Tips For Surviving A Heat Wave If You Don’t Have Air Conditioning
In some places, access to air conditioning is practically nil. Surviving a heat wave, especially when it comes to the elderly and children, becomes a serious and necessary problem to tackle.
Don’t underestimate the power of the elements. We must be aware that if we do not put the necessary measures, it is possible to suffer adverse effects that could threaten our life.
Let’s go deeper.
How can a heat wave affect you if you don’t have air conditioning?
To be able to identify the effects of heat, one must be attentive to heatstroke, cramps, dehydration and the worsening of health problems that are already suffered.
You must be especially alert to heat stroke, since when it occurs, the body is not able to regulate its temperature. As reported by the Mayo Clinic, the following symptoms are observed:
- Hot, red, and dry skin.
- Nausea and intense thirst.
- Drowsiness or aggression
- Loss of consciousness and seizures.
When this happens, the affected person must be transferred to a health center.
Tips for dealing with a heat wave
During the days of a heat wave, if you don’t have air conditioning, you should cool off even if you don’t feel like it. In addition, it is essential to protect yourself from direct sun exposure.
Also, try to avoid physical exercise in the hottest areas and take advantage of the early hours of dawn or dusk.
On the other hand, adapt your activities to the new situation. Take care of the elderly and the little ones, since they are the two parts of the population most susceptible to the effects of a heat wave.
Other tips that will come in handy are these:
- Stay as long as possible in cool, shaded or heated places.
- Avoid exposure to the sun in the central hours of the day (12 to 18 hours). As well as prolonged exposures or sleeping in the sun.
- Adequately protect the skin, head and eyes with clothing, hats or caps, and sunglasses.
What to do to survive a heat wave if you don’t have air conditioning?
1. Keep unnecessary heat sources away
It is important not to generate more heat than is already entering the house. To do this, we must turn off or move away electrical equipment when we are not using it and turn off unnecessary lights.
Light bulbs are another generating source of heat. As far as possible, avoid turning them on or, at least, not all of them at the same time, and use low-power or LED ones.
2. Keep the blinds down and the curtains closed
If the street atmosphere is cool first thing in the morning, you can open the windows to renew the air. When the sun is out and the temperatures rise, it is advisable to close the windows and lower the blinds.
If you have a balcony, it may be good to open an awning to prevent the sun’s rays from penetrating inside.
3. Use a fan and ice
With a fan, ice and salt you can get a homemade replacement for traditional air conditioning. To do this, place a metal bowl of ice and salt in front of a fan.
It will refresh you a lot and relieve the feeling of suffocation.
4. Generates slight air currents
Those windows through which the air comes out must be fully opened. On the contrary, the windows through which the air enters we must open only a little. In this case they should be those that overlook interior patios, where the air is less.
In this way, we achieve that natural air currents are generated in the house, when entering through one window and leaving through another.
5. The ceiling fan
Ceiling fans should be regulated before and after the summer. With the arrival of the warmer months, the fan must be programmed to rotate counter-clockwise.
Thus, it will drive down a stream of air capable of cooling the environment.
6. Reduce humidity
Avoid cooking foods that take a long time and emit heat and steam that help create a suffocating environment. Opt for salads and fruits on the daily menus, as well as constant water intake.
Likewise, the water that evaporates in the bathroom and the clothes hanging inside also charge the environment and rob us of freshness.
7. Hands and feet in cold water
When we see our temperature rise, it is advisable to immerse the dolls in cold water for a few minutes. Do the same with your feet and refresh your face and neck as well. This can help relieve the feeling of heat.
Contact the doctor
If for any reason you begin to notice any of the symptoms described at the beginning, quickly contact your doctor. You may be suffering from heat stroke, which could be life-threatening.
Try to drink plenty of water, apply cold compresses to your body, and place yourself in a cool, ventilated place. In the same way, ask your family or friends for help to take care of you while the doctor arrives or to take you to the hospital.
