☀️🌴 Summer on the O2 community: Staying Cool 🌴☀️

[MI5]

Stay cool this summer…..

How to keep your cool when all around are getting hot and sweaty 

1 – Sun is at its hottest from around midday to 4.00pm so avoid going out during those times if possible. If you must be outside, try to find shade and make sure you dress appropriately with loose cotton clothing. Wear a hat and sunglasses to protect your eyes from UV rays.

2 – Keep hydrated. Drink lots of water or other cold drinks (fruit smoothies are good) but avoid coffee and alcohol as this will dehydrate you.

3 – Ice lollies 😊 Just like when you were a kid, ice lollies are great for keeping you cool as an adult. Make your own and freeze some fruit in them.

4 – Ice packs on the back of your neck or other pressure points will cool you down. Sticking your feet in a bowl of cold water is a wonderful way to cool your body too.

5 – Keep all windows and doors shut and curtains drawn from early morning as this will keep your home interior temperature lower.

6 – Freeze your bed sheets (cotton of course). Place in freezer for an hour before bedtime or scatter ice blocks around your bed. Remember to cool your pillow too.

7 – Don’t forget your sun cream if going out to help prevent sunburn.

8 – Take exercise in the early morning when it’s cooler.

9 – Fans can circulate air around your home but it’s usually hot air, so place a frozen bottle of water in front of the fan which will cool the air as it passes over it.

10 – Eat a salad or other cold foods rather that a hot meal.

So, there’s 10 tips from me. What ideas have you got to stay cool?

[Cleoriff]

I keep ice cold flannels next to me, Every so often I place them on my face, neck and feet.

I rarely go out between 12-5.

Ray (bless him) knows I can't take this heat nowadays so went out and bought 2 more fans for me.

I agree with a lot of your tips @MI5  though a special one in the evening is sticking my very very swollen feet in a bowl of cold water.

The only one I dont do, is keep my curtains closed, doors and windows shut. It very much depends on the build of the house and it's situation. My house gets sun at the back in the morning and the front in the afternoon. The first thing I do is open every door and window as it generates a nice breeze blowing through from front to back. In the afternoon I then close all front curtains and blinds.

Lucky to have laminate flooring downstairs and that stays cool, whatever the weather,

Certainly drink gallons of  water. No alcohol as that is very dehydrating

Good topic @MI5 

[MI5]

Glad you like it @Cleoriff 

Keeping the house locked up tight is a tip from our French neighbours.

When out there in the summer our old stone built house stays lovely and cool as long as we don't let the sun in 

[Mi-Amigo]

Great topic @MI5 and some useful tips.

I must be honest I hadn`t thought of the suggestion in 

4 – Sticking your feet in a bowl of cold water is a wonderful way to cool your body too.

With the heatwave expected over the weekend, this might be well worth trying.

Thanks again 

[MI5]

You're welcome and hope it works for you

[Cleoriff]

---

@MI5 wrote:

Glad you like it @Cleoriff 

Keeping the house locked up tight is a tip from our French neighbours.

When out there in the summer our old stone built house stays lovely and cool as long as we don't let the sun in 

---

Yes my sister had a lovely stone house in the Dordogne area and did exactly the same @MI5 

As I say, it's to do with the building. My apartment in Spain was different. A corner apartment which overlooked the sea from every window. If we had all the windows open and mosquito blinds in place, we had a great sea breeze from front to back. All day and night.

Never needed aircon.

[TallTrees]

Hello @MI5
Thank you for some cool tips. Here at moment is 30C... I was outside early couldn't stay out in that expect it'll get hotter midday.
I just have to stay in but I do open windows otherwise it seems to get stuffy. My lounge window has a pull down outside canopy which prevents sun getting to window otherwise blind would have to go down.
When living in Malta used to mop floors during day as the water evaporates it cools the house..
Good if you have tiled floors can't do with carpet 🤭
From your tips I drink more, don't use much ice but good to cool off.
Cooling head or neck with cold flannel is good, as can get headache from overheating.
Out early if needed or late which I will do tonight.
I like the idea of freezing fruit in the ice lolly I'm going to do that.
One thing I do.. which people living in hot countries seem to do ..is stay in, do not work (lovely!) Staying in seems a pity but heatstroke wouldn't be good. If the outside temperature goes very near or equal a human's natural body temperature 36.7c ish then it is essential to cool down.

My idea ....
is the roof hatch is pulled down to draw up hot air out of the living quarters..there are opening sky lights which is a plus.
This is definitely a plus here the hatch is open all summer.
Thanks for sharing those sensible tips ..TallTrees 🙂

[Cleoriff]

I forgot to mention the tip I picked up in Spain. The incredible siesta.

As I'm no longer working, I make sure I have one every day. This is why I go missing from here for about 3 hrs in the afternoon. In this heat I would just have a cotton sheet over me, and a fan blowing. Bliss!

[jonsie]

I'm going to the pub, love sitting in the beer garden with a lager shandy

It can't get too hot for me so luckily I must be cold bloodied

I'm quite used to continuous temperatures in the mid thirties

[Martin-O2]

Brilliant topic @MI5 and couldn't be better timed.  I'm about to start on my second litre of cold water!