How To Reduce Body Heat Quickly And Get Relief

 

Overview

Body temperature measures the body’s ability to generate and get rid of heat. The normal temperature is often quoted as 98.6°F, but it can be slightly lower or higher. The average temperature of adults is between 97.8°F and 99.0°F.

Usually, your hypothalamus and autonomic nervous system keep your body within a degree or two of your normal temperature. However, there are times when your body heat rises. This condition is known as heat stress.

Heat stress may be due to extreme heat, certain foods, or other factors. Continue reading to learn more about the causes of high body heat and what you can do to find relief.

Reasons body temperature may rise

Several factors can cause your body temperature to rise. Here are a few common reasons for heat stress:

• Having an inflammatory illness, such as an infection. Such an illness can cause you to have a fever, which is one indication that something unusual is going on in your body.
• Having a thyroid disorder known as hyperthyroidism. This causes your body to produce too much thyroid hormone.
• Spending time in extremely hot and humid weather. It’s especially likely if you’ve spent time in direct sunlight or have been doing physical activity.
• Wearing tight-fitting, synthetic clothing. These types of fabrics trap moisture and don’t breathe easily, especially if they’re tight.
• Eating spicy, oily, or fried food. In addition, nuts, meats, and other high-protein foods can contribute to heat stress.
• Consuming drinks with caffeine or alcohol.
• Performing intense physical exercise. This can cause an increase in heat since active muscles and related blood circulation activity create a lot of heat.
• Having certain medical conditions that affect your body temperature, such as types of arthritis, leukemia, and neurological disorders.
• Taking drugs that cause high body temperatures, such as certain antibiotics, opioids, and antihistamines.
• Being dehydrated. Dehydration can lower your body’s ability to sweat to cool you down and support a normal temperature.

How to lower body heat quickly

You probably know how important it is to hydrate with water when you have heat stress. There are lots of other ways to lower your body heat quickly as well. The following home remedies are easy and effective ways to beat the heat.

Cold foot bath

Placing your feet in a cold foot bath cools your body and allows you to sit back and relax. Simply add cold water and ice cubes to a bucket of water. Immerse your feet and soak for up to 20 minutes. Add a few drops of peppermint essential oil for an added cooling effect.

Coconut water

Drinking coconut water is a great way to refresh and revitalize your body. The vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes in coconut water make it an effective way to rehydrateTrusted Source and reenergize your body when you have heat stress. Coconut water has many other benefits, too.

Peppermint

Peppermint is known for its cooling properties due to its high menthol content, which makes one have the sensation of feeling cooler. You can make a hot or iced peppermint tea and drink it throughout the day. While hot tea may seem to make you feel hotter, drinking hot drinks may help you to sweat more and help to cool down your body.

Purchase peppermint tea here.

Hydrating foods

Eat plenty of foods high in water content. Fruits such as cantaloupe, watermelon, and strawberries are good options.

Try eating lots of vegetables such as celery, cucumber, and cauliflower. You can eat these foods raw in a salad. Alternatively, add a bit of ice to incorporate them into a healthy smoothie since yogurt is also a cooling food.

Sitali breath

This yoga breathing technique has a cooling effect on your body and your mind. Sitali breath helps you to relax and cool down both physically and mentally.

To do this:

1. Sit in a comfortable seated position.
2. Stick out your tongue and roll the outer edges together similar to a hot dog bun.
3. If your tongue doesn’t curl like this, you can pucker purse your lips.
4. Slowly inhale through your mouth.
5. Then exhale out through your nose.
6. This is one round.
7. Continue breathing like this for up to 5 minutes.

Dress accordingly

Play it cool in a hat with a wide brim and sunglasses if you’ll be in direct sunlight. You can even carry a parasol or umbrella.

Wear loose, lightly colored clothing in natural fabrics such as cotton, linen, or silk. Semi-synthetics such as rayon and modal can also be worn to combat body heat. Scientists are developing fabrics created especially to keep you cool, such as thermal regulation fabrics. Products made with these types of fabrics are often designed for sport and outdoor activities.

Aloe Vera

The leaves and inner gel of this healing plant can help to lower body temperature.

You can apply aloe vera gel to your skin for a cooling effect. Either use the inside gel of a fresh plant or a pure aloe vera gel. For added benefits, keep it in the refrigerator before application.

Aloe vera can also be consumed internally. Use 2 tablespoons of fresh aloe vera gel per cup of water to make a drink.

Purchase premade aloe vera drinks here.

Buttermilk

Drinking buttermilk may help to cool down your body and improve metabolism. It’s also full of probiotics (traditional buttermilk), vitamins, and minerals that will help to restore your body’s natural energy if you’re feeling drained by the heat.

Try drinking a glass of cold buttermilk. Adding honey or yogurt is optional but may make the flavor more to your liking.

Fenugreek

Sipping a cup of fenugreek tea may help to bring on a sweat, allowing you to cool off. If you don’t like the idea of drinking a hot drink, you can make the tea ahead of time and chill it in the refrigerator before drinking it.

Fenugreek may also be useful in getting rid of some excess fluid and detoxifying the body.

Purchase fenugreek tea here.

Chili

Even though eating spicy food can make you feel warm, it can also help to lower your body temperature. That’s because the capsaicin in chilies sends messages to the brain to signal that your body is overheated. This causes you to sweat more than normal and brings on a cooling effect.

The takeaway

These remedies should help to cool you down if you’re feeling the heat. If your body temperature seems to be high for an undetermined reason or you’re not cooling down after trying some of these remedies, see your doctor. This is especially important if:

• you have an underlying medical condition
• you’re over 65 years of age
• you’re pregnant or nursing
• it’s occurring in young children or babies

Heat stress has the potential to turn into heat exhaustion or heat stroke if left untreated, so seek help if you or a loved one is having extreme discomfort that doesn’t ease. In addition, learn the signs and symptoms of heat emergencies. 

Beat the Heat

There’s a lot to do when the weather is right: family picnics, working on your tan at the beach, a homerun derby on the softball field, endless hours on the golf course, or lounging in your backyard hammock. Unfortunately, too much fun in the sun can be dangerous. Excessive heat exposure can cause dehydration, which in turn can cause dangerous conditions like heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke (also called sunstroke).

No matter what your plans are this summer, you won’t want to miss any of them. Combating the toll of the heat and sun on your body will keep you healthy and active all summer long. Try a few of these simple precautions, and you’ll still be going strong as the leaves start to turn.

What To Wear

The way you dress can go a long way towards keeping you comfortable when you’re outside in the heat. Make sure you bring:

Light-Colored Clothes

The white linen shirt every male movie star wears on the beach isn’t just fashionably conscious; it’s also intelligent for hot, sunny days. Dark clothing absorbs more heat, and tight clothes don’t let sweat — your body’s natural cooling system — evaporate.

Sunglasses

Sunglasses are chic and functional. They prevent harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from scorching your corneas and protect your eyes for many more summers to come. Choose sunglasses that block 90 to 100 percent of UV rays.

Hats

Unlike 8-inch high heels at the beach, a hat is smart summer fashion. Throwing on a wide-brimmed hat prevents UV rays from hitting the sensitive spots on your face and keeps your skin looking young and wrinkle-free.

Sunscreen

Nothing knocks good days off a summer calendar like a nasty sunburn. When outdoors, use sunscreen with an SPF rating of at least 15. Use a higher-rated, waterproof sunscreen if you’ll be poolside or out on the beach. Don’t forget to cover areas that burn easily: nose, ears, shoulders, and back of the neck.

Lip Balm

Just like sunscreen protects the rest of your skin, a lip balm with SPF protection blocks out the sun and keeps in moisture for your lips. Perfect for a day on the lake or while you’re working on that summer romance.

How to Stay Hydrated

The heat makes you sweat, which cools you down, but that also means you’re constantly losing fluid. Here’s how to stay hydrated:

Water

Don’t wait until you’re thirsty! Drink water throughout the day to prevent dehydration or over exhaustion. Use the color of your urine to guide if you’re hydrated enough — the clearer the better.

Juice

All natural juice without added sugar not only provides hydration but also important nutrients to keep you active in hot weather. Check the label on the juice bottle and make sure it says “100 percent juice with no sugar added.”

Avoid Alcohol and Caffeine

While an ice cold cocktail — complete with a little paper umbrella — might sound good on the beach, it won’t be as refreshing to your body. That’s because alcohol only dehydrates you more. If you can’t barbecue without a brew, drink a bottle of water between each alcoholic beverage to stay hydrated.

Like alcohol, caffeine sucks the moisture out of you. On hot days, avoid it as much as possible, especially when combined with alcohol.

What to Eat

The food you eat can also help you stay cool. Try adjusting your diet so that it includes:

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are easy to digest and often high in water content. Salads and other dishes rich in seasonal produce will keep you feeling light and hydrated.

Spicy Foods

Popular in warm climates, the tingling feeling and accompanying sweat caused by spicy foods has a purpose; the sweat actually cools your body down.

Low-Fat Meats

Fat takes longer for your body to digest and carries a higher salt content, which can add extra strain on your body when you need it maximized for efficiency.

When to Stay Out of the Sun

Avoid peak hours of sunlight when the temperatures and UV rays are at their highest, normally between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. That’s the best time to head inside, get food and water, let your body cool down, and maybe even take a nap.

When heat and humidity are at their highest, it’s never a bad time to take a break. Water sports are especially tricky because you can easily become overheated without realizing it. When in doubt, take a breather.

Where to Hide

If you live in an area where summer heat can become dangerous, pay close attention to any heat-related warnings. When it’s dangerous, stay inside with the A/C or fan going. If it’s not cool enough at home, find a cooling station, usually set up at public libraries and other buildings.

If you must be outside, keep your activities close to a shady spot. It can provide enough of a cool down to keep you safe. Even a small drop in temperature can make a big difference.

When it’s hot and you’re active, stay close to restaurants, convenience stores, or any other place that can offer cold temperatures and beverages should you need them in an emergency. If you’re at the beach or pool, the cool water offers great relief from the heat.