Are You Cool Enough for Summer?

By Donna Stark

Summertime means picnics in the park, afternoons by the pool, and dinner from the grill. It also means sticky, hot weather and desperate attempts at trying to cool yourself off. Keeping your body cool and comfortable in the summer is hard enough, but it can become even more difficult if you are trying to keep your air conditioner from running on high all day. Remember those astronomical bills from last year? Well, that's not going to happen this year, that's for sure! Take a look at the following suggestions on how you can reduce your air conditioning bill without sacrificing your coolness.

Close the Blinds

Nobody wants to live in a greenhouse so do yourself and your family a favor by keeping your window blinds closed or investing in some blackout curtains. When the sun is allowed to shine through all of your windows, the indoor temperature will rise significantly, but that's not all  so will your bill! 

Check Your Doors

If your child is away at college or if you have another spare room that you don't use very often, shut the doors! Closing the doors to these rooms will prevent cool air from being wasted which will help keep the rest of the rooms you use cooler and your electricity bill more manageable.

Cool Your Body

By focusing on the temperature of your body more than the rooms in our home, you may have better luck with staying cool this summer. From sipping on iced drinks to using cold compresses on your pulse points (your neck and wrists) to wearing loose clothing to taking those flannel sheets off your bed, you may be able to regulate your body temperature easier than you think.

Grab a Fan

Using a fan to help circulate the air in your home is a simple, yet effective trick. And if the night air is cool enough to have the windows open, this strategy becomes even more effective! Whether you choose to install ceiling fans or want to stick with good old-fashioned box fans that sit on the floor, you may be surprised by how cool your home can stay.

Turn the Oven Off

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen! Using your stove and oven will make your house feel hotter so take advantage of your grill and head outdoors for dinner! Summer is the perfect time to make some chilled salads, grill the perfect steak, and enjoy the nighttime breeze as you eat your meal with the rest of your family.

Staying Cool

Staying cool and comfortable during the hot summer months isn't hard to achieve at all. With some simple modifications to your daily habits, it will be easy to enjoy the summer ahead of you!

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Acworth, Ga.