15 tips for staying cool during a heatwave

Summer has only just begun, and it's starting off with a bang. In Amsterdam, temperatures have already soared to 37 degrees. On such hot days, we're all looking for ways to cool down. Did you know that your body and brain have to work hard to maintain your body temperature?  That's why it's important to be well prepared, so you can help your body out and feel less hot. High temperatures can have an impact on your body and health, especially if you’re not properly prepared. In this blog, we’re sharing 15 tips to help you stay cool during a heatwave.

What effect does heat have on your body?

Your body temperature can rise to dangerous levels. Normal body temperature averages between 36.5 and 37.5 degrees. If it rises above 40 degrees due to the heat, this may indicate heatstroke. This is a medical emergency requiring urgent medical attention.

Your heart has to work harder. In hot weather, your heart pumps more blood to the skin to regulate body temperature. This is why your face turns red more quickly when it’s hot.

Sweating is your body’s natural cooling system. This only works properly if the sweat can evaporate. When humidity is high, sweat evaporates more slowly, meaning your body cools down less effectively and you may feel more uncomfortable more quickly.

Heat can affect your concentration. Have you ever noticed that you find it harder to concentrate in hot weather? This is because heat and dehydration have a negative effect on how your brain functions. As a result, you may feel more tired, less alert and get a headache.

Your blood vessels dilate. This allows more fluid to enter your tissues, which can cause your ankles and feet to swell. As your blood vessels widen, your blood pressure may also drop. This can make you feel dizzy if you stand up too quickly.

Staying well-hydrated is especially important. On hot days, you lose more fluid through sweating. You should therefore drink regularly, even if you aren’t thirsty yet. Thirst is often a sign that your body is already starting to become slightly dehydrated.

What can you do to stay cool during a heatwave?

1. Drink plenty of water: Even if you’re not thirsty, it’s important to drink enough on hot days. It’s better to take small sips throughout the day rather than drinking a large amount all at once. You can often tell from the colour of your urine whether you’re getting enough fluids. Dark yellow urine may mean you need to drink more, whilst light yellow urine is usually a sign that your fluid intake is adequate. On extremely hot days, it’s especially important to keep drinking regularly.

2. Eat water-rich foods: Vegetables such as lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes, and fruits such as watermelon, oranges and peaches contain a lot of water. They help you stay properly hydrated on hot days.

3. Limit your alcohol intake: Although it can be enjoyable to have a drink in fine weather, it’s better to opt for a non-alcoholic alternative more often. Alcohol can cause your body to lose more fluid, increasing the risk of dehydration. Furthermore, alcohol can make it harder to notice when your body is overheating.

4. Eat lighter meals: Opt for a salad, grilled fish or wraps, for example. Your body generates heat whilst digesting food. Heavy meals often take more energy to digest, causing your body to produce extra heat and making you feel less comfortable.

5. Take a lukewarm shower rather than a cold one: When it’s 37 degrees outside, a cold shower might sound very tempting. However, a lukewarm shower often helps your body cool down more effectively. A cold shower causes the blood vessels in your skin to constrict, making it harder for your body to release heat. A lukewarm shower allows your body to cool down gently, without having to work extra hard afterwards to return to its normal temperature.

6. Wet your wrists: Hold your wrists under the tap for a while to cool down. The blood vessels in your wrists lie close to the surface of the skin. By wetting this area with cool water, your body can release heat more easily and it feels refreshing.

7. Don’t wipe all the sweat off your body: Your body uses sweating to cool down. So leave the sweat on your skin as much as possible, so that your body can continue to release heat.

8. Use fans: A fan can help cool your body down. Don’t point it directly at yourself all the time, but use it to circulate the air in the room and keep it well-ventilated.

9. Wear light, breathable clothing in light colours: Choose clothes made from materials such as cotton and linen. These fabrics allow more air to pass through and feel more comfortable than tight-fitting clothes. The colour of your clothes also makes a difference: light colours absorb less heat than dark colours.

10. Keep windows and doors closed: Keep windows and doors closed during the day when it’s warmer outside than inside. This prevents warm air from flowing in. Also close the curtains or blinds to stop the sun from heating up your home through the windows.

11. Ventilate your home in the morning and evening: The temperature outside is often at its lowest in the early morning and late evening. Open the windows then to let cooler air in. Close the windows again as soon as it starts to get warmer outside.

12. Do your shopping early in the day: It’s best to go shopping in the morning. It’s cooler outside then, and you’ll ensure you have plenty of food and drink at home.

13. Use sun cream with an SPF of at least 30: Apply it generously to your face and body to prevent sunburn, and reapply it about every two hours. Protecting your face and neck from the sun is important all year round, as UV radiation can reduce collagen production. This can lead to wrinkles and premature ageing of the skin. Sun cream also helps to reduce the risk of skin cancer.

14. Limit heavy exercise: Try not to do intense exercise during the hottest hours of the day. Your body finds it harder to get rid of excess heat at these times, whilst exercise actually causes you to produce extra heat. Do you still want to exercise? If so, it’s best to do so in the morning or evening, when the temperature is lower.

15. Keep a close eye on the people around you: Help children and the elderly to remember to drink enough. They are sometimes less likely to realise when they need to rehydrate.

Stay cool this summer with tips from BODY WORLDS Amsterdam

When the temperature outside is 30 degrees or higher for several days in a row, you can quickly start to feel the effects. Symptoms that may arise when your body struggles to cool down include tiredness, headaches, difficulty concentrating and dizziness. In extreme cases, overheating can lead to fainting, loss of consciousness and nausea. To prevent this, we recommend following these 15 tips. This will help your body cope with the hot days as best as possible. Due to climate change, we’re facing higher temperatures more and more often, so it’s important to be well prepared.

Are you in Amsterdam this summer and not sure what to get up to? Then come to BODY WORLDS Amsterdam and discover more fascinating facts about the human body!