5 Cool Tips for Hot Workers
Donna Phillips MICHT MGPBT
Head of Happy Healthy Staff at Therapy Solutions
With record-breaking temperatures this week, we’ve put together some cool tips for your staff to keep your workplace a hot head free zone this summer.
The top 5 cooling tips for hot workers
Our usual indicator of how hot we are is perspiration, but in very hot weather this trigger isn’t always reliable. The perspiration evaporates as quickly as it appears on the skin, leaving the skin feeling dry. This can give a false indicator of how hot we really are, so be aware! If you are perspiring without realising, you will be losing vital fluids that are not being replaced.
1. Drink, drink, drink!
No, not alcohol, that will only dehydrate you more!
Drinking plenty of water while you work is always important, but vital in this heat. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty, as that means you’re already dehydrated. Dehydration is bad for your looks, health, and productivity, and causes many problems including dry skin, fatigue, headaches, nausea, muscle cramps, and increased heart rate. So keep hydrated and stay looking and feeling good.
2. Instant cool down
Run your wrists and hands under a cold tap for a few minutes. At this point, blood vessels are close to the surface of the skin, so it’s a quick way to cool your core temperature and cool the blood. You can also use ice if you have it!
3. Shut out the heat
Shut blinds, curtains and shutters first in the morning to prevent a greenhouse effect. Studies have found that covering windows can reduce heat entering the house by 80%. When it's cooler, you can safely open them for ventilation.
4. Dress for the occasion
Wear lightweight, light-coloured clothes made from natural fibres such as cotton, linen, or silk, as synthetic fibres trap heat. Keep your head covered when you’re outside, and choose flat comfortable footwear - again, natural materials are better that synthetic! Choose loose fitting, open shoes or sandals with a little give in them, as your feet may swell.
5. Get unplugged
Turn off any appliances that are not being used. Phone chargers, computers, laptops, etc., and anything in a standby mode. It can reduce room temperature by at least one degree – and every little helps when its sweltering.