get adequate amounts of sleep.  A healthy body can help fend off heat much better than a run-down, out-of-shape or sick body.

11.  If necessary, go to public places where they have air conditioning.  Movie theaters, supermarkets, the mall, etc.  There are many places where you don't have to buy anything to take advantage of their cool air.  Buying a movie ticket (especially earlier in the day when the day is hottest--and movie tickets are actually cheaper) is a worthwhile investment during hot weather days. 

12.  Find a public swimming pool near you.  Most communities provide these for local residents at usually- low fees.  If you can afford it, you can also purchase a membership for indoor pool clubs, exercise centers and other such facilities.  Dipping in water may be your best strategy for staying cool.

13.  Set up or create your own lawn water games and fun activities.  A sprinkler system can suddenly become an exploding source of cooling wonders; throw water balloons at each other; take out your water pistol/rifle arsenal and start your own WWIII (the W's, by the way, stand for "Water Works").  By visiting your local store, you can get some ideas from the hundreds of inexpensive inflatable toys and games you can use on any grassy surface. 

14.  Invest in your own above-ground swimming pool.  You don't have to buy a big, expensive unit.  Even an inflatable pool that is merely big enough to dip into with the kids (even if no swimming is possible) will be good enough to keep cool.  You might even purchase a used bigger unit.  Some people may want to get rid of their old unit simply because they invested in a better/bigger pool.  In such cases (provided that the unit is still in good shape), buying a used swimming pool makes sense, especially if you get it at a rock-bottom price.

15.  Consider moving to a cooler place on the planet.  People move from city to city and state to state all the time.  Weather is usually only an after-thought for most people but, if you are sensitive to heat, you might consider making long-term plans that may include moving further North.  Of course, you may then have to deal with cold weather but, in most cases, there is more that you can do to stay warm than there is to stay cool.

16.  Put your pajamas (or other types of clothing generally worn indoors) and bedding items in the freezer for a few minutes.  Although the cooling sensation may not last a very long time, this is an impromptu way to get cool quickly. 

17.  Put frozen ice packs in your pockets.  You can periodically reach into the pocket to cool your hands (which you can then apply to your face for a soothing, cool-me-down sensation); or you can just use these to keep strategic parts (your buttocks, your waist, your chest, etc.) of your body cool. 

18.  Take with you a cooler full of frozen bottles of water wherever you go.  Take one of the frozen bottles of water when going shopping, for example; apply the bottle to your face or neck just long enough to send a cooling sensation to your otherwise over-heating body.  You can also sip the cold water as the frozen water melts.  Take another frozen water with you each time you leave the car. 

19. Consider making your own make-shift air conditioner using inexpensive materials and not requiring extensive mechanical/electrical know-how.  Here are 5 examples you might consider:  "5 Easy-to-Make Home-Made Air Conditioners."

20. Use the heat as an excuse to visit the nearest water park or a public beach near you.  If you don't have a good water park near you, start a petition to convince investors to build one in your community.  Don't assume that someone else will see the need for one or that no one would be willing to invest in such an idea. 

Every single public facility/park out there started out as a simple idea someone wrote on a paper towel . . . later on hopefully mushrooming into something big, popular, useful and profitable. In most cases, water parks are win-win situations for all involved, especially for the families that use them to better survive hot summers and the city officials who like the financial advantages of having one.

Conclusion

Although you can't get rid of potentially life-threatening heat, you can take steps to not only survive it but actually use it as motivation and opportunity to engage in things (i.e., swimming, water sports, etc.) that are ultimately fun, exciting and even healthy.  But even if you can't tap into the "fun" part of hot summer days, you can certainly take steps to protect yourself from harm. 

Start by considering the suggestions in this article. At the very least, don't underestimate how dangerous hot summer days can be.  By being prepared for the high temperatures, you can stay cool, even if you may have to resort to weird, extraordinary or highly-creative strategies. 

Copyright, 2016.  Fred Fletcher. All rights reserved.

Resources & References

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