The heat wave makes us all feel hot, bothered and long for the most effective ways to keep cool.
And while we may think we know all the obvious strategies for staying cool, there still turn out to be a few scientifically proven tricks to try.
From slathering raw onion on your skin to gargling with toothpaste and rolling your tongue, SARAH RAINEY discovers some extraordinary ways to beat the heat. . .
WEAR WOOLS IN BED
Wearing marino wool in bed apparently pulls sweat away from your skin, keeping you cooler than sleeping naked
Putting on something woolen during a heat wave may seem insane, but Dr. Nicolas Berger, senior lecturer in exercise physiology at Teesside University, believes it may be the secret to staying cool at night.
While sleeping naked may seem logical during extreme temperatures, scientists say it can make you hotter. Because you don’t move much at night, the sweat collects on the body and stays there.
dr. Berger advocates merino wool instead.
“It sounds warm,” he says, “but it’s actually incredibly cooling.”
The fine, lightweight fibers in the fabric are layered; the inner layer draws sweat away from the skin and transfers it to the outer layer, where it can evaporate into the air.
Rub ONIONS ON YOUR SKIN
Onions can help draw heat and sweat away from your skin – and red onions can also help with heatstroke or sunburn
This is not because stinking onions is an effective way to ward off other people and their unwanted body heat. Onions have actually long had an association with warm weather.
‘In rural India, they cut an onion in half and rub the juice over the skin,’ explains Oxford Professor Russell Foster.
Onions contain volatile oils (mainly sulfur-based) that vaporize when exposed to air. Slicing the onion releases the oil – and then when rubbed on the skin, it will help draw heat and sweat away from the body and consequently lower your temperature.
Red onions also contain a compound called quercetin, which acts as an antihistamine; meaning the juice is effective in treating both heatstroke and sunburn.
GORGLE WITH TOOTHPASTE
Menthol is also used by elite athletes because it sends a signal to the brain that you are feeling cooler – and it smells much more refreshing than onions!
dr. Berger says menthol — from menthol drinks to chewing gum and toothpaste — can make us feel cooler in hot weather.
“In extreme heat, athletes rinse menthol around their mouths and spit it out,” he explains. “Anything minty works, like gargling toothpaste and water.
“It doesn’t change your temperature, but it sends a signal to your brain — called a thermal sensation — to tell you you’re colder. It’s incredibly refreshing.’
You can also apply it topically to the body, he adds, but highly concentrated menthol (like Olbas oil) can irritate the skin in the sun, and rubbing yourself in toothpaste doesn’t sound appealing. Although it can counter the smell of onions!
BAKE BANANA BREAD
Not only are bananas made up of 74 percent water, which helps keep you hydrated, they’re also rich in potassium.
Now’s the time to revisit those banana bread baking skills you’ve honed during lockdown.
Not only are bananas made up of 74 percent water, which helps keep you hydrated, they’re also rich in potassium.
Sweat contains electrolytes, including potassium, so eating banana will help replenish body fluids and potassium.
Better yet, put some poppy seeds in your banana bread. These are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, which have been shown to quench thirst and cool the body.
CHILL YOUR MAKEUP
Try refrigerating the contents of your makeup bag for a heat-resistant beauty regime.
Much like splashing cold water on your face, cool cosmetics can improve circulation, help reduce redness by narrowing blood vessels, and shrink pores (which makes the formation of bacteria — and pimples — less likely).
ROLL YOUR TONGUE
If you can roll your tongue, then this trick is for you – but if you can’t, skip this particular tip
Tongue rolling has its roots in yoga and meditation, and proponents say it’s like an air conditioner for the head and neck.
To try it, curl both sides of your tongue up to make a ‘U’ shape. Insert the tip between pursed lips and inhale slowly through the tube formed by your tongue, as if you were sucking air through a straw.
If it helps, pinch your nose. Hold your breath for a few seconds, close your mouth and exhale slowly through your nose.
Do this five to ten times and you will immediately notice a cooling effect.
While it’s not based on science, it’s a form of what’s known as “nasal breathing” — and a study in the journal Evolutionary Psychology found it effective at regulating brain temperature.
The disadvantage? Not everyone can roll their tongue.
FREEZE A ‘RICE SOCK’
Unlike ice packs, which can melt very quickly, rice and other grains can hold their temperature longer once frozen
As the mercury rises, regular ice packs just can’t handle the heat and quickly turn into mush.
Instead, try freezing rice or other uncooked grains in a sock, pantyhose, or pillowcase.
The rice will stay at the right temperature for 30-40 minutes. Experts recommend sleeping with one on the back of your neck, or placing a few DIY ice packs between your sheet and mattress to cool the bed.
SPRAY ON GREEN TEA
Forget expensive facial mists: Stew a bag of green tea in some lukewarm water for a few minutes, put it in a spray bottle and spray it on your face every two to three hours.
Green tea contains vitamin E that hydrates and stimulates your circulation, both of which stop you from feeling hot and sweaty.
GLORY IN GAZPACHO
Gazpacho, made primarily from tomatoes, which are 95 percent water, also contains cucumber (96 percent water) and bell pepper (92 percent water).
Soup may not be at the top of your menu this week, but gazpacho, a chilled Spanish soup (pictured lower left), is one of the most hydrating dishes to eat during a heat wave. It is mainly made from tomatoes, which are 95 percent water. It also contains cucumber (96 percent water) and bell pepper (92 percent water), so it’s basically a refreshing drink.
Additionally, tomatoes are a rich source of a naturally occurring carotenoid called lycopene, which was shown in a series of studies from 2005 to 2010 to protect the skin from sunlight and reduce redness after sunbathing.
BARBECUE FORBIDDEN
This isn’t because standing next to a hot BBQ will make you sweat, but because heavy meals with meat are a bad idea in a heat wave.
It takes a significant amount of digestive power to process proteins — such as red meat and cheese — in the body. Digestion creates heat in a process known as thermogenesis; this heat makes the body warmer from the inside out.
It can take up to 100 percent more energy to break down protein than carbohydrates, so steer clear of that cheeseburger.
If you can’t resist firing up the grill, try cooking healthier, high-carb sweetcorn, sweet potatoes, or cauliflower instead.
DO YOUR CURTAINS
If you don’t have air conditioning, try cooling the air by soaking the ends of your curtains—as long as they’re made of washable material—in cold water. Then open the windows, draw the curtains and wait for the temperature inside to drop.
In a warm environment, the water will flow upward through the fabric as it begins to evaporate. Any breeze (hopefully) coming from outside will cool as it passes through the damp fabric and flows into the room.
Closing the curtains also keeps the sun from shining directly into the room; a must if you have leather sofas or glass table that absorb heat.
SWITCH TO PEARLS
If you’re spending time in the hot afternoon sun, ditch metal necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. These absorb heat and conduct it directly to your skin. Silver is worse than gold because it is a better conductor.
Decorate with pearls instead, but real ones, not plastic fakes. Real pearls, made of organic material, always feel cool.
DO NOT EAT MANGOS
Tropical fruits may be appealing on a hot day, but mangoes are diuretics — meaning you need to pee more often — and should be avoided because they remove water from the body and can leave you dehydrated.
The same goes for asparagus, fennel and artichokes, often found in summer salads.
Mangoes are also high in sugar and generate heat in the body during the digestive process.
However, fans say there is an easy way to combat this. Soaking the pulp in water before eating reduces the thermogenic properties of the fruit and makes them easier (and cooler) to digest.