Common Sense Tips to Stay Cool in Hot Weather

• Extreme heat makes you “aggressive, impulsive, and dull” — An article in The New York Times notes that when crime data was examined, researchers found that murders, assaults, and domestic violence incidents were higher on hot days.² “So-called reactive aggression tends to be especially sensitive to heat, likely because people tend to interpret others’ actions as more hostile on hot days, prompting them to respond in kind,” the article reports.³

• Nonviolent but aggressive behavior is also more common during hot weather — A study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that when students were placed in a “hot” room and asked to complete a series of video games aimed to elicit different behaviors, the students exhibited increased destructive behavior against other players.⁴

• What seems to cause aggressive behavior in the presence of hot weather? According to Kimberly Meidenbauer, Ph.D., one possible reason is that your brain is busy trying to cool down, leaving little energy for higher cognitive functions. “Your tendency to act without thinking, or not be able to stop yourself from acting a certain way, these things also appear to be affected by heat,” she explained.⁵

• Another theory points to aggression as a coping mechanism — Shaun Morrison Ph.D., a professor of neurological surgery at Oregon Health and Science University, explains that if you can’t find shade or a way to cool down, surviving consumes your energy, making you distracted and irritable.⁶

• Heat also affects humans in an academic setting — A study observed 44 students from Massachusetts during a heat wave in 2016. The students were tasked to complete two cognition tests immediately after waking, every day for 12 days. Among the participants, 24 were living in air-conditioned spaces, while the remaining 20 were not.⁷

The researchers discovered that students who had AC had better reaction times compared to those who didn’t have AC, and that providing comfortable accommodations for students helps maintain educational performance and subsequent economical productivity.

• Opt for natural hollow fibers like wool and silk — Natural hollow fibers like silk and wool contain microscopic air channels that create superior temperature regulation and moisture management compared to solid fibers like cotton and linen. A single wool fiber can contain up to 2,500 air chambers per inch, while silk has a unique triangular cross-section with three hollow chambers that create its characteristic sheen.

Hollow fibers can absorb significant moisture while still feeling dry. Wool can absorb 30% of its weight in moisture without feeling wet, unlike cotton, which becomes heavy when damp. While hollow fiber materials like silk and wool typically cost more upfront, they often prove more economical over time due to superior longevity — a silk pillowcase can last five years compared to a cotton one lasting only one year.

• Linen is also breathable and has excellent moisture-wicking properties — It’s also commonly used in flowy, loose-fitting garments that won’t keep sweat trapped on your skin, which keeps you from cooling down. “If the sweat’s just sitting on you, then it’s not evaporating, and therefore it’s never actually leaving the surface of your body and it’s harder for your body to stay cool,” said Kimberly McMahon of the National Weather Service’s Public Weather Services Program in a TIME article.⁸

• Long-sleeved shirts and long pants make sense — While exposing your skin to peak sunlight is a great way to optimize your vitamin D levels and reap the benefits of sun exposure, once you’ve reached your optimal daily dose, it’s time to cover up. This is particularly important if you’re planning to spend more time outdoors, as it helps you avoid getting sunburned without needing to use sunscreen.

• Light-colored clothes keep you cooler — Researchers from the National Institute for Environmental Studies in Japan found that dark colors like black and dark green can get more than 15 degrees C (59 degrees F) hotter than white shirts on sunny days.⁹

• Wear loose-fitting clothing rather than fitted options — Tight clothing traps body heat close to your body. By wearing loose clothing, air circulates more freely around your body and sweat evaporates more efficiently.

• Start with your core — Your torso has the largest surface area on your body, so it’s a good place to begin. Try pouring water directly over your body, making sure to cover as much area as possible. Another way is to place ice cubes wrapped in a towel on your chest. Do this for one to two minutes at a time for 10 minutes, until you cool down. Ollie Jay, a professor of thermal physiology at the University of Sydney, explains why this works:

“As the body warms up, it tries to get rid of heat by opening up blood vessels closer to the skin and sending more blood to those areas. This moves heat away from the core toward the surface of the skin, where it can dissipate from the body. Putting cold water or ice on the skin helps speed up this process, and cools down the body more quickly when water evaporates off the skin.”¹¹

• Cool down your limbs — If you’re unable to pour water directly on yourself or don’t have access to ice cubes, this is the next-best alternative. Similar to your torso, your limbs also have large surface areas, but the key difference is they have little mass. This means they have lower specific heat, allowing them to cool down faster compared to your torso.

• The limbs are also usually hairless — While they heat up quickly, they also cool down faster. “The palms of your hands and the soles of your feet are radiators,” Jay says. This is mainly because of the large patchwork of blood vessels located in them, which quickly exchange heat through your blood until you cool down.

• Don’t neglect your AC filter — Filters are designed to trap dust, pollen, and other particles, but if left unchanged for too long, they become clogged. This causes air to look for other paths around it, instead of going through it — a process referred to by heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) experts as “bypass” — leading to both reduced airflow and diminished cooling capacity.

• Poor AC filter maintenance may pose serious health risks — When air bypasses a dirty filter, allergens, fungal spores, and unpleasant odors circulate back into the home. Dr. Mahmoud Moammar, a pulmonologist at Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, California, warns that this exacerbates respiratory conditions such as asthma and chronic bronchitis, particularly among high-risk individuals like children or elderly people with chronic lung diseases.

• Yard maintenance around your unit is a simple, preventative measure — Ideally, clear out at least two feet around your AC’s outdoor unit. Items such as weeds, shrubs, sticks, or lawn furniture block airflow, forcing the system to work harder and less efficiently.

Dirt can collect beneath your AC unit over the winter months, too, creating an uneven base that could contribute to operational issues. Gently hosing down the unit using moderate water pressure (do not use a power washer) will help clear away cobwebs, dirt, or other obstructions that have accumulated around the system.

• Regularly inspect your drain line to help prevent more serious issues — If you see signs of pooling water or if the condensation pan is full, there may be a clog. Seek professional help to fix the issue.

• Using your AC less often reduces energy consumption and improves air quality — While it’s tempting to keep your AC on 24/7, especially during summer, overusing it leads to high energy costs and poor indoor air quality. It’s best to open windows during early mornings and late evenings, when the temperatures are lower to naturally cool your home. Use your AC only when necessary.

• Drink enough pure water — Dehydration is a common issue during summertime, and since your body can’t store water, it needs to be replenished regularly. Maintaining optimal hydration levels also keeps your body and mind functioning well. It’s also the foundation of sweat; this means if your body can’t produce enough sweat because of lack of water, your ability to cool down also falls by the wayside.

• How much water is enough? The popular guideline promoted by conventional health agencies is to drink eight 8-ounce glasses, known as the “8×8 guide,” which is often stated as a scientific fact. However, many factors affect how much hydration you need, such as your age, activity levels and climate. So instead of this 8×8 guide, a far better strategy is following your thirst to guide your water intake.

• Monitor your urine (and how often you urinate) as well — This is another useful strategy to determine if you’re dehydrated or not. If your urine is deep, dark yellow, you’re not drinking enough water. Ideally, a pale straw or light-yellow color indicates adequate water intake. Also, if you notice that you haven’t urinated in a few hours, that’s another sign to drink more water. On average, a properly hydrated adult urinates seven or eight times a day.

• Coconut water is another electrolyte-loaded drink you should try — Aside from pure water, this is an excellent drink to have around, especially if you’re doing strenuous activities, such as hiking outdoors. Coconut water not only hydrates you, it also helps replenish any electrolytes you’ve lost under the sweltering heat.

• Go for a swim — Taking a dip in the pool, lake, or sea is a great way to cool down during warm summer days.

• Carry a portable fan — Today, there are rechargeable, hand-held fans that you can carry around your neck or pop inside your bag.

• Allow Mother Nature to provide you with the breeze — Open your windows to help air out your stuffy house.

• Add a small amount of peppermint oil to your body wash — Peppermint has a cooling effect that will feel fantastic when you take a shower.

• Seek shade — Consider doing your outdoor activities under the trees or in a gazebo at your local park. If you’re doing sports, take frequent breaks under the shade. Scheduling longer activities during the cooler parts of the day is also a good idea.

• Don’t drink caffeinated beverages and alcohol — While ice-cold lattes can seem like a refreshing treat, these drinks will dehydrate you faster when the temperatures rise.

• Slowly build up your tolerance to heat — You can do this by gradually increasing time spent outdoors. However, remember that if you’re consuming linoleic acid (LA) from seed oils, you should avoid peak sun exposure. LA can oxidize under sunlight and cause DNA damage. So until you’ve eliminated LA from your diet for four to six months, consider going outside during early mornings or late afternoons. Learn more by reading this article.