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Shy of chewing ice cubes or sticking your head in a freezer, there are many easy and effective ways to cool down your body in summer.
The main tactic is to keep things light: You want to wear lightweight materials that allow the body to breathe. You want to keep skincare products equally light, to keep pores clear. These steps allow the body to regulate its temperature effectively, without forcing it into high gear. Then, you can take measures to expedite this cooling process when its more urgent, or to quickly give your body an all-over cooling sensation—again, shy of jumping into a cold pool or cradling the air conditioner all afternoon.
Here are some ideas on how to cool off, whether you need it now, or whether you want to put the knowledge on ice, and save it for when things really heat up.
Wear breathable clothing
If you could sprawl out in your swimsuit all summer, you’d do it. But some days, you have to button up and head to work in the sweltering heat. The best way to stay cool in these hot times is to wear fabrics that promote airflow, and that wick sweat away from your body. They keep you cool and prevent any swampiness; suddenly you won’t have to tell people things like “Hey, good to see you, but please don’t hug me because you’ll press the sweat all over my body onto my shirt.”
As a starting block, cotton, linen, and rayon are some of your best bets. However, some brands, like Uniqlo with its Airism line, combine materials such as polyester and spandex for similar solutions. In this case, Airism’s base-layer clothing wicks moisture and release heat away from the body. Their undershirts and underwear are precisely the fabrics you want closest to your skin during peak heat.
Always stay hydrated
John Mayer was right: Your body is indeed a wonderland, and one of its cutest features is that it self regulates your body temperature. When it gets too hot, the body keeps close to that desired 98.6 degrees. When it gets super cold, its heating powers kick in so that you don’t freeze.
And the more water you pump into your body, the better it can regulate this process—just as H2O is the foundation of all your bodily functions. But in this case, it helps you sweat, which in turn releases heat from the body. (By the way, please don’t go drinking, like, 20 glasses of water and blame it on GQ. Stick to the recommended 8-glasses per day, and add more if you’re sweating all day or exercising profusely.)
It’s not like you’re going to suddenly sweat more since you chugged a bunch of water. You’ll digest most of it, but at least you’re giving your body the fuel it needs to effectively regulate its own temperature, and avoid dehydration.
Wear lightweight SPF
Of course you’re going to wear SPF when you’re out in the sun, but sometimes it’s so dense and non-absorbent that it sits atop your skin and leads to profuse sweating; it even feels like you’re wearing face paint or something.
Stick instead to lightweight, fast-absorbing SPF moisturizers. Sometimes they’re oil free, sometimes they’re masquerading as serums, sometimes they’re mineral based… just look for the promise that they wear light while protecting just as heavy.
And swap out your night balms
It’s also miserable trying to fall asleep in the height of summer. Your AC is cranked, your bedsheets are stripped, and your pillowcase is a sponge. Don’t aggravate the situation with a dense night cream or balm—but also, don’t ditch your overnight moisturizing regimen. This is the best time to help your skin regenerate, and thus promote healing, firmness, brightness, and clear skin. So, swap in a lightweight moisturizer during the hot months—SPF not necessary, obviously. You could even apply a serum underneath the moisturizer, since it will absorb quickly and work its magic from within the skin—at no expense to your body temperature.
Apply cold pressure strategically
If you’re going to slap an ice pack or bag of frozen peas anywhere on your body, then press it against the pulse point on your wrist, neck, chest, or temples. They’re the spots that release the most heat from the body, and where the veins flow closest to the surface of the skin. You’ll access the blood and circulatory system more effectively at these points, and expedite the cooling-down sensation that you so badly need.
Similarly, you should press something cool against the back of your neck, or more accurately, against the brainstem that runs through the neck. This is the part of the brain that senses and regulates body temperature. A cold press on this area will expedite the cool sensation across your entire body.
Dr. B.J. Miller on what he's learned about living from a career in end-of-life care.
