It is about 80 degrees Fahrenheit here in Honolulu as I right this post at 10 AM. I just checked the weather report and there will be a high of 81 degrees and a low of 70 degrees tonight. Another beautiful day in paradise. Still, it does get a little hot sometimes in my apartment during the summer.
When I watch the weather report for the other cities across America I can’t help but appreciate Hawaii’s weather. I went to Las Vegas about a month ago and the temperature was in the triple digits.
“Taking a rest in the shade to enjoy the beautiful view”
Could this be you?
It feels like it’s at least 99 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade, and we’re talking about 8:35 a.m. EST. You debate whether you should go for your routine 3-mile jog around the park, or just call it quits for now and find a cool, shady area to relax. Fortunately, there are several useful tips in keeping cool without the comfort (and added expense) of air conditioning. Your wife doesn’t seem to be affected by the intense summer heat and morning humidity, as she questions why you won’t take the dog for a walk before wasting your Friday away sitting around.
Oahu, Hawaii – “As cool as the other side of the pillow”
In the midst of the dog barking, your wife’s complaining and the children making the breakfast nook into a combat zone with cold cereal and pancake syrup, you hear the weather report on the morning television news. “It’s only going to get warmer folks, with a high of 93 degrees, but with the humidity, it’ll feel like 102 degrees in the shade.” To make matters worse, the central air conditioning you constantly boast of to your friends is on the blitz. What is one to do in the middle of all this summer mayhem? Before the heat evaporates every living cell in the human body, the cooling tips are as follows:
- You can use some ice to wrap in a face cloth to cool your neck, wrists and other parts of the body. This can last for at least one hour, before the process is repeated.
- Water vapor generated by actually sweating takes body heat away once it’s exposed in front of a fan or cool breeze (Ahhhh!).
- You can utilize a squirt water bottle to keep body parts wet. The kids may like this idea, but certainly not for the same reason you may like it.
- Consume cold water or a sports beverage (not homemade lemonade) for oral re-hydration—electrolytes can keep the body much cooler in the heat than sugary beverages.
- Remain in a shaded area to avoid constant sunlight. Planting trees next to your home can help keep your house cool while providing beautiful landscaping. If done right this can really cool your house down and according to Alliance to Save Energy strategically placed greenery can save you $250 a year.
- Going to a basement or lower level of your home is highly advisable (this can also be a hiding place away from the noisy children and inquiring Mrs.)
- Open up the windows in your home or office to increase air circulation.
- Prepare the home against the summer heat with circulating night air or fans for a cross-breeze.
- Turn off your computer, lamps, stoves and various sources of heat. Your computer can really heat up a room, if your not using your computer turn that sucker off.
- Get your hair very wet with a bath or shower (this may be needless to say).
- Consume less foods that are not prepared by heat—believe it or not a stuffed belly doesn’t makes matters better in the sweltering heat. Your body warms up as it digests the food you just ate.
- Slather mint lotions on the body (not eyes or face)—this is because no matter how much you attempt to cool off, perspiration will still exist.
- Fill a drinking glass with ice cubes and enjoy a cold glass of water (another obvious solution).
- Go down to Home Depot or Lowes and get some window tint, drapes or shutters if you have large windows in your home or office.
- Avoid a hat and shoes indoors. When work from home I am almost always shirtless in my home office. I also wear very light shorts like basketball shorts or surf shorts.
- Eat foods that are spicy (???) to increase perspiration for a cooler body—this is a custom in Mexico and Latin America.
- Run cold water from the faucet over wrists.
- Open windows or doors in the evening to let cooler air in. Close windows in the morning to keep cool air in.
- Soak T-shirt in water then wring and put it on.
- Put a small damp towel around your neck area. This will cool you down quickly.
- Finally, get out and go to the beach, surfs up!
This process can reduce the risk of de-hydration in the middle of a humid, summer day, although this doesn’t guarantee that your family will be any more tolerable. Enjoy the rest of the summer everyone.
Got a tip on how you stay cool during the heat, let me know.