While this weather provides the perfect excuse to test that old frying-an-egg-on-the-sidewalk expression, it can also really fry your comfort level. We asked our YouBeauty experts for advice on how to beat this heat and stay cool, even this summer.1. Start Off On The Right Foot: Nutrition Advisor Kristin Kirkpatrick, R.D. feels it’s extremely important in these dog days of summer to focus on hydration first thing in the morning because we wake up so dehydrated. She suggests drinking water before you even have your coffee and consider switching out that breakfast egg sandwich for a smoothie or a bowl of cereal with plenty of milk.2. Drink…a Lot: Over the course of the long day, Kirkpatrick recommends upping your intake of water a day to 12 eight oz. glasses. Sorry, but only clear liquids count here. Soda and other caffeinated beverages are actually dehydrating.MORE: How Much Water Do You Really Need?3. Recharge: Ideally, especially if you’re going to be outdoors all day, Kirkpatrick also suggests you pick up beverages with electrolytes—or sodium and potassium, because they’re what your body loses when it sweats.If you want to steer clear of sugary sports drinks, you can instead nosh on salted pretzels to get sodium and any fruit or vegetable for potassium. Summer produce like watermelons, apples, grapes, melons, spinach, mushrooms, cucumbers are also a great source of water.MORE: How Your Environment Messes with Beauty4. Keep Calm & Carry On: Psychology Advisor, Art Markman, Ph.D., points out that we experience specific stressors related to the extreme heat such as physical discomfort and feeling insecure about our appearance because we’re sweating so much.These stressors affect the frontal areas of our brain that help us to make decisions and cause us to have a short temper and to act impulsively. “It’s why you end up snapping at people, eating the wrong things and deciding at the end of the day that you need that margarita,” Markman suggests.He advises the best way to keep your cool in this summertime heat is to commiserate with your colleagues. Feel free to gripe about the weather, even how it’s affecting your appearance, because misery loves company. Or as Markman puts it, sharing your experiences encourages camaraderie and, “if we’re on the same team, then we get along better.”THIS STUDY, EXPLAINED: Misery Loves Company5. Quiet, Dark & Cool: Sleep Expert James B. Maas, Ph.D., warns of a vicious summer sleep cycle, “If you’re hot at night, you’re going to be tired during the day. If you’re worn out during the day you’re probably going to have a restless sleep because you haven’t had enough exercise.”But with a few simple rules of summertime slumber, you can avoid falling into a rut of lethargy. Maas says the key to keeping your bedroom optimized in these hot months can be summed up in three words: “quiet, dark and cool.”And when he says cool, he means lowering the AC thermostat to a frosty temperature between 65 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit. Sure your electric bill might be tough to swallow, but which way would you rather suffer?MORE: How Summer Makes You Beautiful6. Lighten Up: Maas also insists on the importance of switching out your winter blanket out for a summer-weight one. “The lighter the better,” he adds. And the same goes for your pajamas, that is, if you feel the need to wear any….Want more? Check out these melt-proof makeup tricks.
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