With another sweltering summer hitting us hard across the country, it’s important to know how to stay cool, especially if you don’t have air conditioning at home. Here are some tips from Health Canada.
- Stay hydrated by drinking water before you feel thirsty. Leave a glass by the sink as a reminder, and up your fluid intake by eating more fruits and vegetables with a high water content.
- Keep your curtains or blinds closed in the hottest part of the day. Sunny rays can seriously increase the temperature inside.
- Don’t use your oven to cook, since it will heat up your home. You can find countless delicious ideas in cookbooks and online, from mouth-watering marinades for outdoor grilling to surprisingly hearty and refreshing salads.
- Escape the heat for a few hours in a tree-shaded area, swimming pool or air-conditioned spot such as a library, cooling centre, friend’s home or shopping mall.
- Choose loose-fitting, breathable, light-coloured clothing to help keep your body cool.
- Keep your windows open overnight if it’s safe to do so because air is typically cooler when the sun goes down.
- Use a shower to help you feel some relief.
While you’re taking care to stay cool, watch out for symptoms of heat illness, including feeling unwell, headache, fatigue and thirst. If you or someone else has these symptoms, stay hydrated and get somewhere cooler.
It’s a medical emergency if severe heat-related illness is suspected, with symptoms such as fainting, disorientation, severe nausea, vomiting, extreme thirst or difficulty speaking. Call 911 immediately.
While waiting for help, try to cool the person right away by moving them to a cool place, removing excess clothing, applying cold water on the body or fanning and dousing the person with water as much as possible.
Find more information at canada.ca/health.
