If getting through another Monday wasn't hard enough, this one comes hot on the heels of a record-breaking, province-wide heat wave that, according to Environment Canada, sits 10 to 11 C above normal for southern BC.
So, unless you have air conditiong or shares in O2Cool, chances are you had a rough one last night.
We don't have to deal with this too often in these parts, so we pooled our collective life experience to come up with 18 ways we know of to beat the heat:
1) Keep a stack of moist washcloths in the fridge and then stick ‘em on your neck, arms, legs or shoulders as required.
2) Super soaker battles (unleash the fury).
3) Dip your feet in a bowl of ice; it’s incredible how the act of cooling your toes can spread the chill all over your body.
4) And alternate that with a frigid wrist wash every few hours. A major vein runs through the area and your blood will enjoy the blast.
5) This next one's all mental: Go for a late evening stroll. You'll burn off any restless energy, and, when you get back inside, your house will feel cooler.
6) Follow it up with a lukewarm shower (lukewarm, not cold, because your body compensates with heat after the latter) and you're lights out.
7) Brew coffee in the evening, stick it in the fridge, and then kick off the following day with an iced jolt of caffeine.
8) Make every meal a chilled meal: smoothies; gazpacho; frozen grapes (a personal favourite from our long-ago youth; they’re the easiest popsicles to make, and the cheapest).
9) Slumber party! Grab your blankets and set up camp under the nearest window (preferably on a heat-conductive surface like tile). The change of scenery will help avoid any tossing and turning in your trusty bed. Or better yet, call up your closest friend with a basement suite and find out if their futon is free.
10) In some of the warmest regions on the globe, people choose to wear loose, long clothing during hot weather. Robes (made of fabrics of the non-Snuggie variety) can let in plenty of air to swirl around you while blocking out the sun’s heat and keeping your skin protected from the elements.
11) The higher the temperature, the hotter the food — at least, so said Sabrina's Indian grandmother. Food sweats can actually regulate your temperature, so if you’re brave enough, don’t hold back on the Sriracha.
12) Speaking of food, though, don't eat big meals. The metabolic heat associated with breaking down food (especially proteins) won't help your cause.
13) And don't cook indoors. Running the oven (or even having too many lights on!) quickly raises the room temperature.
14) Arm yourself with a portable fan – either battery powered or fancy, old-school fans made of paper or lace (the latter of which will earn you bonus fashion points).
15) Kill two effects of the sun with one smear, and switch out your regular moisturizer for one with cooling aloe.
16) If you can, work from the beach or an inflatable pool (or forget work completely and duck into a movie theatre).
17) Fill a stainless steel bowl with ice and place it in front of a fan. #diyairconditioner
18) Put clean sheets in a bag in the fridge for a few hours. Body temperature naturally wants to lower when we sleep, which is why a hot house makes it so difficult to slumber.
Finally, remember that the heat also effects pets. Keep your buddy's body temp down with a cool towel on the floor to lay on, as well as keeping the drinking water flowing.
Sun is in the forecast all week, with some cloud and slightly cooler temperatures rolling in Thursday. Are you looking forward to the break? Do you know any tricks we missed? Tell us in the comments below!
