This summer is set to be hotter than the last. And last year was some extreme heat! My family and I love being outdoors in the summers but one thing that can unfortunately come along with that is dehydration. The summer heat is something we look forward to all year, but it can absolutely be dangerous. Keeping a spray bottle to fight heat exhaustion, spending more time in the air conditioning or having outdoor ceiling fans are a few of the best ways to withstand heat waves. It goes beyond that to take care of yourself on a hot day. These are the things we are doing to beat the summer heat this season!
Hydration
First things first, hydration is the most important part of the summer. And everyday life! We need to increase our intake of water more than usual because we tend to sweat it out. Although you don’t want to overdo it and drink too much water, it’s something you can pace yourself with. Lots of water with ice and lemon is my go-to typically. One other way to stay hydrated is with electrolytes. You can find your favorite packet of electrolytes to include in one bottle of your water each day or make a DIY Gatorade. This is Celtic salt and lemon and trust me, it’s refreshing! Get this in your system before the heavy sweating begins.
SPF
I can’t express it enough, you need to be wearing sunscreen every day. The summers are brutal and not only do sunburns hurt but they are very dangerous. You can’t take quick action and just put it on when you feel a bit sore from the sun. It’s preventative! Decide if you want mineral or chemical and from there you can run through brands and formulas to find a comfortable option for your face and body during the hot summer months. The UV rays around 2-3PM tend to be the highest risk. Of course, this is when our kids are outside the longest so it’s essential to pay attention to reapplication times to ensure we are staying protected with SPF. Waterproof is best, too!
Cool Down
Cooling down is more than drinking water. High humidity gets to me, I don’t know about you! I want to bring cool energy into the season. One way I’m cooling down is portable fans to give me cool air. These are tiny and fit in your purse so it can go to the beach, a backyard party and anywhere you are headed! I’ve seen fans with a spray bottle to give a cooling effect and squirt cool water on a hot summer day. Those I’d recommend for your kids day camp bags because the outdoor activities can be a lot in the summer season. The mix of overheating and the sun beating down on us can really add up over just an hour of time. Try to keep your home cool if you can, it’s refreshing! And those of you who have a pool, it’s the easiest way to cool down! Moreover, keep ice packs ready to have as compresses for a quick cool down during extreme temperatures.
Avoid Heavy Meals
Salads are my favorite summer meal. I always feel satisfied and never bloated. When I go for heavier meals, I totally bloat and feel warm as is so when I have to step outside out of a cool place, I overheat quicker. There is a rule where you need to wait 20 minutes to digest your meal before jumping into a pool, but it’s always helpful for me to go for refreshing bites over something like lasagna in the excessive heat! Load up on veggies, sandwiches, cooled down rotisserie chicken and plenty of popsicles!
Pace Your Alcohol
Here is one for the hot nights! Does anyone else get warm when they drink alcohol? Especially if you drink it quicker, you can overheat. It’s like eating spicy foods, you can start sweating bullets. Here’s a simple rule: pace yourself. It’s cool to nurse your drink, anyway! Get cold drinks and go at a slower pace if you are outside during the hot months. Some days the nights don’t cool down too much, so if you’re with friends and outdoors, drink water between sips and go slower.
Schedule Your Workouts
This is a huge one! I personally like to work out before the sun comes up because it’s the coolest part of the day. You can do it outside if you time it right! It’s the most peaceful time of day too, because everyone is mostly asleep. Get up and get that cool breeze while you can! Bring water and a cold compress for the end of your workout to cool down.
Stay Alert
Finally, one thing not enough people do is checking on the UV rays. The UV index is scored by numbers and colors, orange being very high. It’s something you’ll want to pay attention to before spending multiple hours outside. The higher the rays, the more damaging and potentially dangerous they can be. Some days, you can only spend a few hours outside vs the entire day and that is okay! We like to stay safe around here.
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