How to handle the heat
Tips for staying (relatively) cool when your home isn’t:
Keep blinds closed during the day for windows that are in the sun (often east- or west-facing).
If there’s a rug on the floor, roll it up and out of the way. The coolest floorings are concrete slab and tile, with hardwood coming in third. Rugs can insulate you from the coolness.
If you have gas for cooking, cook when everyone is not indoors as it will tend to heat up the home.
Stay hydrated. Drink lots of water.
Sleep in the coolest, most ventilated room of your home. If you live in a two-story house, choose a ground-floor room.
Take a shower just before you go to bed. If you wake up and can’t go back to sleep because of the heat, take another shower.
Eat your dinner as early as possible, and don’t snack afterward. That will slow your metabolic rate later in the evening when you go to sleep.
SOURCE: Danny Parker, principal research scientist, Florida Solar Energy Center
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