How To Keep Cool Over The Dry Season

As we get closer to the dry and harmattan season, the sun is waxing harsher and biting. Excessive exposure to the sun causes increase in the risk of developing skin cancer, light brown patches on the skin, mottled pigmentation, sallowness – yellow discolouration of the skin; telangiectasia – a condition in which widened tiny blood vessels cause threadlike red lines or patterns on the skin, cause exhaustion, dehydration, accelerate aging of the skin and causes age spots.

Drink Lots of Water To Stay Dehydrated:

Use a water flask or bottle to store up water to drink throughout the day. Drink four liters of water daily which is an equivalent of eight sachet water bags. Water not only regulates the temperature; it keeps the skin soft helps kidney to function and lubricate your joints and muscles.

Dress To Protect Your Skin:

The sun is more intense between 10am and 4pm. If you have to be out and about within this period – wear protective clothing as long-sleeved shirts, pants, broad hats – to protect your face, scalp and ears from the sun; and reapply sunscreen during the day to keep skin from burning. Also avoid staying in direct sunlight during the peak hours of the sun.

Wear Sunglasses:

Ultraviolet rays of the sun can damage some sensitive cells in the eyes – which would later in life affect a person’s vision. World Health Organization (WHO) reports that scientific evidence suggest that different forms of eye cancer may be associated with lifelong exposure to the sun. Wear sunglasses to protect the eyes from excessive ultraviolet radiation that damages the cornea.

Take as Much Bath As Possible:

Besides being refreshing, having a bath rids one of secreted sweat from the body. Dried sweat on the body could lead to body odour, and causes one to develop darker complexion.

Wearing A Wet Tee Shirt During a Hot Weather:

This is effective. If you’d rather not walk around in wet clothing, you can buy cooling spray, or taking cold shower before work, after work and bedtime.

Keep Your Home Cool:

Make your home a place you can escape to out of the heat. So, keep your home cool and comfortable. Keeping windows and doors closed during the hottest part of the day can help keep the cool air in and the hot air out. Keep curtains, shutters and blinders closed. You can open doors and windows in the evening to let cool air circulate in the rooms.

Eat Light Meals To Feel Cooler:

You are far better off eating light, well-balanced, regular meals. Then, eat food and fruits with high water/fluid content like soup, strawberries, cucumber, celery and lettuce to help keep you hydrated and cool.

Limit Physical Activity To Cooler Parts of the Day:

It could be dangerous to exercise in the blazing mid-day sun and risk dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. If you decide to workout or play sports; make sure to drink lots of water and take more breaks than usual.