How To Stay Cool in Texas: Redux

Many things in life change. But some don’t. And the Texas heat is one of those things that just won’t ever go away.

…But fortunately you live in an innovative country, one where people’s creativity never ends.

So that means even in a Texas disrupted by coronavirus, you can still keep cool.

And here’s today’s list of suggestions:

1. Create an Outdoor Cool Area

You can do a lot here. Install a simple water misting system. They’re affordable. You can get them on Amazon for $50 – $100.

Buy a cheap kiddie pool for both your young ones and your feet.

Use umbrellas, sheets, a retractable awning…whatever you can come up with for shade.

2. Sleep in Cotton Blankets

Cotton? Yes. Cotton.

Cotton has a lower thread count, which means lesser weaving per square inch and more breathability.

And the lower the thread count you get with cotton, obviously the better.

So add cotton blankets to your home if you haven’t already.

3. Foods You Can Eat

Yes. You can eat foods that help you keep cool. Staying cool isn’t just about drinking lots of water and using ice packs.

Frozen treats are an obvious choice. But they can make you pack on the pounds.

To eat healthy and stay cool, eat cucumbers, apples, peaches, lemons, leafy greens, and citrus fruits.

Spicy foods also make good sense during hot weather. That seems odd at first, doesn’t it?

Well, the truth is that if you eat spicy foods, they can trigger sweating. It’s because of capsaicin, which you find in abundance in chili.

However, when you sweat, the air around you has to have lower humidity.

If it’s extremely humid out, your sweat doesn’t have anywhere to evaporate to because the air’s already moist.

4. Go on a Cave Tour

Seriously? Who thinks of this in Texas, and especially so during the pandemic.

Texas has several caves you can visit: Wonder World Cave, Natural Bridge Caverns, Inner Space Cavern, and Cascade Caverns, among others.

The average cave’s temperature hovers around 70 degrees.

So that’s a good way to stay cool and have fun.

5. Keep Your Ceiling Fans Going Counterclockwise

Ceiling fans do nothing to cool the air around you. However, they do help you feel about 5-7 degrees cooler than the air temperature.

During the warmer months, keep your ceiling fans going counterclockwise to maximize the feeling of this effect.

In the winter, keep your ceiling fan going clockwise. That creates an updraft which pulls cool air toward the top of your room, but then helps distribute the warm air down by you.

Staying cool in Texas isn’t easy. But you can do it with these tips and your own ingenuity.

Which sounds the best for you?