How to Stay Cool in the Summer Heat
The sun is blazing, the temperature is soaring, and in this Summer heat all you can think about is how to stay cool! Or maybe it’s just me. But just in case you feel the same, I’m sharing the 7 ways we stay cool in the Summer heat. Plus get my recipe for After Sun Cooling Spray and a few other simple recipes for staying cool this Summer spread throughout.
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In this Post:
7 Tips for How to Stay Cool this Summer
1. Stay Cool with Breathable Fabrics
- For clothing opt for light colored, loose fitting clothes in cotton or linen fabrics. These materials allow for better airflow, preventing heat from being trapped next to your skin.
- For bedding opt for natural fibers, too. Low thread count cotton is very breathable and much cooler than high thread count. However, the coolest sheets I’ve found are those made from organic bamboo viscose. These sheets are incredibly soft, breathable, and cooling—perfect for staying cool on hot Summer nights. They can be a bit pricey, but they’re durable.
2. Take Refuge from the Sun
- When indoors, take advantage of air conditioned spaces. Close blinds or curtains in the heat of the day to help keep your home cooler. Oscillating and ceiling fans help circulate the air which makes you feel cooler.
- Relax in your Personal Sanctuary. Tension and anxiety can make us feel hotter. Spending time in a quiet space can help reduce tension and improve mental energy.
- Take a short siesta in the hottest part of the day. If you don’t want to actually nap, make this a quiet time for journaling, reading, or meditation. These rest periods enhance both physical and mental energy and can be done indoors or outdoors in the shade.
- When outdoors, seek the shade of trees, umbrellas, or covered patios. If you’re sitting under backyard trees, mist overhead branches using the spray setting on your hose—this can reduce the air temperature by several degrees! And sip a cool drink or nibble on hydrating watermelon.
- Wear a hat. A cooling sun hat with a wide brim protects your scalp and face from sun exposure.
- Always wear SPF!
- Stay cool after sun exposure with the After Sun Cooling Spray below.
3. Get Wet!
- Combine activity with water! Play outside in the sprinkler, visit a local pool or lake, take a day trip to the ocean, hike beside a mountain stream.
- Spritz yourself with hydrosol. Some hydrosols, like Lavender, Peppermint, Spearmint, Cucumber, Rose, Neroli (Orange Blossom), and Yarrow, are naturally cooling. Keep hydrosols refrigerated to extend shelf life and provide a refreshing skin spritz.
- Use cool compresses on the back of the neck and underarms. Fill a bowl with cool water and ice cubes. Add a teaspoon of one of the above hydrosols. Then dip a cloth into the bowl, ring it out, and use as a cooling compress.
- Cool your head. Summer heat and a hot head can lead to irritability. An easy way to cool your scalp and your emotions is with a chilled spray bottle of water or water + hydrosol.
- Cool your feet by soaking in a foot bath filled with room temperature water and a teaspoon each of Lavender and Peppermint (or Spearmint) Hydrosols. This is a great way to beat Summer heat.
4. Enhance Hydration
- Drink plenty of cool liquids throughout the day, even if you don’t feel thirsty.
- Enjoy chilled herbal teas that include herbs like Hibiscus, Spearmint, Lemongrass, Lavender, and Chamomile.
- Boost hydration with enhancers like Nuun and Liquid IV. Available in a range of flavors, these additives make drinking water more pleasurable and hydrating.
- Add a little sparkle with carbonated water (we use a Soda Stream). Sparkling water is a great option if still water isn’t a favorite and it often seems more refreshing! Sparkling water can also be beneficial to gastrointestinal issues like stomachaches and constipation.
- Add a wedge of lemon to your water. Vitamin C is a natural hydration booster, antioxidant, and refresher. (Plus see what happens when you add it to a tea containing Hibiscus, like my Summer Cooler Cold Brew!)
- Eat the garnish. Garnish your chilled beverages with a sprig of fresh Peppermint. The menthol in the Peppermint is refreshing and cooling (and a breath freshener, too!).
- Use hydrosols! I love to spritz a bit of Aromatics International’s Spearmint or Peppermint Hydrosols in my sparkling water. This very simple addition makes a huge difference to refreshing my energy.
5. Make Freezer Treats
- Freeze fruits like grapes, melons, and various summer berries. Enjoy as a cooling snack. (Frozen watermelon is a great treat for dogs!)
- Make smoothies from frozen berries, mango, acai, banana, and yogurt. Add some fresh Peppermint or Spearmint for an extra cooling experience.
- Make refreshing freezer “pops” with apple sauce, yogurt, and chopped fruit.
- Make herbed ice cubes with fresh mint leaves. Add to cucumber water, iced teas, or citrus-ades.
6. Cook Outside or No-Cook
- Make the grill the go-to. Avoid using the oven or stovetop on hot days. Instead, head outside once your grill is in the shade and enjoy a family barbecue. It’s amazing what you can make on a grill. This is also an excellent time to make extra BBQ for sandwiches and salads!
- Prepare no-cook meals like sandwiches. Add lots of cooling veggies like spinach, romaine lettuce, cucumber, avocado, tomato, and celery. Use chilled chicken or salmon from a recent BBQ.
- Enjoy cooling salads of fresh veggies and in-season fruits. Add chopped mint and basil.
- Take advantage of cooler nights after sunset for a picnic dinner or nightcap snack of fresh berries, cheese, crackers, Lavender honey, and sparkling water.
7. Use Cooling Aromatherapy!
- Use chilled hydrosols to mist skin, hair, and scalp. My favorites for Summer heat are Lavender, Rose, and Cucumber.
- Make natural room sprays with cooling hydrosols and essential oils.
- Use hydrosols like Sweet Grass, Lavender, Peppermint, Orange, and Lime.
- Use essential oils like Lemon, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, and Geranium.
- Diffuse cooling essential oils, like Lavender, Spearmint, Peppermint, Lemongrass, Bergamot Mint, and Lime.
See the Refreshing Summer Heat Blend post for a cooling diffuser and room spray blend.
⭐After Sun Cooling Spray Recipe
Make time every day, regardless of the temperature, to spend at least a few minutes outside. A few minutes of sunshine is energizing (think of the scene in Wall-E) and revitalizing. Then when you come in, stay cool with this After-Sun Cooling Spray. Each of these ingredients has a cooling nature, and combined they nourish and hydrate the skin.
- 2 ounce spray bottle (I prefer glass)
- 2 Tablespoons Lavender Hydrosol (Lavandula angustifolia)
- 5 teaspoons Spearmint Hydrosol (Mentha spicata) or Peppermint Hydrosol (Mentha x piperita)
- 4 teaspoons Aloe Vera Gel
- 1 teaspoon Glycerin (or Lavender Glycerite)
To Make:
- Sanitize the bottle and all tools, including measuring spoons and a small funnel (if using), by simmering in water for 10 minutes.
- Combine all ingredients in the sanitized spray bottle, cap, and shake well to combine.
- Refrigerate.
- If good sanitary formulating practices are used and it’s stored in the refrigerator, the After Sun Cooling Spray will last up to 2 weeks.
To Use: Shake well before using. Spray skin lightly and allow to dry. If applying to the face, spray on clean hands and pat face, avoiding eyes. Safe for use on children.
If I asked you how to stay cool on a hot summer day, what would you say?
Mom’s Survive the Summer Heat Shopping List
I love using hydrosols to stay cool on hot Summer days. I spritz my face, the back of my neck, and my scalp and hair for a refreshing pick-me-up. Some hydrosols, like the mints from Aromatics International and the Neroli from Sweet Essentials, can be added to water for a delicious cooling flavor twist! That’s why you’ll find them first on my Survive the Summer Heat Shopping List!
- Citrus Hydrosols:
- Blood Orange Hydrosol (Citrus x sinensis) from Aromatics International, organic, US grown
- Blood Orange Hydrosol (Citrus x sinensis) from Mountain Rose Herbs, organic, US grown
- Lime Hydrosol (Citrus latifolia) from Mountain Rose Herbs, organic, US grown
- Neroli (Orange Blossom) Hydrosol (Citrus aurantium) from Mountain Rose Herbs, organic
- Neroli (Orange Blossom) Hydrosol (Citrus aurantium) from Sweet Essentials, organic (on Amazon).
- Cucumber Hydrosol (Cucumis sativus):
- Mountain Rose Herbs, organic, Pacific Northwest grown
- Lavender Hydrosol (Lavandula angustifolia):
- Aromatics International, organic, artisan, Montana grown
- Plant Therapy, conventional (Direct and Amazon).
Get more tips for using Lavender Hydrosol to care for your skin and so much more in Lavender: Lavender Recipes & the Plant Behind the Oil. You’ll find Lavender at:
- My Etsy Store (signed paperback, US)
- Amazon (paperback & Kindle Unlimited, international).
- Mint Hydrosols:
- Spearmint Hydrosol (Mentha spicata) from Aromatics International, organic
- Peppermint Hydrosol (Mentha x piperita) from Aromatics International, organic (also on Amazon)
- Both of of Aromatics’ mint hydrosols are excellent spritzed into chilled still or sparkling water!
- Rose Hydrosol (Rosa damascena):
- Aromatics International, organic
- Mountain Rose Herbs, organic
- Plant Therapy, sustainable (Direct and Amazon).
- Sweet Grass Hydrosol (Hierochloe odorata):
- Aromatics International, organic, US grown
- Mountain Rose Herbs, organic, Pacific Northwest grown.
- Yarrow Hydrosol (Achillea millefolium):
- Aromatics International, organic.
- Aloe Vera Gel (Aloe barbadensis):
- Seven Minerals, organic, Texas grown (on Amazon)
- Aromatics International, organic.
- Summer Heat Cooling Essential Oils:
- Bergamot Mint (Mentha citrata) from Aromatics International, organic
- Eucalyptus globulus, from Aromatics International, organic
- Eucalyptus globulus from Plant Therapy, organic (Direct and Amazon)
- Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) from Aromatics International, organic
- Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) from Plant Therapy, organic (Direct and Amazon)
- Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) from Aromatics International, sustainably wildcrafted
- Lemon (Citrus x limon) from Aromatics International, organic
- Lemon (Citrus x limon) from Plant Therapy, organic (Direct and Amazon)
- Lime (Citrus aurantifolia/C. latifolia) from Aromatics International, organic, distilled
- Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) from Aromatics International, organic
- Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) from Plant Therapy, organic (Direct and Amazon)
- Spearmint (Mentha spicata) from Aromatics International, organic
- Spearmint (Mentha spicata) from Plant Therapy, organic (Direct and Amazon)
- Sun Hats
- Basic Bucket Sun Hat, vented, adjustable, unisex, chin strap, all-weather (on Amazon)
- Ponytail Bucket Hat (this is mine), vented, chin strap, wide-rim (on Amazon)
- Hydration Enhancers—few of us are as hydrated as we should be!
- Nuun water additive, dissolving tables (Amazon)
- Liquid IV water additive, dissolving powders (Amazon)
- Soda Steam for on-demand sparkling water (Amazon).
This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It is for educational purposes only.
All recipes provided are for personal use and are not designed for re-sale or large-scale manufacturing.
Please consult your doctor, naturopath, herbal practitioner, or other qualified health professional for medical advice and before starting any herbal regimen, particularly if you are pregnant or nursing, have any existing medical conditions, or are taking any medications.
Chris P | Author, Certified Aromatherapist, Natural Skin Care Formulator
Chris (“Mom”) enjoys formulating bespoke aromatherapy, skin care, and herbal products to support her family, pets, friends, and clients. She also loves experimenting with recipes in the kitchen. An avid reader, writer, and lifetime learner, Chris enthusiastically explores research rabbit holes and then writes about her discoveries.💚 (Learn more >>)
