It's hot, and you need a cool down ?
No need to buy an air conditioner though!
Not only is it very expensive as you can see here (several hundred euros minimum)...
...but on top of that, it's very energy-intensive!
When you use an air conditioner, your electric bill will take a big hit.
Fortunately, there are simple and effective tricks to stay cool while saving energy.
Here are 10 tips to stay cool WITHOUT plugging in the air conditioning . Watch:
No one likes to sweat profusely during hot weather...
And the very first thing to do to stay cool is very simple:you have to regulate your body temperature .
The most effective method is to refresh your body from within drinking cool liquids.
It's much more effective than applying cold stuff to the outside of the body (we'll show you how to do that a bit later).
Know that you should drink 1.5 liters a day, but when it's hot you can easily go up to 2 liters a day.
So, do not hesitate to drink as much water as necessary to cool your body and protect it from the sweltering heat.
Moreover, during periods of heat wave, the National Public Health Agency advises to drink water regularly, and this, without waiting to be thirsty.
It is therefore important to always keep bottles of very cold water at hand. To keep your bottles fresh all day, use this trick.
And if you don't particularly like the taste of water, know that there are plenty of delicious recipes for fresh and natural drinks.
I recommend this refreshing mint drink recipe which is very easy to make.
It's not just water that can cool your body from the inside out when you start roasting from the heat.
For example, you can blend ice cubes or frozen fruit in a blender and make a delicious homemade smoothie.
Smoothies are known to boost your energy levels on hot days.
Thus, they are perfect to continue doing sports in the summer, or if you have to go out during the hottest hours of the day.
If you want to add some protein to your diet, try one of these 8 delicious, quick and easy smoothie recipes.
Very effective for cooling off and having a good supply of nutrients for the day.
Anyway, the idea is not to limit yourself to drinking only cold water, but also to taste good ice cream.
Try one of these delicious recipes to refresh your body from the inside out:
- recipes for refreshing homemade sorbets ready in 2 min
- recipe for popsicles WITHOUT using a mold
- homemade ice cream recipes WITHOUT an ice cream maker
On the other hand, avoid eating too much ice cream, otherwise you will quickly gain extra pounds!
Did you know that fans do not actually cool the air? Indeed, if the fans are effective in fighting against the heat, it is mainly because they make the air circulate .
And when the air circulates in your home, it also circulates on your skin, which helps sweat to evaporate .
Thus, circulating air will bring a feeling of freshness, much more pleasant than the unbreathable air of a room without fan.
But what few people know is that an outward facing fan , for example towards a window or a hallway, is much more efficient than a fan directed towards the interior of a room.
The idea is to use your fan to create a draft that pushes warm air out .
So this warm air will naturally be replaced by cooler air from outside, or by air from a cooler part of your home. Find out how it works here.
To give you an image, it's like a computer. When the processor overheats, the internal fan pushes the hot air out.
And if you have ceiling fans, know that you can change their direction of rotation.
In the summer, set your ceiling fan to spin counter-clockwise .
Thus adjusted, the fan will stir air with a more cooling effect for you. The explanation is here, in point nº 5.
Don't have an air conditioner at home? Or do you want one, but it's not possible, because you live in a university residence or rent?
Well, there is an effective AND inexpensive alternative solution !
The trick is to make your own homemade air conditioner, to stay cool during hot weather! Find out how to make yours here.
Of course, a homemade air conditioner is not as effective as a store-bought unit in cooling an entire house.
But one thing is certain, with this home air conditioner by your side, you will be comfortably cool, including at night!
Your next ally on the list of tips to beat the heat? This is your fridge and freezer!
No, we are not going to advise you to put your head in the fridge, like the cats in the photo above. That would be a really bad idea!
Here, the principle is to use your refrigerator to lower your body temperature and keep you cool.
To do this, put a dampened sheet, fitted sheet or washcloth in a plastic bag, then put it in the fridge or freezer.
In the evening, just take them out before going to bed to refresh yourself easily and quickly.
In the same way, use light and light fabric sheets, as they are better ventilated. When it's hot, put away your duvet, even if it's cozy and comfortable! Find out why here, in point 2.
In the same vein, you can also try the "Egyptian method". This ancestral technique was used by the Egyptians to stay cool during very hot nights.
It's simple, just soak a sheet in cold water, then wring it out well until it's just damp, but not soggy.
Then we lie down in bed and use this sheet as a cooling blanket .
And there, the effect is just magical :as the water evaporates, you enjoy all the freshness, but without getting wet! Check out the trick here.
You can also put a cold washcloth or an ice pack on your head or wrists just before sleeping. Guaranteed effect!
In the same vein, put on very cool and slightly moistened socks. It will refresh your feet and help you fall asleep much easier.
A VMC is an effective way to evacuate hot air from inside your home.
It's true that it's not cheap, between €200 and €1,200 depending on the size of the house. You will tell me with such a budget, you can buy an air conditioner, fixed or portable.
But the advantage of a VMC is that it helps you make big savings on electricity bills.
Indeed, a VMC is much less energy intensive than an air conditioner.
So, if you don't live in an area where the temperatures are high all year round, a CMV is a good solution for the few weeks of the year when it is very hot.
Efficient and easy to use, CMVs are also easy to install. Here you will find good tips for installing your VMC yourself.
In addition, VMCs help to renew the air in your interior. This means more dust in the house, an important aspect to consider for those who suffer from allergies.
However, they also have some drawbacks. For example, CMVs cannot lower the indoor temperature lower than the outdoor temperature.
We too often forget... One of the best things to keep the inside of your house cool in the summer, is to prevent the sun and the heat from entering !
Here, the trick is to simply close your shutters and your curtains, as soon as the sun comes up and the mercury begins to rise. Find out how here.
If you don't have shutters to block the heat and prevent the sun from entering your home, use curtains made of heavy, insulating fabric, like these.
You can even try these futuristic curtains pictured above, made with insulated material that blocks the sun's heat.
Later at the end of the day, when the temperatures start to drop, all you have to do is open the curtains.
Indeed, as soon as it is a little cooler outside, the warm air inside your home will naturally be evacuated outside, and it will be replaced by fresh air.
This is the principle of thermodynamics:cool air goes in, warm air goes out . And everyone is happy!
If you're willing to invest a little money to stay cool at night, there are cooling pillows and mattress toppers that come in handy.
These products will be of great help to you when it is too hot in your bedroom.
I recommend these 2 models that I use at home:
- Chillow cooling pillow under 25 €
- pillow with cooling gel for less than €60
You can also try this cooling mattress topper, which is guaranteed to keep you cool while you sleep. In fact, it lowers the temperature of the mattress by 3°C to 4°C, for 5 to 6 hours.
No matter which one you choose, all of these products will help you stay cool in bed, especially when it's as hot inside as it is outside.
Now that you know the washcloth in the fridge trick, you can go even further to freshen up.
Indeed, for this technique to be even more effective, it is important to know where the pulse points are on your body.
So the next time you're overheated, try putting on a cool washcloth around your neck or wrists.
Why ? Because putting a cold source on these strategic places lowers the body temperature a lot faster than if you put it on the forehead, for example.
Use the image above to find out where to put your cool compresses, wet towels or ice packs... and they will be even more effective in keeping you cool.
If you want to cool off, know that it's not just cold compresses or ice packs...
Indeed, do not underestimate the effectiveness of sleeping completely naked and lightly moistening your skin.
There's nothing like being naked with a little water on your skin and posing in front of a fan or a homemade air conditioner when it's hot.
This is THE magic formula to enjoy a moment of pure freshness, trust me!
And the secret here is to slightly moisten your body.
This is because if there's too much water on your skin, you won't get that nice cooling mist effect when drying in front of the fan, or when you have a damp towel wrapped around your head.
There you go, you know the best tricks to stay cool WITHOUT having to buy an air conditioner.
A good cold shower, an afternoon indoors with the curtains drawn and the fans running, a few glasses of cold water and a refreshing smoothie...
Follow these good tips, and there is no doubt that you will be well and fresh.
