Gearing up for Summer in Namibia

How to Keep your Body Cool when the Temperature hits 33 Degrees

Oct 14, 2009

As the winter clothes and doldrums are shrugged off, and summer rears its shiny head, it is important to make sure your body is well prepared for the heat wave to hit it.

The semi-desert arid landscape of Namibia boosts the perfect climate for sun lovers. With only two months of winter in July and June, the rest of the country's climate is characterised by hot sun filled days and cool, often warm nights in contrast to the hot sunny days. With summer beginning in October and ending in April, temperatures can soar up to 40 degrees Celsius, with daily temperatures averaging from 20 degrees to 35 degrees Celsius.

Keeping Cool in the Summer

With searing temperatures such as these sunning up the country, it is important to keep your body cool and safe during the summer. As the days become hotter, try the following tips to make the most of the summer:

Make sure you’re covered: As summer comes, the first order of business is usually to strip down and enjoy the heat. And despite the great effect of the warm summer rays, this is dangerous as it exposes more of the body to the harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. It is advisable to wear hats and sunglasses and clothing that is light, short sleeved, and that allows the body to sweat and cool down simultaneously.

Get sun protected: Although the risk of getting skin cancer is considerably less in black and other darker skinned people as compared to fairer skins, anyone is susceptible to getting cancer, which is increased with a history of cancer in the family, and the climatic conditions of the environment that is lived in.

If the period spent in the sun will be prolonged and is unavoidable, make sure that the sunscreen purchased contains the right sun protection factor to protect against the suns ultraviolet rays.

Drink lots of water: Drink a lot of water during the summer in order to keep the body hydrated and energetic. With dehydration, headaches, dry skin, constipation and tiredness become normal occurrences, causing imbalances in the body’s health.

The hottest time of the day: Try to avoid conducting any strenuous or physical activities during midday and afternoon; the temperature is cooler early in the morning and late in the afternoon.

Be Eco Friendly: Keep to shady areas to avoid being exposed to direct sunlight, and as you plan your personal properties, landscape them in such a way that you plant more trees in order to provide more shade and keep the house cooler in the summer.

Ventilation: Make sure that the house or any workplace that will be occupied with prolonged periods of time is well ventilated and has moving streams of air. Only keep the windows in the home open during the evenings and nights in order to take advantage of the cool breeze.

Summer Fun

The best way to cool off during summer is to have fun while doing it. Try out a couple of activities that will not only cool you down but help you exercise your way to better health. Some examples are swimming, taking the boat out for a row on a dam or even organising a spate of pool parties to keep cool all throughout the summer.

And lastly, try out a healthy and tastier option this summer and stay healthy by creating a new blend of summer smoothies. Combining various fruits, yogurt, nuts and ice is guaranteed to not only keep the body cool in the summer, but will lead to a happy and healthy lifestyle.

The copyright of the article Gearing up for Summer in Namibia in Mind/Body Fitness is owned by Sharon Kasanda. Permission to republish Gearing up for Summer in Namibia in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.