Staying cool is something I’ve been struggling with for some time now. I think partly because I’m now menopausal but also due to going through Topical Steroid Withdrawal. As the skin heals from deep inside the nerves get confused and send the wrong message sometimes. It’s all learning to sweat normally, regulate temperature and become function again but there are ways to combat that heat and subsequent itch.
I also love running, which can be hard when sweat burns your skin and you struggle to regulate your temperature to cool down afterwards, you’re probably worried about doing damage to your skin and scratching. Check out How running helps my TSW skin to heal.
Anyone living with eczema will be familiar with overheating and the itch scratch cycle.
Here are my top tips for beating the itch when you’re too hot:
- Get a neck fan! You can get portable battery charged or cable charged neck fans and they can give you extra boost of cool air when you’re out and about. Added bonus is you have your hands free! Check out neck fans on Amazon.
- Get a hand held paper or material fan – Old school but always reliable. Doesn’t need batteries or charging and relatively cheap to buy. They can also be quite stylish and you can have fun with your personality by getting a funky one.
- Hand held fan! These are usually a little better than the neck fans in air and direction of the cooling air but you do have to then hold them. Check out fans on Amazon.
- Invest in a decent standing fan – You the kind you plug in and leave in situ. Get a good one you can fire up and stand in front of after a run, that is also for cooling you down at night. I have one facing my bed and it’s a life saver.
- Cooling scarves– Simply wet any scarf you have and fold it up in a bag and pop in the fridge of freezer for instant cooling when you get in from a hot walk, run or day out.
- Cooling towels – I use one after every run to get me through that after sweat! They’re great. You simply wet them, spin them round your head like a lasso and wrap round your head, neck or wherever is hot. Simply fling it about to recool it! Checkout cooling towels on Amazon.
- Bowl of water – Put your feet in a bowl of cold water and add ice if you dare. Really cools me down on a hot day.
- Run wrists under cold tap – Sound simple, but when you run your wrists under the cold tap you are cooling the blood in your veins. It can really help to send that cooling sensation all around the body.
- Have mug of hot herbal tea – trust me… it works! It makes no sense to have a hot drink when you are hot, but after you’re rehydrated with cold water, have a cuppa and you’ll soon continue to cool down.
- Stay hydrated – drink plenty of water and this will help you cool down,
- Do less! If you can, slow down. Sit in the shade. Let your heart rate slow.
- Breathe! – Learn to breathe, through your nose, slow and steady. Try box breathing, in for 5, hold for 4, out for 5 seconds and see how long you can breathe in and out for as you slowly feel your heart rate lower.
- Meditate! Like the last point! Take some time to still that mind. Concentrate on sipping in cooling breathes through your nose. Count in for 4, hold for 4 and breathe out for 4.
- Get an old fashioned fan – You know the kind you whisk manually around your face! The kind made of paper and folded into a thin concertina shape. They’re really light weight and can be a life saver if you go out and get overheated.
- Ice packs – They can be a godsend if you’re at home. Apply these to your neck, forehead and just anywhere that’s hot
- CosiCare stars – Great for kids and adults, these can be stored in the fridge or freezer (careful of freezer burn if you do put it in the freezer. Check out https://cosi-care.com/
- Wear cool, natural light clothing – Avoid dark colours that suck up the sun’s heat. Avoid anything too tight and skin hugging.
- Yin Yoga – Perfect for slowing the body and mind and helping you chill, rest, restore and recentre.
- Freeze a towel – Before going out out some wet cloths, buffs or cooling towels in the fridge Of freezer
- Keep a jug of water in the fridge – Water straight from the fridge, add ice and rehydrate! Pure bliss.
- Take off shoes and socks – Change into flipflops or sandals as soon as you can and let those feet breathe
- Find shade – Find a cool quiet place to let your skin calm down slowly. Follow the shade.
- Soak your baseball cap in water – Another great one if you have cloth baseball cap.
- Get a chill pillow – These are made from some pretty clever stuff and keep your head cool at night! Check out chillow pillows on Amazon
- Cold Shower – An obvious one and great on really hot days. Not so nice in winter but will definitely cool you down.
- Warm bath – and lay in it till you cools – if you can stomach getting into a cold shower of bath this will cool you down fast, but gentler is to run a warm bath and just chill. As the water cools, so do you.
- Air Conditioning – Invest in a portable air conditioning unit so you can keep your room cool in summer.
- Avoid certain clothing – Wear loose clothing and avoid things like nylon, viscose, latex, etc. Choose cotton or other natural material like bamboo, that allows skin to breathe more.
- Tencel clothing – make from eucalyptus, this incredible soft, cooling material can really help you stay cool. Check out Clover for tencel clothing – https://cloverlover.co/
- Open windows – If you can and the weather is on your side, open windows to create some through draft.
- Keep heating on low – Keep your house as cool as you can. I wonder if when the menopause has passed or my TSW finally ends I will go back to being freezing all the time. I used to be always cold, hugging radiators and wearing three pairs of socks. This overheating is a lot! Hoping to write more on the menopause soon.. I’m sure it’s affecting my skin, anxiety and over heating and itching! A melting pot right there.
- Wear thin layers – so you can peel em off to help you cool down.. then put em back on when you’ve cooled down again.
Well I think that’s enough cooling tips. Do you have any others? How do you keep cool and cool down after you get overheated or cannot regulate your temperature? Please share your thoughts below…
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