4 Strategies to Stay Cool in the Heat This Summer

Create a DIY Air Conditioner

If it's hot but not humid, place a shallow bowl of ice in front of a fan and enjoy the breeze. As the ice melts, then evaporates, it will cool you off.

Dress in Loose Clothing

"The best thing is to have sweat evaporate directly from skin to air," says Larry Kenney, a professor of physiology and kinesiology at Pennsylvania State University, in University Park. Try loose, billowy clothes that allow air movement next to the skin and help with evaporation like our Anthropologie Floral Silk Varon Bahl Midi Dress, Eloquii Off-the-Shoulder Color Blocked Gingham Dress or the GILLI Sleeveless Shift Dress on those really hot summer days.

Go Barefoot

Shuck your shoes. As the sweat on your feet evaporates, it cools the skin and the blood in your feet. Blood vessels then whisk that blood to other parts of the body, so "you're getting a greater sensation of coolness," says Donald R. Bohay, MD, a member of the American Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Society.

Stay Hydrated

To replace the moisture that you lose as you perspire, be sure to drink up. As you lose water to dehydration, your body temperature rises, so replacing fluids is essential to keeping cool.

Avoid beverages that contain alcohol, caffeine, or lots of sugar, which are dehydrating. "Also opt for hydrating foods," says Deena Kastor, a marathon runner and an Olympic bronze medalist. "Try a smoothie for lunch, and add more fruits and vegetables to all your meals. Watermelon has the greatest water content of any food out there."