Keep cool as a cucumber with these heat beating tips

You might have heard that there is a heat wave on the horizon for most of Australia. It is summer after all! However, these temperatures are said to be ‘unseasonal’, which means you might be looking for ways to keep cool.

Of course, if you have air-conditioning or fans using them will be very helpful. Yet, the costs associated with running such appliances all day can really start to add up. Therefore, knowing a few tricks to beat the heat that don’t involve air-con or fans can be quite beneficial, more so is that these ones really work!

Peppermint tea mist

If you brew a pot of peppermint tea and then put it in the fridge you have taken the first steps to making a peppermint tea mist. When it’s nice and cold you can pour it into a spray bottle and mist yourself with it. It is a much better alternative to plain old water because the menthol in the tea will give your skin this cool, tingly feeling.

Chill your mattress

Do you have soft gel packs in your freezer? Pop them on top of your mattress and underneath the sheets before you get into bed of a night. The best places to place them are under your neck, lower back and legs. If you don’t have gel packs, try a sock filled with rice — place it in the freezer and slip it between the sheets when it’s super cold. Rice actually holds the chill longer.

Aloe vera

You’d be aware of the naturally soothing properties of aloe vera, and most people will have a plant located somewhere about the home just in case they suffer a bit of sunburn. The cooling properties of aloe vera can also help you beat the heat. Here’s a really clever recipe for your own aloe vera spray that doesn’t contain ingredients that might be harmful to your skin:

Combine these ingredients together in a spray bottle and shake well. You can use on your face, arms, neck or chest, and even on the soles of your feet when you are feeling hot. If you can position yourself in front of a breeze and allow it to caress your skin it will provide the maximum benefit.

Cool off in the shower

When all else fails, head for the shower. A cool shower (not ice cold — we don’t want your body to go into shock) can help keep your body temperature down, not to mention it can assist with sweat removal. You can also run yourself a tub and plonk yourself down in it to cool off whenever you feel you need.

Have you been feeling the heat now that summer is here? What tips do you have for keeping cool? Share them with us.