15 tips to stay cool: How to beat the triple-digit heat forecast
The heat is here. And, for many residents in Southern California, trying to get through the day of triple-digit temperatures is the name of the game. Especially in the Inland Empire.
Here is a list of 15 tips for staying cool in hot weather, compiled from our news stories over the years:
- Read up on heat exhaustion and heatstroke.
- Drink plenty of water (in the fitness word they call this “hydrating”), even if you’re not thirsty.
- Wear loose-fitting, lightweight clothing, sunscreen and sunglasses. Your eyes need protection, too.
- Seek shade whenever you can. Many cities in Southern California offer cooling centers to beat the heat.
- Check in on friends and family, especially senior citizens.
- Maybe not travel to visit Death Valley, where it can get over 100 degrees in the middle of the night.
- Eat cold foods for breakfast, like melon, yogurt or cottage cheese.
- Avoid high-protein foods, which require a cranked-up metabolism to burn. Eat shorter meals more frequently.
- Draw the blinds early in the day, say 9 a.m.; it’ll keep the house cooler.
- Check your medication and prescriptions. A number of medicines need to avoid extreme heat.
- Don’t generate extra heat. Unplug any electrical devices not being used, especially that washer/dryer. And leave that oven off.
- Adjust your ceiling fans: Experts say make sure your fan is spinning counter-clockwise. Doing so pushes the cool air downward.
- If you’re doing a lot of walking, don’t wear 100 percent cotton socks. You’ll sweat more and be likelier to get a blister.
- Run cold water on your wrists, a “pulse point,” or splash water on your face or temples, says Mother Nature Network, which also has energy-efficiency suggestions.
- Spritz your sheets with a spray bottle before bedtime.
The extreme weather is not isolated to the U.S. Much of Europe has been afflicted by a heat wave named Cerberus, after the multi-headed dog that guards the underworld of Greek myth. Spain, Switzerland, Lebanon, and Greece are also battling wildfires. India, Pakistan, and Japan have been hit by devastating floods and landslides, and people are being forced to ration water due to a drought in Costa Rica.
Additional reporting by Landon Hall.