11 Unconventional Ways to Deal With the Heat

A hot time of year can be a real challenge for those that don’t have an air conditioner. Fortunately, there are other ways of dealing with hot weather.

We at Bright Side want to share 11 tricks with you to help you get through this hot summer. And in the bonus section, there are a couple of simple life hacks that might make your pets’ lives easier.

1. Use “cold” curtains

How we perceive temperature is important. In cities with a hot climate, it’s better to use light and cold colors that create an illusion of cool air in a space.

Of course, not everyone is brave enough to change their curtains what it is really hot, but it’s actually worth it.

2. Use water to cool the place down

In summer, water is your best friend. To avoid getting overheated, put a container of water and ice in front of a fan. So, the cool water that evaporates will spread around the entire place.

If you don’t have a fan, you can put the water container on the windowsill and the hot air from the street will cool down.

3. Freeze your pillow

In summer, it’s hard for us to get a good night’s sleep. To make sleeping more comfortable, put your pillowcase in a bag and let it cool down in the freezer.

4. Avoid physical activity

When it’s really hot, our bodies want to rest and do nothing. Don’t beat yourself up about that: the body works really hard in the summer.

Studies show that when it’s really hot, we spend a lot of energy on cooling ourselves down and maintaining our temperature. So, it’s better to pause all physical activity until it becomes comfortable again.

5. Don’t drink soda or eat ice cream

Few people know that ice cream doesn’t cool us down, it actually warms us up. Its cooling effect is very short and it’s compensated by the body producing heat when it digests high-calorie food.

The same is true for soda: it also dehydrates us.

6. Put a frozen bottle in your bed

It might be easier to fall asleep if you put a cold bottle of water in your bed before going to sleep.

The same idea helps when you’re awake: put a bag of frozen rice on the back of your head and it will make you feel so much better on a hot day.

7. Get rid of textiles

On hot days, it’s better to get rid of thick fabrics, decorative pillows, carpets, and comforters. It’s believed that dark fabrics attract heat and it’s better to buy bed sheets that are made of light and organic materials.

8. Being somewhere with thick curtains

Even though it’s better to replace textiles with lighter fabrics, this is not true for curtains. They should be as thick as possible. On a hot day, it’s better to keep the windows closed, but don’t forget about air circulation.

9. Humidify the air

You can buy an air humidifier or simply use a spray bottle.

You can also wash the floor but don’t do it too often because when it’s too humid, it’s harder.

10. Buy house plants

House plants help reduce the temperature inside the home, and they clear and moisturize the air. Ficus Benjamina, Aglaonema, and palm trees are the best choices for this.

11. Minimize electricity consumption

On hot days, it’s better to not use devices: they heat the air, which is already hot enough. Instead of watching TV at home, go to the movies where there are air conditioners.

The same is true for using the stove. On hot days, eat cool and light foods.

Bonus: 2 simple life hacks to help your pets survive a heatwave

• Attach a rubber mat to the side of the pool to help your pet get out if it falls in.

• You can put an ice tray near your pets to make it easier for them. We at Bright Side have already noticed that it cools them down.

What do you do to survive the summer heatwave?