Heat wave help: Sure-fire ways to stay cool when temperatures rise
You can become dangerously ill from heat exhaustion before you realize it's happening. It’s important to be prepared to stay cool for your comfort and health. Here are some tips.
By
Staff, AccuWeather
Updated Jun 23, 2025 1:44 PM EDT
When you download the free AccuWeather app, you get more than just the temperature for your area. You also gain access to AccuWeather’s RealFeel®, which dives deeper into the actual feel of the day.
As temperatures hit triple digits, there are a few ways to stay safe beneath the blazing sun. Staying hydrated is very important to feeling cool and avoiding serious heat-related illnesses. Cold water is the best thing to drink in hot weather. Carbonated beverages, including sparkling water, might feel good going down but won’t do as good a job of keeping you hydrated in hot weather. Alcohol and caffeinated drinks are even worse in hot weather because they’ll actually make you feel thirstier. If you get bored of water, try adding a few slices of fresh fruit.
Ceiling fans and floor fans are both good ways to feel cool in hot weather. As the temperatures rise, turn up the speed of the fans.
Keep a spray bottle close by and spray your face whenever you are hot and uncomfortable. As the water evaporates, you’ll feel cooler. If you don’t have a spray bottle, a damp towel will also work during brutally hot weather.
In hot weather, you don’t want to add more heat to your surroundings. So don’t use the oven or even the stovetop to prepare your meals. Cold meals like salads or sandwiches will feel lighter and more refreshing during hot weather.
This is especially true if you use incandescent light bulbs, which generate heat. Closing the blinds to block direct sun will also help you stay cool in hot weather.
This is less about getting clean and more about cooling off during hot weather. You’ll feel refreshed almost immediately.
Exercising is a healthy habit in general, but it can be dangerous in hot weather. If you simply won’t feel right without working out, alter your schedule to choose times that are cooler — like the early morning or evening.
In hot weather, even a little bit of cool relief can make all the difference. Try these simple tips and see if they work for you:
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Store your face and body lotions in the refrigerator. It sounds silly, but it’s a fast way to feel relief when you’re overheated during hot weather.
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Keep plastic bottles of water in the freezer. These can help you in two ways: as an instant ice pack to cool down your head or neck and as a source of cold drinking water as the ice starts to melt.
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Switch to cotton sheets. There’s nothing worse than trying to fall asleep when you’re too hot. Light-colored bed linens made of lightweight cotton are breathable and promote airflow. That means cool comfort when it’s time to rest.
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Rest ice packs or frozen water bottles on your pulse points: the wrists, neck, elbows, ankles and behind your knees. You’ll be amazed at how much it cools off your entire body.
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Stay low. Remember that heat rises. That means the basement of your home, or even placing your mattress on the floor, may provide some relief.
A woman uses a fan to cool of while riding in a tram in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017. Romanian meteorologists issued an extreme temperatures warning, with 42 Celsius (107.6 F) forecast for parts of western Romania placing 12 counties under a "red code" heat alert for the next two days. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
Vadim Ghirda
In hot weather, it’s important to stay cool, for your comfort and health. Relief may seem hard to find, but stay calm and don’t get frustrated. The steps to cooling down outlined above are simple, effective and have stood the test of time.
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News / AccuWeather Ready
Heat wave help: Sure-fire ways to stay cool when temperatures rise
You can become dangerously ill from heat exhaustion before you realize it's happening. It’s important to be prepared to stay cool for your comfort and health. Here are some tips.
By Staff, AccuWeather
Updated Jun 23, 2025 1:44 PM EDT
When you download the free AccuWeather app, you get more than just the temperature for your area. You also gain access to AccuWeather’s RealFeel®, which dives deeper into the actual feel of the day.
As temperatures hit triple digits, there are a few ways to stay safe beneath the blazing sun. Staying hydrated is very important to feeling cool and avoiding serious heat-related illnesses. Cold water is the best thing to drink in hot weather. Carbonated beverages, including sparkling water, might feel good going down but won’t do as good a job of keeping you hydrated in hot weather. Alcohol and caffeinated drinks are even worse in hot weather because they’ll actually make you feel thirstier. If you get bored of water, try adding a few slices of fresh fruit.
1- Move the air around
Ceiling fans and floor fans are both good ways to feel cool in hot weather. As the temperatures rise, turn up the speed of the fans.
2- Mist your face
Keep a spray bottle close by and spray your face whenever you are hot and uncomfortable. As the water evaporates, you’ll feel cooler. If you don’t have a spray bottle, a damp towel will also work during brutally hot weather.
3- Avoid turning on the oven
In hot weather, you don’t want to add more heat to your surroundings. So don’t use the oven or even the stovetop to prepare your meals. Cold meals like salads or sandwiches will feel lighter and more refreshing during hot weather.
4- Shut off the lights
This is especially true if you use incandescent light bulbs, which generate heat. Closing the blinds to block direct sun will also help you stay cool in hot weather.
5- Take a cool bath or shower
This is less about getting clean and more about cooling off during hot weather. You’ll feel refreshed almost immediately.
6- Avoid strenuous exercise
Exercising is a healthy habit in general, but it can be dangerous in hot weather. If you simply won’t feel right without working out, alter your schedule to choose times that are cooler — like the early morning or evening.
7- Other helpful hints
In hot weather, even a little bit of cool relief can make all the difference. Try these simple tips and see if they work for you:
Store your face and body lotions in the refrigerator. It sounds silly, but it’s a fast way to feel relief when you’re overheated during hot weather.
Keep plastic bottles of water in the freezer. These can help you in two ways: as an instant ice pack to cool down your head or neck and as a source of cold drinking water as the ice starts to melt.
Switch to cotton sheets. There’s nothing worse than trying to fall asleep when you’re too hot. Light-colored bed linens made of lightweight cotton are breathable and promote airflow. That means cool comfort when it’s time to rest.
Rest ice packs or frozen water bottles on your pulse points: the wrists, neck, elbows, ankles and behind your knees. You’ll be amazed at how much it cools off your entire body.
Stay low. Remember that heat rises. That means the basement of your home, or even placing your mattress on the floor, may provide some relief.
A woman uses a fan to cool of while riding in a tram in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017. Romanian meteorologists issued an extreme temperatures warning, with 42 Celsius (107.6 F) forecast for parts of western Romania placing 12 counties under a "red code" heat alert for the next two days. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
In hot weather, it’s important to stay cool, for your comfort and health. Relief may seem hard to find, but stay calm and don’t get frustrated. The steps to cooling down outlined above are simple, effective and have stood the test of time.
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