Summer is a time of vacation, a time of being free from school for kids and slow time at work for adults. So it is a good time to focus on taking a bit of extra care of yourself to unwind and de-stress. And this care is all the more needed because summers are getting unusually hot in recent years and with Ramazan coming bang in the middle of it, caution and care are vital for a healthy and swell summer.

Heat can kill, as we saw last year. Prevention and early intervention help immensely to prevent serious injury or death. So this time round, it is better to be prepared to handle unusually high temperatures and know what to do when the mercury soars too high.

Let’s look at some tips to beat the heat and chill out this summer.

Who are at more risk

The elderly, children, people with health issues such as chronic heart or lung problems, people with disabilities, the overweight, those who work outdoors or in hot settings, and people who live on the streets and shanty homes are at high risk during a heat wave.

Stay in cool places

Keep your living space cool. Even with curtains, you can cover windows with thick paper to keep extra heat out. Keep the home ventilated if the air outside is not too hot, otherwise close windows and pull the curtains to keep the temperature down.

Those who have air conditioners can use it. And those who don’t can use other methods that were used in the good old days when people lived without electricity and cooling appliances.

I remember hearing from elders that they would wet the floor of the room, turn on the fan and open all doors and windows. The water would make the heat of the floor evaporate and after a few minutes the room would be considerably cooler.

Avoid the outdoors

As much as possible, avoid direct sun. Plan outings for the early morning or after dark when the temperature is cooler. But as the world can’t come to a stop for the long hot summer, people do need to go out. In that case there is much we can do to avoid getting adversely affected by the sun if we take certain precautions.

Games, walks and other such recreational activities should also take place in the evening or night hours — like have night cricket matches instead of playing during daytime.

People especially the elderly and kids, shouldn’t be left in a parked car if the driver has gone for an errant, even for a short while because the temperature inside a car without the engine running and air-conditioning on can get very high.

Cover up and keep cool

Cover the head with a hat/cap, dupatta or use an umbrella as shield from sunlight. Try and stand under the shade when outdoors and avoid staying out during peak afternoon heat hours. Plan activities during the early morning or late evening/night hours.

Wear loose, light clothing like cotton and lawn to keep cool.

Turn off non-essential lights and electrical equipment, as they generate heat. You can also keep indoor plants and bowls of water in the house, as these can cool the air.

Water is life

Keep well hydrated by drinking a lot of water, juices and fluids in general. One of the main reasons for being ill during summer is that we don’t drink as much water as we should.  Our body loses a lot of water due to perspiration.  

Avoid coffee and even too much carbonated drinks. It is better to have fresh fruit juice or eat juicy fruits such as watermelon.

Take a bath at least once or more times each day. And it’s a common problem to find that the water we get in the shower is too hot during the day. So keep water in a covered bucket and when the tap water gets too hot, use the one in the bucket instead. This is also a great way to ration water usage as many areas have water shortage.

If you can’t take a bath, applying cold wet cloth to the neck, head and limbs to cool down the body quickly.

Eat light

Avoid oily and spicy food as it can lead to an upset stomach. Avoid street food as food tends to get spoilt easily in the heat, plus many eateries don’t always take care to offer freshly cooked food and store things properly.

Grooming is king

Feeling clean and hygienic go a long way in making you feel better in the heat. We’ve already talked about the need to take regular baths/showers. Now let us turn to your appearance.

Use a deodorant or antiperspirant — it’s a must otherwise you will be stinking terribly.

Take good care of your skin, especially facial skin, often our skin becomes oily and pimples appear. Dust and sweat are the enemies of the skin. Your skin care routine should include using a sunscreen when going out in the sunlight. A sunscreen stops the sun’s rays from directly touching our skin and spoiling it.

Wash the face with a mild soap or face wash each time you come back home from outside.

Recharge yourself

Breaks and holidays offer an opportunity to recharge and refresh yourself to get into the grind again once the school restarts. To prevent yourself from being burned out in the long run, both physically and mentally, you need to take a real break. Don’t stress yourself about all the things you ‘need to do’ during the summer holidays. Do what you can and leave what you can’t.

For instance, if you have planned going to a sports academy, swimming classes, language course, etc., you are not the only one who will have to make the extra effort to go to all these activities, your parents too will have to plan how to take you there, they will have to pay the charges/fees, get the required things you need for it and what not. Maybe you can handle the extra effort and time but they can’t, so don’t force them or yourself.

Too many activities will simply make you want a break after this summer break! The main thing is to stay healthy, happy and reconnect with family and friends to make this summer vacation a memorable one. Happy holidays!

Published in Dawn, Young World, May 21st, 2016