Boco - June Gloom
Don’t let the grey skies fool you during the month of June. That overhanging cloud cover traps the heat and adds an extra layer of stickiness with that Humidity. And as the cloud layer breaks after noon, you have to deal with the glaring heat directly from the sun, furthering your descent into summer madness. Temperatures are reaching record breaking highs every year. What can you do if you do not have a backyard pool or the capacity to run an air conditioning unit on full blast? Here are some tips on how to stay healthy and cool during this season.
Look up your local pool locations! There are usually times allotted for children only, family, or adult swim times. For a few bucks to enter, public pools are a great place to spend the hot day and return home in the cooler evening. Or maybe you are lucky enough to live by a watering hole, river, or lake. Slather on that SPF50 and get out there.
Maybe central cooling systems are out of your budget, unnecessary for smaller spaces, or you have a huge house where you only want to cool a few areas rather than the whole property. Another factor to consider is how old your HVAC unit is and if that adds to the final cost of your electricity bill. Consider getting window units that are manufactured to cover certain square footage. This can save you money but also you’d be cutting down on your carbon dioxide emissions. These types of units are also easily purchased at your big box stores and do not need to be installed by a professional.
Even simple fans strategically placed throughout your house with a clear pathway will provide much-needed air circulation which is a cooling method. With that said, decluttering as much as you can will create an even larger area for circulation. Keeping things off of the floor is a huge help.
Regardless of how you like to keep your cool, stay safe and take measures to cool your body from the inside. Take breaks throughout the day to just regroup. Listen to your body for signs of dehydration and overheating. Remember, if it’s a hot day and you Stop sweating, you are already dehydrated and need to find help quickly. Sunstroke is a real danger and keeping cold water and a reusable cold pack with you may prevent serious problems.
Pro tip: Our cold packs should never be frozen but keeping them in your cooler and having them ready is ideal. You can place them directly on your skin or wrapping them in a towel or rag will make them last longer. Cool down rapidly by remembering, at the very least, these four places on your body to place a cold pack:
the back of your neck, inner elbows, wrists, and the soles of your feet.