Tackling the summer blues

Do you wake up in the middle of the night gasping for some fresh and cool air? Do your limbs become dry like a raisin and your nostrils burn like that of a dragon? Issues like these are common during the dry summers of the Capital. Consumption of water and lassi is not simply enough to survive the heat, where it seems that the advertisements about the sun slurping people’s energy is actually true.

No matter how much we blame the heat or global warming, at the end of the day we all want a peaceful sleep. And for that peaceful sleep, we require a cool room, which seems pretty impossible without an air-conditioner. But, where there is a will there is always a way and to maintain your rooms cool in an eco-friendly manner, one can follow any of the following tips. During the day, keep the windows open and hang wet curtains. The heat from outside will help evaporate the water on the curtain making the interior of the room cool. Keep spraying water on them every two hours. 

Post dusk, keep all the windows and doors open to ensure proper ventilation. Try using the ceiling fan as less as possible as it tends to attract the heat from the top of the ceiling (valid for rooms on the top floor of buildings). Keep a bucket of cool water below the window at night, as water tends to absorb the heat from the surroundings while giving a cooling effect. 

Food storage during the summers is another major problem that one faces. One can store food in an earthen pot to keep it cool and avoid using refrigerator. The more we use refrigerators, air-conditioners and room fresheners, the more we contribute to global warming. One can store sand in an earthen pot, add some water to it and then place the container of food or raw materials on it. The opening of the pot should be closed with an earthen lid and some water should be sprinkled over the pot to keep the stored materials fresh.

Also, our body still needs some minerals that litres of water cannot provide. The body needs to maintain the sodium-potassium level to be healthy. Consumption of coconut water, fresh fruits and yogurt, supplies your skin the required amount of Vitamin C and glucose during summers.

Tanning is another summer hazard that comes with the heat. Some useful and cheap procedures to remove tan include the usage of yogurt and lemon. Lemon is both a natural deodoriser and bleach. Using lemon juice on the exposed tanned areas of the body helps in removing tan naturally in less time, and the Vitamin C is also healthy for the skin. 

Yogurt is another source of good skincare. Applying very little yogurt on the tanned area of the skin and leaving it on for a couple of minutes before washing off, helps in de-tanning the skin. Delhi, in summers, is never out of stock of yogurt, hence just a spoonful off the plate is enough for the process. Even cucumber pulp can be used to keep the skin cool and supple.

“Dust clubs with sweat and sticks to the scalp which results in oily or smelly scalp. Rinsing hair with rose water every alternate day brings back the freshness. One must carry a scarf or a hat to protect their hair from direct sunlight, but should also make sure to not hold it on their head for too long as it might result in more sweat and stickiness. Use of cotton scarf or hats with holes is a wise decision,” said Garima Singh, R&D manager, Organic Harvest, when asked about some easy hair care methods during summers. 

“Tea tree oil reduces sweat production by the skin. Drinking a glass of tomato juice every day reduces excessive sweating. Cucumber, being a natural astringent is very good in curing excessive sweat during summers,” she added.