8 Hacks to Keep Cool without AC

1. Cuddle up to a frozen water bottle! This works even better with a repurposed hot water bottle. Wrap in a towel and take it to bed.

2. Check your fans! If you have ceiling fans, make sure they’re spinning counter-clockwise, which makes downward breeze and keeps things feeling cool.

3. Put your lotion in the fridge! Aloe works too! Apply that literal cold cream for a cooling self-care moment

4. Hang a damp sheet in the window! The moisture will cool the hot air as it passes through

5. Make a wind tunnel! Open windows on opposite ends of your space, especially in the cooler AM and PM parts of the day.

6. Create a cool cave and alack out those windows! Heat from windows can account for up to 30 percent of the warmth at home!

7. Cool the body— apply ice to pulse points, take a cooling shower, or use a spray bottle to mist your body. Bonus points for standing nekkid and damp in front of a fan ;)

8. Drink WATER. DRINK MORE WATER. DID YOU DRINK YOUR WATER????? Remember, being overheated and dehydrated can trigger anxiety and anger (thanks to the hypothalamus) Keeping cool is important for mental health, this is especially important for folks using certain types of mental health medications and those on HRT (which can make it a bit harder to regulate our temps)

And don’t hesitate to go to a cooling center like your local library or even the grocery store… safety is priority one!