BEAT HEAT: SIX MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO GET RID OF HEAT

Keeping cool when temperatures reach record highs isn't just about comfort. Dangerously high temperatures at home and workplace can result in heat-related illnesses ranging from heat cramps to heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

The following tips can help you keep cool all summer long.

1. Choose Lightweight Clothing And Fabrics:

As a general rule – the best fabrics for tropical climates are lightweight and made from natural materials such as cotton or linen.

Lightweight 100% wool is a great option too. There is a general misconception that wool is better in winter. Lighter weaves of wool are suited for hot weather.

Heavy fabrics tend to cling to your skin and trap sweat – adding a layer of heat between the fabric and your body.

Instead of wearing heavier versions of cotton – such as twill, which is what your jeans are made of – opt for poplin, seersucker and madras cotton. Broadcloth cotton dress shirts will be cooler than dress shirts made with the heavier oxford weaves.

2. Sleep under a damp towel or sheet:

This will feel especially nice if you have a fan running at the same time. The evaporation of the cloth's water will keep you cool all night, and the sheet or towel will most likely be dry by morning. When parts of the body with a high concentration of blood vessels near the skin come in contact with the cold, it helps transfer heat out of the body to cool down faster.

3. Set your ceiling fan to run counter-clockwise:

The blades on your ceiling fan are tilted slightly in order to push air either upwards or downwards. In winter, you'll want the blades to turn clockwise, which will pull the cooler air in the room upwards and displace the rising warmth. In the summer, you should switch the rotation to counter-clockwise, pushing more wind currents into the room below. You can do this easily, just find the switch on the body of the fan (there should only be one!) that changes the direction.

4. Eat less salty food and protein:

Salty foods and protein produce metabolic heat when digested and cause water loss. Eat more fruits and vegetables (no need to turn on the oven) and smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. Scientists have known about this relationship between digestion and metabolic heat for many years. Eating ground beef steak and stewed tomatoes to satiety raised skin temperature an average of 2°C about 1 hour after the meal. That's a lot!

5. Wet your curtains:

This trick has been around for a long time, but I very rarely see my friends trying it at home. Spritzing or soaking your curtains, or leaving the bottoms to sit in buckets of water, is a great way to cool down any incoming sunlight or breeze from the outside. This trick only works if you can get air circulating to evaporate the water, so run a fan at the same time or chose a window with a draft coming through.

6. Buy or build an ice-pack hat:

Strapping a cold compress to your head can work wonders in the blistering heat, especially if you're prone to headaches. You can buy or build your own ice-pack hat, to varying degrees of effectiveness and cost.

For a cheap chill, throw a couple of wet dish towels in the freezer (coil each of them into a "C" beforehand to fit your head when frozen) or pick up two malleable ice-packs from the dollar store. There are specifically designed icy-headbands available online for purchase as well.

Alternatively,

Put a bowl of ice in front of your fan

This uber-easy trick is the very best of the DIY air conditioners: just toss a bunch of ice cubes into a metal bowl (or freeze some water straight into the bowl), and set it in front of a running fan. Tilt your fan or the bowl in such a way as to get air flowing directly onto the icy surface, cooling down the blowing air. You'll feel the effect immediately. Remember to refill your ice trays right away to be ready for the next load.