Tips to stay cool this summer
October has been off to a scorching start with temperatures reaching the mid to high 30s. While the Lowveld is fairly well-known for its hot days, this incredible heat in October is not so normal. That being said, we want our guests to be as comfortable as possible throughout the duration of their stay at our Mbombela accommodation. With this in mind, we have researched several fantastic tips that you can use to keep cool this summer.
Stay Hydrated
This tip is the most important one of all. Many people end up at the doctor suffering from dehydration and other heat afflicted illnesses simply because they haven’t reached for enough glasses of water. The heat in the Lowveld starts early in the morning, and seeing as the sun rises at about 5 am and stays up beyond 7 in the evening, drinking enough is vital. It’s not only water that quenches the thirst, but it is the best for staying hydrated. The body has its own internal air-conditioning system: sweating. By sweating, the body stays cool but it also means you lose precious fluid which needs to be constantly replaced.
To ensure that the heat doesn’t get to you, try out these tips:
Wear light weight clothing
Both day and night, by wearing light clothing, which breaths quite easily, such as cotton, you are already doing a lot to keep cool. The humidity in the area, both throughout the day and night, is intense and will leave you feeling sweaty no matter how many times a day you shower.
Turn your fan the other way
Fans are great if you don’t have air-conditioning. Luckily, if you are staying with us at our Mbombela Lodge, your room will be cooled off by the air-conditioner. But should you find yourself in town, with only a fan at your disposal, you can try this technique. Instead of facing your fan into your room, turn it outwards. This keeps the heat away as opposed to simply circulating the warm air. If you have a ceiling fan, have it circulating counter-clockwise.
Carry on exercising
It might seem insane to some, the very idea of exercising during the summer, but your body will continue to benefit from exercises should you keep up your routine. There are ways that you can stay fit without dehydrating. For instance, you can practice short bursts of exercise, and you can make sure that you avoid the direct sunlight and midday heat (12:00 to 15:00). You can also practice precooling.
Keep the windows closed
It might seem like the most insane tip! After all, you want to let as much of the outdoor breeze in as possible to keep your room ventilated. But perhaps you should give the opposite a try. Keep your windows closed and cover them with an insulating curtain during the heat of the day. When the heat abates, you can open the windows and let the cool evening air into the already cooled down space. Hanging a damp towel over the open window is also a technique used to keep things cool.
Use your pulse points
The pulses points around your body are also perfect cooling points should you know where they are. By applying ice to your various pulse points, you can quickly cool down without much aid.
