10 Ways to Stay Cool in the Heat of Summer


10 Ways to Stay Cool in the Heat of Summer

Everyone loves a summer beach vacation. There is just something soothing about the sound of the ocean, the sand beneath our feet, and of course, the cool ocean breezes. It is also true that summer can be a scorcher in North Carolina. We love that beautiful Carolina sun, but occasionally she gets a tad hot. Of course, if you have to be hot, there is no place better to be than on the beach on Topsail Island. This week we have ten easy, and simple ways, to help you stay cool in the summer heat. 

Eat Hydrating Foods

Being dehydrated is a quick way to overheat in the summer, so be smart and sneak in extra water whenever you can. Seasonal produce like watermelon, cantaloupes, and cucumbers contain loads of water. In addition, they're easy to digest, don't need to be cooked, and taste better in season than they will the rest of the year. In other words, they're the perfect summer food.

Drink Peppermint Tea

A glass of peppermint tea is a great way to make your insides feel cool and tingly, thanks to menthol, a substance in the plant that works the opposite way capsaicin does, instead tricking your body into feeling cold. You can also spray mint tea on your skin to provide both evaporative and mentholated cooling, peppermint tea is an amazing product. 

Cool Your Car Fast

Did you know when it's only 80 degrees outside, it takes just one hour for your car to get up to 123 degrees inside. Rather than turn on the AC and walk away, or sit in the car and suffer through the heat while it cools down, you can quickly cool off your car by creating a cross-breeze. First roll down a window on the passenger side of the car. Then open and close the door opposite that window several times to quickly draw the hot air out of the car. 

Shade is Your Friend

This is probably one of the most common ways of staying cool in the summer, but one we often forget. Bring a beach umbrella to the beach. If you forget to bring a beach umbrella you can always use a regular umbrella which is a popular thing to do in many Asian countries. it doesn't take much shade to make a big difference temperature wise. 

Eat Spicy Food

have you ever noticed how popular spicy food is in hot places. Well it turns out eating something hot is actually a good way to stay cool. Capsaicin, the substance in peppers that makes spicy food spicy, binds to the pain receptors in your mouth. In response, your brain interprets this as being hot, and makes you sweat, and the sweat on your skin subsequently cools you down. The brilliant part is that you can do all of this without actually raising your body temperature, making it a genius way to cool down when things get hot outside

Add Some Ice to Your Hat

This is an old trick that tennis players often use. Since everyone has a cooler for their day on Topsail Island this trick is easy to implement.  Take your ball cap or hat. Get it a little bit wet and then toss in a few ice cubes. Quickly turn the hat over and bam you have instant cooling. This is a great way to cool off really fast. If you see that you are overheating or maybe have a child that is getting too hot, try this first. 

Bring a Spray Bottle

It sounds simple but the evaporating effect of just a little spritz of water is wonderfully cooling. You don't need a large bottle. Amazon has plenty of cheap little bottles that you can fit in a purse, beach bag or backpack. You'll be amazed as how much cooler you'll feel after just one spray. 

Wear White Clothes

You only get to wear them between Memorial Day and Labor Day, so you may as well get the most use out of your summer whites as possible. Light colors reflect light, which means you'll be cooler in white or pastels than you would be in dark clothes, which trap heat. When choosing fabrics pick light loose fabrics like cotton or linen. 

Soak Your Feet

Pulse points are spots on your body where blood vessels are very close to the surface, which makes them ideal to focus on when you want to cool down fast. Feet are a commonly overlooked pulse point, but soaking your feet in cool water will give you instant relief from the heat and can also be helpful if your feet swell in hot weather. Do this at home, or in pools, lakes, or even public fountains to get a respite from summer temperatures. The nice thing about summer is everybody else is hot too, so there's no judging.

Avoid Fattening Foods

It might seem like there's nothing better than a cold ice cream cone on a hot summer day, but there is. It turns out the high fat content in ice cream and other fatty foods makes them difficult to digest. The extra energy your body uses to digest the fat can actually raise your body temperature a little bit. So, if you want to cool down, try a fat-free frozen dessert like sorbet or an Italian ice.

What is your favorite way to stay cool during the summer? Let us know in the comments below. Of course, before you leave a comment make sure to click the button below or call us at 910-328-3400 to speak with one of our reservationists to plan your next Topsail island beach vacation. 

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10 Ways to Stay Cool in the Heat of Summer


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