How to Stay Cool During the Heat Wave

The heat wave is coming to the West Coast! But don’t sweat. I have a cool method for lowering your body temperature!

As your shorts stick to your legs, your sunglasses slide down the trail of sweat on your nose, and your mood becomes lazy and irritable, you might want to take some advice from Kula during the heat wave, and stand in cold water!

A cheeky way to avoid heat exhaustion

As the sun beats down and your body temperature rises, circulating blood becomes hot. The body’s normal core temperature is 37-38°C. If it heats up to 39-40°C, the brain tells the muscles to slow down and fatigue sets in. At 40-41°C, heat exhaustion is likely, and above 41°C, the body starts to shut down—Yikes! That’s not a big window between an optimal level of internal heat and the limit your body can endure!

Common ways to cope with heat wave dangers are to: Drink plenty of fluids including electrolytes, avoiding extended sun exposure, avoiding physical exertion during the hottest parts of the day. But, if you need to lower a body temperature studies have found that by cooling your hands, feet and cheeks you can actually regulate your overall body temperature quite effectively. Even more interesting is that if you do this during a workout, you can extract heat from a muscle, resulting in enhanced muscle performance. One study determined that palm cooling resulted in a 40% increase in work volume.

Ways to cool your Palms, Bottoms of Feet and Cheeks:

The available research suggests that immersion of the hands for 10 minutes in cold water at a temperature of 15°C. If the water temperature is too cold, such as ice, skin vessels will vasoconstrict, meaning they will close and greatly reduce the blood flow and weaken the water’s cooling properties—so not too cold, you want the goldilock’s temperature! Ideally something slightly cooler than tap water.

1. Stand in a few inches of cold water either in your bathtub, bucket, kids play pool or a river.

2. Store some damp face cloths in your fridge, and rotate them to cool your cheeks.

3. Immerse your hands in cold water. Whether you’re at home or on the trails, find somewhere to soak your palms in cool water. If you’re riding you’re bike, stop at a creek and submerge your hands.

Tips for Surviving a Heat Wave

1. Stay hydrated and add electrolytes (Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium). Hot weather causes you to sweat, and it’s vital to replenish the lost fluids and electrolytes or you’ll overheat.
2. Never leave pets or kids in hot vehicles. Even for a second! Keep your pets indoors and make sure they have access to a cool space and plenty of water.
3. Stay inside during the hottest part of the day (10 A.M to 4 P.M.) Close your blinds before the sun hits your house.
4. Wear a hat!
5. Cool your palms, bottoms of feet and cheeks!