Coping with hot weather

"In another news, the heat here is killing! You know that clinging type of heat and how it can make person crazy? Na so this heat be! E no funny o!"

The above is an excerpt from an sms I received from my kid sister a couple of weeks ago. She's been doing her mandatory one year national assignment in the northern part of the country. I got to learn that part was yet to witness any rainfall since the year began, unlike here in southern parts. Yet even here, the heat is at times so intolerably wild that it just leaves a fine impression on my mind what my little one was trying to describe; what she must be undergoing in the far away desert that is the northern Nigeria!


Her little complaint prompted my bit of research on heat and how best it can be managed.

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Heat can prove a real nuisance in certain regions. Its menacing impacts are mostly felt by elderly persons, babies/kids, persons with heart conditions, alcoholics, persons on certain medications, as well as labourers who work in the open sun.


Heat comes with various health hazards notable among which are dehydration, exhaustion, heat stroke, and heart problems.


Knowing how to cope with heat is important especially if you find yourself in a hot region. Setting proper measures to combat heat would save you and your loved ones from its devastating effects and surprisingly, most of these measures are super easy, and at no cost to you.


Do you know you can effectively cope with heat simply by modifying your lifestyle some bit?

Oh yes!

Adjusting your diet, your dressing, your lifestyle and home generally would help you stay sane during fierce hot weather.


In terms of diet, certain foods and drinks can help you stay hydrated. The first thing that comes to mind here is taking plenty of water while at the same time avoiding alcohol, sugary drinks, and caffeine. It does good to go about with a water bottle and take enough gulp of the fresh drink before, during, and after activities.


Food-wise, it is advisable to avoid foods heavy in protein. These increase heat production which is not good for your body. Fresh foods like fruits and salads are best for you at this time.


You can also keep yourself cool in hot weather by your dressing.

You ought to stay indoors as much as possible during hot times, but if you have to go out, wear light clothes and shoes to allow air touch your body and feet. Top this up with a wide brim hat and sunglasses if possible to shade off the sun.

Minimizing your accessories especially metallic ones is a good idea as they keep off unnecessary heat. Same goes for your hair if you have long ones. Just hold them up to free your face and neck and give fresh air some room.


Home is a very important place and the need to keep it cool at hot times cannot be overemphasized. Sure you wouldn't want your loved ones melt away under the fiery furnace powered by the sun. So making little adjustments every here and there might just be all you need to keep their spirits in their bodies.

To start with, you might want to avoid any activity in the home that produces extra heat such as cooking. In this case, cold foods such as fruits, salads, bread, desserts are preferred. Shut your doors and windows at high time of the day to keep off excess heat from sun radiation. Take frequent baths and keep your home air-conditioned as much as possible. In the event that the AC is not available, leave your fan on and at full limit to help dispel some of the hot air.


This is not exhaustive. You can probably come up with some more measures to help you cope with excess heat. Please do not keep it all to yourself even if you live in a safe region. Someone might find this useful. Share with friends and family. You never know, you might just save a life!