Tips For Staying Cool In The Summer: More Than Just AC

Personally, I look forward to the summer—longer days, easier travel, a multitude of outdoor activities, and evenings around the bonfire. But what I don’t look forward to is the heat that often comes with it. And let's be real—summers are only getting hotter. Heat waves are sweeping across the world, and average temperatures seem to climb year after year.

When your body gets too hot, it doesn’t just affect your comfort—it actually forces your brain to shift a significant amount of energy into regulating your temperature. That can make it harder to concentrate, sleep, or even carry out basic daily tasks. The good news? There are plenty of simple, effective ways to stay cool—even if you don’t have access to air conditioning. Here are a few strategies I’ve found useful, practical, and worth sharing as the temperatures rise.

Stay Hydrated the Smart Way—with Electrolytes

During hot weather, your body loses water through sweat in an attempt to regulate temperature. While this is a natural cooling process, it also depletes your body of essential minerals known as electrolytes—like sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. These minerals are crucial for proper muscle function, nerve signaling, and fluid balance. Simply drinking water isn’t always enough to replenish what’s lost, especially if you’re sweating heavily from outdoor activities, exercise, or even just a hot walk to your car.

Health experts recommend drinking small amounts of water consistently throughout the day—about 8 ounces every 15–20 minutes when exposed to heat. But for optimal hydration, it’s important to replace lost electrolytes too. Low-sugar electrolyte drinks, powders, or tablets are great for this. You can also turn to foods like bananas, pickles, avocados, or coconut water, which are naturally rich in potassium and sodium. On especially hot days, incorporating electrolytes into your hydration routine can help you avoid cramps, fatigue, dizziness, and more serious heat-related issues like heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Eat Water-Rich Foods to Boost Hydration

Hydration doesn’t just come from what you drink—it also comes from what you eat. Many fruits and vegetables have a high water content that can help keep you hydrated from the inside out. Watermelon, cucumbers, strawberries, lettuce, celery, tomatoes, and zucchini are all more than 90% water and also provide a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support your overall health.

Including these foods in your meals or snacks during the summer can enhance your fluid intake without you even realizing it. Plus, cold fruits and veggies make for refreshing snacks that cool you down naturally. Try blending frozen watermelon into a slushy or tossing cucumbers into a chilled salad for a double benefit—hydration and temperature relief.

Dress Light and Loose

What you wear during a heat wave can have a major impact on your body’s ability to stay cool. Choose lightweight, breathable fabrics like cotton, linen, or moisture-wicking athletic materials that allow air to circulate and sweat to evaporate. Light-colored clothing is especially helpful since it reflects rather than absorbs sunlight, reducing how much heat your clothing traps against your body.

Loose-fitting clothes are another must—they prevent heat and sweat from building up against your skin, which helps you cool more effectively. On the flip side, tight, dark, synthetic clothing can trap heat and exacerbate sweating, making you feel hotter and more uncomfortable than necessary.

Use Water to Cool Your Skin

Cooling your skin directly is one of the fastest ways to lower your core temperature. If you’re feeling overheated, taking a cool (not cold) shower can provide immediate relief. Alternatively, you can apply a damp washcloth or towel to areas where your blood vessels are close to the surface—like your neck, wrists, or behind your knees. This technique helps cool your blood and, in turn, lowers your overall body temperature.

You can also keep a misting bottle of water in the fridge and spritz yourself throughout the day. Some people even freeze a damp towel or bandana to drape around their neck during hot spells. These simple tricks are low-cost, quick, and effective—especially if you don’t have access to air conditioning.

Create a Cooler Home Environment

If you don’t have AC, or you're trying to save energy, there are still ways to make your home more bearable during extreme heat. Start by closing blinds, curtains, or blackout shades during the hottest parts of the day to block out direct sunlight. Heat can enter your home through windows, so minimizing sun exposure can make a noticeable difference.

At night, when temperatures drop, open windows to create cross-ventilation and let cooler air in. Use fans strategically to push hot air out and circulate fresh air. Positioning a box fan near an open window, or placing a bowl of ice in front of a fan, can add a DIY cooling boost. It’s worth noting that fans are most effective when the ambient air is below 95–100°F—beyond that, they may blow hot air around without actually cooling you.

Cool Spaces and Public Resources

Even if you don’t have air conditioning at home, you can still plan to spend parts of your day in cool, public places. Libraries, community centers, coffee shops, shopping malls, or even movie theaters offer air-conditioned relief during the hottest hours of the day—usually between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Many cities also open dedicated “cooling centers” during heatwaves for residents who need a place to escape the heat.

If you’re planning to be active outdoors, shift your schedule to early mornings or late evenings when the sun is lower and the temperature is more manageable. And always check your local news or weather service for heat advisories—these can help you plan your day more safely.

Recognize the Signs of Heat Illness

The best way to stay safe in the heat is to recognize early signs of heat-related illness before they escalate. Mild symptoms like excessive sweating, muscle cramps, dizziness, headache, or nausea are signs that your body is struggling to cool down. At this stage, it’s essential to get out of the heat, drink water with electrolytes, and rest.

If symptoms progress to confusion, rapid heartbeat, dry or hot skin (no sweating), or a body temperature over 103°F, you may be dealing with heat exhaustion or heat stroke—a medical emergency that requires immediate attention. Call 911 and take steps to cool the person down while waiting for help. Staying alert to these signs—especially in children, the elderly, and those with chronic health conditions—can prevent a dangerous situation.

Final Thoughts: A Holistic Approach to Staying Cool

Staying cool in the summer heat is about more than just lowering the temperature—it’s about supporting your body with the tools it needs to regulate itself. That includes staying consistently hydrated with water and electrolytes, wearing appropriate clothing, cooling your skin, and making your environment as comfortable as possible.

Hydration is the foundation. While water is essential, your body also needs electrolytes to function properly, especially when you're sweating heavily. Replenishing these minerals helps your body stay balanced, energized, and cool from the inside out.

Whether you’re hiking in the mountains, working in the yard, training for a race, or just lounging on a hot afternoon—implementing even a few of these strategies can help you feel better, perform better, and stay safe all summer long.