As temperatures soar across Jamaica, staying cool is essential to protect your health from the scorching heat. While air conditioning is the most common solution, many people don’t have access to it and must find other ways to beat the heat.
There are plenty of creative and refreshing ways to beat the heat. Here are some ideas for you to try.
1. Unplug your electronics
Appliances are one of the main sources of heat in the home. Any appliance that’s plugged in produces heat whether you’re using it or not, especially larger appliances like washing machines and stoves, and even light bulbs. To reduce the amount of heat produced throughout your home, it’s important to unplug appliances that you’re not using.
2. Cooling Curtain
The main purpose of curtains is to regulate the amount of light that enters a room, but it’s easy to overlook how something as simple as this can affect the temperature of a room. To avoid some of the heat when the temperatures are high, it’s best to hang light-coloured curtains that reflect light rather than absorbing it. Dark coloured curtains can absorb heat and turn a room into a living oven. A fun hack is to spray your curtains with cold water and see how it affects the temperature of the room.
3. Stay hydrated
As temperatures rise due to the influx of Saharan dust, one of the most basic and important things to remember is to drink water. Staying hydrated is important, especially considering the possible side effects of the dust. Your body needs water to cool you down, so whether you’re drinking cold or warm water, make sure you stay hydrated.
4. Stay Low
Heat rises, so another way to stay cool is to simply stay lower. If you want to sleep cooler, try lowering your mattress closer to the floor.
5. Wear light clothing
It’s natural for people to adjust their clothing as temperatures change. To stay cool during hot weather, think carefully about what you’re wearing that day and how much heat it absorbs. We highly recommend wearing light clothing in light colors.
6. Ventilate the room
People often jokingly say that their home is like a furnace. Another way to cool a room is to open windows or other vents, especially at night when it starts to get cold outside. This allows cool air to circulate throughout the night, making the room cooler during the day.
7. Trap cold air
While ventilation and air circulation are important, another way to mitigate heat in a space is to close the doors to rooms that you’re not using, especially rooms that generate more heat than others. This keeps cool air trapped in one space and prevents excess hot air from escaping.
8. Ice fan cooling
An alternative to an air conditioner is a powerful electric fan. Electric fans are made to circulate air in a space and are built into air conditioners, making them the next best thing for those who don’t have access to an air conditioner. Although a fan circulates air, that air isn’t always cold. If you’re in a situation like this where your fan is making your hair hot, try placing a bowl of ice in front of the fan. This will help circulate the cool air by blowing it around the room.
