The summer heat worries many of us. But there are enough ways to endure high temperatures. The following tips will show you how you can best cool off during the hot summer months and also keep your apartment cool.

Correct ventilation keeps the heat outside

Hoping for a cool breeze, we tend to open the windows in the heat. But this way only more warm air gets into the apartment. The right time for ventilation is crucial: Open the windows immediately after getting up and ventilate, because the air is still cool until 8:30 a.m. Then you should close the windows completely and darken the rooms. Bright roller blinds are ideal because they reflect the sun’s rays.

Tip: Consider the custom window screens to cool off at night. Hang a wet bed sheet in front of the open window. The incoming air is cooled in this way. 

Be careful when enjoying cold drinks

On hot days, many people grab ice-cold drinks because they hope to cool off – a mistake! After the absorption of such cooled liquids, the human body begins to compensate for the cold in the organism. The energy used for this warms the body and thus revises the cooling effect – we start to sweat. Hence the tip: In summer heat drinks at room temperature are recommended to compensate for the loss of fluid.

Avoid heavy foods

If you have a full stomach in the summer heat, your body will find it difficult to cool down. The energy required for digestion also produces heat – just like when enjoying cold drinks. You should avoid greasy foods in the summer heat. Instead, eat light meals. These include, in particular, water-rich fruits and vegetables such as melon, berries, cucumber, and tomatoes.

Fresh foods rich in vitamins are very good for relieving the digestive process.

Better avoid coffee and alcohol

Coffee stimulates the circulation, but shortly after the energy surge, the circulation sags again. You shouldn’t do this to your body in the already exhausting heat. Better use gentle wake-ups like fresh fruit. Alcohol also puts unnecessary strain on the circulation at high temperatures. It also removes fluid from the body, which you urgently need right now.

Choose the right clothes

Wear airy linen, cotton or silk clothing in the heat. The natural materials are permeable to air and absorb liquid well, which means they cool down. Choose light tones for the colours, as dark clothing absorbs the heat.

Protect the circulation when bathing

Staying in the water in the summer heat can have a very invigorating effect. But check the water temperature beforehand so as not to be surprised by the cold – muscle spasms and in the worst case, a circulatory collapse could be the consequences.

Make sure you take sufficient breaks when bathing outdoors and that you don’t expose yourself to the sun for too long. Otherwise, there is a risk of sunstroke, which is noticeable among other things through nausea and poor concentration.

Nap: Just sleep through the warmest hours

If the job allows, do as the southerners do and have a siesta. Sunshine is at its highest between 12 noon and 3 p.m. and therefore the temperature. During this time, it’s best to stay indoors in a cool place or the shade and rest.

So you can cool off in the office

There are also several ways to make the heat in the office bearable at work. If possible, reduce technical heat sources that you do not need, such as printers, monitors and lamps.

A good tip for the office: table fans can make the summer heat more bearable. There is also a practical version with a USB connection for the computer. The generated air supports the cooling sweat evaporation of your body. It’s also a good idea to hold your wrists under cool water now and then. The cool temperature transfers to your blood vessels and stimulates blood circulation.

Cooling your feet brings relief

Cooled insoles provide an extra fresh kick. Just put the soles in the fridge overnight and then in your shoes. In between, you can also put the soles in the freezer. Another way to cool your feet and legs is to use a converted hot water bottle. Simply fill them with ice-cold water and place them between your feet or on your legs.

Showering cold is not a good idea

A cold shower is tempting in the heat, but unfortunately, it only provides cooling for a short time. The cold water causes the pores to contract, making you sweat even more after showering. Lukewarm water is better.

Keep the apartment cool with the bed sheet trick

To defy the heat, it helps to hang up damp towels or sheets with a high cotton content in the room. For example, the fabrics are hung in front of the window or over two chairs.

Ventilation systems: Never ventilate yourself again

With ventilation systems, the air exchange works fully automatically and practically without heat loss. You can save up to 30 per cent on heating costs. 

The drying process removes heat from the air – the so-called heat of vaporization. Not only is the evaporating liquid-cooled, but also its surroundings. One also speaks of evaporative cooling.

It is even more effective if the resulting steam is removed by a dry draft so that more moist air can evaporate. A fan ensures the appropriate air circulation.

Solid floors also help cool the rooms. Because they absorb the heat from the room air. Loose and heavy carpets should, therefore, be cleared away in summer. They act as thermal insulation and prevent the floor from storing heat.

According to studies, you can reduce solar radiation by up to 75 per cent. Internal shading by curtains or blinds therefore only reduces the sun’s rays by 25 per cent – and only if the glare protection is bright.

Ventilate only in the morning and at night

Cross ventilation in the evening, night and morning hours is an effective measure to get fresh oxygen and cool air into the living room. Once an apartment has heated up, it is difficult to lower the air temperature again. During the day, all windows and doors should, therefore, remain closed, if possible.

If ventilation is still carried out, the masonry may be damaged if warm and moist outside air meets the cold in the basement. Because the cold walls and other components in the basement quickly cool the incoming air. This leads to the condensation of water vapour in the air. The condensed water, in turn, moisturizes the plaster and can promote the formation of mould.

The experts advise homeowners to measure their basement walls with a small laser thermometer in summer to get a feel for the temperatures in the room. If the components are cooler than twelve degrees, the basement windows should remain closed from May to September.

Ice cold “hot water bottle”

Especially at night, when you want to sleep, the hot temperatures can become unbearable. However, according to sleep experts, only the time of falling asleep is problematic. Once you have nodded off, the heat doesn’t bother you anymore. A hot water bottle with cold water, which is simply placed between the thighs, also helps as a cooling refreshment. The cold is then distributed evenly throughout the body via the bloodstream system.

Nightgown in the freezer

Alternatively, the nightwear or bed sheets can be placed in a plastic bag in the freezer. After slipping on, the cold refreshes pleasantly and helps the body to lower the temperature until you fall asleep. Cold showers, on the other hand, really get the circulation going, so it is better to take a lukewarm shower. In this way, the pores of the skin widen and can best balance temperature and moisture.

Conclusion

Those who live or work in the city suffer particularly from the heat in summer. The streets and walls of houses store the heat in their stone masses and only release them slowly at night. In contrast, the temperatures in the countryside drop significantly faster in the resting phase, since the naturally grown soil is a poor heat store in comparison.