Keeping cool in the heat

Luckily we do not live in a country that has extremely hot seasons. In the last month however, we did have several days when the temperature gauge hit the mid-thirties. This was enough to send people flocking to social media to share their thoughts on the heatwave.

For very young children and the elderly, high temperatures can be dangerous, and in some cases, even fatal. The problem is that when we do get lovely sunny weather we all want to spend as much time outdoors as we can. Whether you are at home or at an event, there are ways to make sure you both enjoy the hot weather and keep cool at the same time.

Parasols and Umbrellas

If you are hosting an event, such as a wedding, barbeque, christening or party of any kind, making sure your guests are comfortable is your prime goal. No one will remember the delicious canapés if they are sitting in direct sunlight sweating profusely.
Providing areas of shade and shelter will allow those who do not want to spend all their time in the sun some respite. Mums can get their babies off to sleep, safe in the knowledge that they are safe from the sun’s harmful rays. Older folk can cool down and not stay for too long in the strong sunlight.
You can position parasols and umbrellas in one area to give maximum shade in a specific part of the garden or venue. Or try dotting them around tables so that every guest has a chance to be in the shade.

Keep hydrated

You’d be surprised the amount of people that, on a hot day, do not drink enough water. It seems obvious enough but if you do not stay hydrated your body will overheat and you can become seriously ill.
You should aim to drink throughout the day, little and often is always a good mantra. And stay away from coffee, alcohol or fizzy drinks that contain caffeine as these are diuretics (make you go to the loo more).

Wear natural, loose clothing

Artificial fabrics, such as polyester and acrylic, trap heat and will only make you feel hotter. Keeping to natural materials (like cotton) allows the air to pass through the fibres and gives a cooling effect.
Wearing loose clothing also allows air to flow around the body, this is important as when we sweat it is the circulation of air that cools the skin. So on a hot day, try not to wear very tight-fitting clothes that do not allow the air to breathe.

Watch what you eat!

You know when it’s a cold day and you eat a bowl of hot soup to warm you up? The same is true on a hot day. Eating cold foods, such as salads, ice-cream, cold, iced drinks also cool the body from the inside out.
It is also wise to eat smaller foods often, rather than have one big meal once a day. This is because it takes a lot more of your metabolic heat to break down a larger meal than a smaller one, so you will end up feeling much hotter than when you started.
Now a spicy meal, made with tons of chilli peppers, might be the last thing you fancy on a hot, summer’s day, but research shows that compounds in the peppers stimulate receptors in your mouth, which affects your circulation and causes sweating. This of course, helps to cool down the body.
Don’t forget, if you need to hire parasols, umbrellas or gazebos, we have dedicated staff ready to help you.

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