Simple Ways to Keep Cool

1. SIMPLE WAYS TO KEEP COOL 2 0 1 5

2. I N T R O D U C T I O N During summer we’re able to enjoy high temperatures – particularly if we’re heading abroad in search of sunshine. While the season may now be drawing to a close, that doesn’t mean the occasional sticky, sleepless night isn’t still a problem. Fortunately, it’s a problem that can be avoided with a few simple measures. Let’s review some of them.

3. K E E P   A   W I N D O W   O P E N In order to allow cold air to circulate through your home, an open window might be just what’s called for. Modern double- glazing has remarkable heat-repelling properties – but at night time, when the sun’s absent, it can also keep heat inside your room. Open it up, and you might be surprised by how much cooler your room becomes. Ideally, you’ll want to open your window a few hours before you go to bed, in order to allow your room to get down to the right temperature. Many might object to leaving their window open all night – especially those in built-up urban areas with high levels of crime. That being the case, you’ll need to turn to other methods.

4. U S E   A   F A N A blast of moving air is an excellent way of keeping cool – especially during humid periods. This is so not only because it directly cools your skin, but because it dries it. If your skin is saturated with sweat, and that sweat isn’t evaporating quickly enough, then you’ll be unable to rid your body of excess heat. By drying out the sweat on your skin, you’ll be able to sweat more – and thereby get cool down. For this reason, fans are most effective when deployed against bare skin.

5. A V O I D   S P I C Y   F O O D If you’ve ever eaten a particularly spicy curry, you might have noticed that you begin to sweat. Why should this be? After all, you’re not increasing your temperature any more than you might be after a bland food of the same temperature. The answer lies in the fact that pain receptors in your skin respond to chemicals like capsaicin (found in chillies) in the same way that they respond to heat – which means that you’ll sweat. You’ll also perceive the food as hot, even if it’s the same temperature as a blander alternative. In order to keep as cool as possible, stick to relatively bland and cold foods – a fruit salad or a bowl of gazpacho might do just the trick!

6. B R E A T H A B L E   F A B R I C S In order to allow your skin to disperse heat, and cold air to penetrate your clothes (or bedsheets), then breathable fabrics like cotton are a must. They’ll allow you to keep things cool without stripping down to nothing. When you’re settling off to sleep, the first hour or so is crucial – as once you’re asleep, you’ll be less aware of slight changes in temperature. For this reason, you might consider keeping your pyjamas or bedsheets in the fridge – or freezer – for a few minutes before bedtime. This trick might seem a little bit extreme, but it can be a lifesaver on those especially humid nights.

7. CONTACT US ADDRESS All Seasons Climate Control Ltd Unit 5 Prospect Business Park Loughton Essex IG10 3TR CONTACT info@allseasonscc.co.uk Telephone: 020 8502 4540