With 72 French departments on red heatwave alert, all records are being shattered. Temperatures exceeding 42°C are being felt across the Hexagon, and in Parisian apartments, often very poorly insulated, trying to cool off has become a constant battle. While some simply choose to leave their homes to sleep in parks that stay open all night, others are trying every possible technique to bring down the heat. However, amongst the most common methods, some are completely useless and may even make things worse. Here are the true and false good ideas for staying cool during a heatwave.
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Bad techniques for cooling off :
1) A cold shower : at first, you'll feel like you're being reborn as the cold water cascades over your skin. But in reality, you're sending cold signals to your brain and as a result, your body will generate heat to compensate. You'll end up feeling warmer than you did before stepping out of the shower.
2) Drinking ice-cold water : a seemingly good idea that might lead to a terrible stomachache rather than genuinely making you feel better. It's essential to stay hydrated, preferably with room temperature or slightly cool water.
3)
Skipping meals: with this heat, we feel less hungry, but your body still needs energy. It's better to adjust your meals and focus on lighter foods that are easier to digest.
Great techniques to cool down:
1) Take a lukewarm shower: unlike a cold shower, a warm or lukewarm shower will allow the water to evaporate, lowering your body temperature.
2) Place a wet sheet or a bowl of ice in front of your fan: it will blow cooler air directly.
3) Point the fan towards the window: it sounds strange, but once night falls and the air cools down a bit, turning it around can help refresh your space.turning the fan towards the open window, this will suck the hot air out of the room and blow it outside.
4)Put your pillowcase in the freezer : before heading off to work, place your pillowcase in a plastic bag and pop it in the freezer. In the evening, you'll have a nice cool pillowcase to lay your head on at bedtime.
5) Hang up emergency blankets or white Meudon chalk on the windows : for apartments that get the most sun, these are two techniques that can be essential to block heat from entering the room. For the emergency blanket, make sure to place the silver side facing outwards, towards the sun.
6) Take icy foot baths : to cool down...By cooling the extremities of your body, you can effectively lower your body temperature!
7) Regularly wet your body.
8) Turn off electrical devices : they can heat up the room, and we definitely don’t need extra degrees!
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