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How To Make Your House Cool Without AC
In this article, I will offer you some practical tips on how to make your house cool without AC. Whether you have air conditioning installed or not, it is worth knowing the other techniques you can use to cool your home down, as this can save you money and keep cool (and a whole lot of discomfort). Stopping your house from overheating is very important! It can reduce your chances of developing many dangerous health conditions that come from being in an excessively hot environment and generally make you more comfortable in your home.
Here’s A List Of The Best Fans This Year:
Save Money and Keep Cool With Our Guide to Cooling Without Air Conditioning!
The tips I have included here are all practical and relatively simple to implement and incorporate a mixture of short-term and long-term changes you can make in your house. As you’ll see in this article, you can cool your home without AC in a few different ways. You can use (and hack) fans, treat your windows, and make long-term improvements to your home. I’ve also discussed the importance of things like cooling yourself, rather than the room you’re in, and how changing your approach to electronics and household chores can also help cool you down. Let’s get started!
Cool Your Home Naturally
The first technique to cooling your home without AC is the most simple — make use of natural ventilation! Natural ventilation refers to windows and exhausts where air can naturally flow in and out of the room, without any sort of mechanical item (a fan or AC unit) playing a part.
The Wonder of Windows
Our natural response to excess heat in our home is often to open the windows. However, did you know there are ways you can maximize the efficacy of this tactic? As discussed in this guide from treehugger.com, you can create a pressure current in the room you are trying to cool. This involves opening the top part of any windows which are facing downwind and the bottom part of any windows which are situated upwind. 
Image credit: knowledge.autodesk.com
Your Attic Can Help
Attics are often overlooked when it comes to how people cool their homes, but they are actually vital. In fact, it has been shown that ventilation can actually reduce an attic’s temperature by 10-25 degrees. This means that heat won’t transfer to your home’s living space as quickly. You can also us convective air movement. This process gives hot air somewhere to escape, letting cool air enter from lower levels. Hot air rises, so it makes sense to give that air an outlet. You can do so by opening any hatches which are in your attic. 
Image credit: yourhome.gov.au
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Ventilate When It Makes the Most Sense
Be smart about your ventilation in terms of when you open up your doors and windows to let in air. By installing thermometers both indoors and outdoors, you can open up your windows only when the air outside is cooler than inside. Similarly, you should open your windows overnight to allow the cool night air to enter. If you have skylights or other windows which are in high areas of your home, open these to create convection currents and get rid of the hottest air.
Keep it Cool
Keep Unused Rooms Closed Up
There is no point in letting the air you’ve worked to cool permeate into spaces you’re not going to be in. Close these up.
Shut Windows in the Warmest Parts of the Day
This tip ties into our tip about having multiple thermometers. Having your windows open when it is warmest outside can actually make the inside temperature increase. Keep your windows closed during these times.
How To Cool a Room With Fans – Fan Hacks for a Cooler House
Fans cool us down using the wind chill effect — evaporating sweat and cooling our bodies in the process. They’re cheap to run and, for this reason, are one of the most efficient ways to cool yourself and your home. If you don’t have an air conditioner, fans are the recommended way to cool your home. There are many different types of fans, all with their own pros and cons. These include ceiling fans, table fans, tower fans, pedestal fans, and window fans. Fans don’t just cool our bodies: the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers their insight and says that fans also draw cooler air into your home in the evening when the temperature has dropped.
Ceiling Fan Tips
Ceiling fans can create a lot of wind chill. If you have ceiling fans in your home, there are many ways you optimize their efficacy. For a start, you can spend as much time in your rooms with ceiling fans as possible — even if this means camping out in your living room on the hottest nights.
Image credit: primitiveandproper.com Also, according to advice from EnergyStar, fans should be set up so they move counter clockwise.
Image credit: delmarfans.com
Tower and Pedestal Fan Tips
Tower and pedestal fans are a popular choice of fans. There are ways you can utilize these to the best of their abilities, too. Why not use your fan to create a cross breeze? You can do this by positioning the fan on the opposite side of the room to your window, facing the window. This will allow the wind coming from outside to combine with the fan and in turn create a cross breeze to help you stay cool. Check out this video showing exactly how to create a cross breeze in your room. There are other techniques you can try with your tower and pedestal fans. Leave them on throughout the day to make the cool-down process quicker when the cooler evenings roll around. Use more than one fan to create powerful airflow. Make sure they’re well positioned and furniture and curtains aren’t in the way, restricting the airflow.
Box Fan Tips
Box fans are very good at directing air. Though the design of a box fan is very simple, they can be very useful, especially when used in conjunction with windows. Pointing a box fan out a window can direct hot air out of the room and create a cross breeze in the process. Likewise, when positioned in the window at night, a box fan can force cooler air to enter from any other windows you may have in the room. This air comes in to fill the space of the hot air that has been sucked out of the room by the box fan. Due to the fact that hot air rises, box fans can be more effective in certain positions. You can suck the hot air out of your home by placing a box fan in a window on a higher floor. Likewise, if you have a basement, you can use a box fan to suck the cooler air from down there into your living area.
Window Fan Tips
Strength in numbers
A simple configuration of using more than one window fan can go a long way to controlling the internal temperature. The constant movement of air is very effective at controlling room temperature and helps to maintain a cool breeze. This set up includes an equal number of fans blowing in and out. If you use an odd number of fans, make sure to configure the extra unit to blow air into the home.
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This type of set up is great at creating a positive pressure in the home to discourage flying bugs and insects from coming inside the home.
Prime placement
The actual placement of the fans can have a significant impact on the ability to cool the home. For the best results, use the following configuration:
- place the fans that blow outwards on the sunny side of your house (south side)
- place the fans that blow inwards on the shady sides of the house
This type of placement technique should apply no matter the number of floors your house has. But, if your home has multiple floors, the fans placed on the upper floors should push the hot air out, while the fans at ground level are preferred for pulling the cooler air in.
The stack effect
The stack effect is one of the many methods to cool a room in the house. Depending on the configuration of your house or apartment, you can use one of the following two ways to do it.
Two floors (or more)
Once the sunset has passed, set up the fans at ground level to start bringing in the cool air, while letting the fans on the upper floors push out the build up of hot air. By the time the morning arrives, the rooms throughout the home should be quite cool. Then, just remove the fans from the windows and close them. Most modern homes including your, probably, have a good amount of insulation, which should be able to maintain the cool temperature inside for several hours. You can repeat these steps every evening to maintain the cool and comfortable environment in your house without AC. 
Image via pinterest.com
The same floor
Additionally, you can place a window fan in a window in the room where you want to lower the temperature. Make sure the fan is set to blow into the room. Install a second window fan on the other side of the house or apartment and set it to blow out. This setup has the potential to pull in a lot of cool air while at the same time pushing out the hot, stuffy air. It will cool your room efficiently without AC.
Looking for more info?
Here’s how to position window fans to cool a room for an effective cooling.
Could a Whole House Fan Help?
A whole-house fan may or may not be ideal for you. According to energy.gov, they are cheaper than using an air conditioner and they work by pulling air out through open windows to create airflow, then exhausting it out through your attic or roof.
Image credit: homemaintenance.hubpages.com
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This method makes for good ventilation and can be controlled by shutting off different areas of the house at different times. For instance, you can let air flow only into your bedrooms in the evening by closing the other doors. A whole-house fan can provide up to 30 and 60 air changes an hour, which refers to how many times the air in your home is replaced over the course of an hour. The airflow and cooling ability of this method can be effective, but there are pros and cons. Pros include the fact that this method can save you money compared to AC units and provide control by allowing you to shut off different areas of the home. On the negative side, a whole-home fan is not as powerful as an air conditioner and you need to provide an exhaust system of some sort. Also, you’ll need a very hefty fan with a lot of power to cool the whole home. If this doesn’t do the trick, you’ll have to supplement with other fans to ensure that you get the desired effect.
Image credit: extremehowto.com
Use Fans Already Built Into Your Home
Many of us already have fans in our home that we think of more as exhausts than fans for cooling. However, you can make use of these exhaust fans to increase airflow and cooling.
Exhaust Fans
You probably have an exhaust fan in your kitchen — they remove the smoky air and odors from cooking, but they can also help remove humid air and regulate airflow in your house. Leave your exhaust fan on when it is hot.
Bathroom Fans
Designed to get rid of steamy and humid air after you’ve taken a hot shower, a bathroom fan can also be a good way to get hot air flowing out of your house on a hot day. Keep your bathroom fan on for a while after your shower to ensure that heat and humidity doesn’t linger any longer than it has to.
Furnace Fans
A furnace fan should be set to “reverse” or “on”, which means it will bring colder air up into the home through the air ducts. Furnace fans shouldn’t cost too much to run and, if you get the settings right, as explained by Castle Maintenance, they can make the room feel much cooler.
DIY AC Unit Hack: Build Your Own AC!
If you wish wish to keep the cost of cooling a particular room to a minimum and you have basic do-it-yourself skills, you can make a homemade air conditioner. This helps to skip the cost of running the expensive AC unit or investing in one or more freestanding or window fans. Additionally, they aren’t that complicated to put together and provided you already have the tools, the cost of the individual parts is relatively inexpensive. It is even possible to build the DIY air conditioning system that runs on alternative energy such as solar power.
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While the do-it-yourself AC unit is great at cooling a specific room, it isn’t a practical solution to cool the whole house.
A Simple Method to Hack a DIY “Air Conditioner”
Did you know there is a ‘copycat’ method to replicate what an air conditioner can do and make a fan blow cold air? This is known as the ice fan method and it uses a box fan and cold ice to give a chilling effect on your skin, making you feel far more comfortable in the process. All you need to do to recreate the ice fan method is to follow these simple steps:
- Fill a shallow container, such as a tray or a bowl, with cold water. You can keep the water cold with an ice pack.
- Position a fan behind the bowl so it blows the ice-cooled air and circulates it through the room.
A More Advance DIY Air Conditioner System
You can also create a more permanent system. Apart from being more robust, it is also portable and can be used anywhere, for example, in a car.
Items needed to build it
Here’s what you need to build this cooling system:
- an ice chest (Styrofoam or hard-side)
- small fan
- PVC pipe
- a piece of ice or reusable coolers
You can power the unit in one of three ways:
- 1a 12 V small battery
- 2a 12V socket in an automobile
- 3or solar panel (solar panel setup is entirely optional)
Video instructions
Check out a YouTube video below created by the user desertsun02. It includes easy instructions to build the homemade AC air cooling unit. Once put together this unit has the potential to produce the very cool and comfortable air (great for space cooling) in the region of 42° Fahrenheit (in an 80° Fahrenheit room).
Step-by-step instructions
The YouTube video gives step-by-step instructions to build the air cooler system:
- 1The first step is to size and cut the holes in the ice chest lid. This includes one small and one large hole to fit the fan and PVC pipe.
- 2Once these two parts are in place the unit is basically built and ready to be used.
- 3But, before activating the cooling system, it is necessary to place a block of ice (solid ice unenclosed is best, but 1 gallon bottles of frozen water still works) in the ice chest.
- 4You can replace the ice with reusable coolers.
When the fan is running, it has the capacity to give great air flow (the thermometer in the video shows a temperature of about 42° Fahrenheit). The fan is pretty quiet and does not produce much noise. 
Image via homesteadandprepper.com
five More DIY AC Ideas
Check out other DIY AC ideas:
Image via ehow.com
Image via cheezburger.com
Image via myhoneysplace.com
And you can even do like this! this is probably the easiest way to cool up your fan! 
Imave via home4your.com
This one is a slight modification of the easiest method.
Image via happypeople.co
Other Fan Hacks and Tips
Bed Fans
Manufacturers are always looking for new and innovative ways to help to keep your house cool. One fan provides a smart solution.
The BedJet V2 bed fan sits at the foot of the bed and blows cool air over you under a comforter called the ‘cloud comfort sheet’. This creates a cool breeze around your body while still letting you sleep under the covers. Not being able to sleep at night because of overheating is a common issue and this can be one way to tackle it. The BedJet V2 even has an app to let you adjust and operate it.
Cool Your Skin = Cool Your Body!
Cooling down your skin is an absolutely vital part of cooling off your whole body — that’s why an ice pack or cold shower can feel so good when you’re hot! The tips for keeping cool in this article include using a cold bottle of water, combined with a fan. Spray the cool water on your skin and cool down with the increased airflow from the fan. The base of the neck is an area where the body senses heat, so cool this area by using a cold towel, or spraying cold water here and combining this with a fan to make your body feel less stifled by the heat.
Unclip the Clip-On Fans!
Clip-on fans are not an effective way to cool. They’re not as energy efficient and often use batteries, which are not good for the environment. Even rechargeable batteries have their disadvantages. Many manufacturers have made very small and lightweight fans which can be used instead. 12-inch oscillating fans with multiple speeds can be used to cool a small area. Try putting one on your desk while you work or on the bedside table before you go to sleep, this will ensure that it has maximum impact, in spite of being small and compact.
Think About Window Treatments!
Too often, window treatments are ignored when people think of ways to keep their home cool, but they can be a useful way to tackle the heat and sunlight.
Close Drapes and Blinds
If your window is in an area where it gets lots of sunlight, block it out the best you can with your blinds and drapes. Studies shared by Energy.gov suggest that standard, medium-colored drapes can reduce the gain of heat in the room by up to one third.
Use Heat-Blocking Curtains and Drapes
As you can imagine, some drapes are better than others at blocking out the sun. Though basic, plastic-backed, medium-colored drapes can reduce heat gain by 33%. Use the techniques specifically recommended by consumerreports.org, such as attaching the drapes in the corners and making sure they overlap in the middle, so that heat can’t creep in. You can even make your own thermal curtains. 
Image credit: shtfpreparedness.com
Here’s another version of a DIY heat blocking curtains.
Use Window Films
Window film does a good job for a very low price and works in a similar way to blinds. Heat-reflecting window attachments should be placed on any windows that face the sun. They reflect the light and can work like a dream for stopping the heat from entering. If you live in an area that experiences cold winters, use a combination film that is multi-ply and less likely to tear in cold conditions. If you apply this film to all windows which aren’t south-facing, you can make sure you still get the benefits of warmth from the sun in the colder winter months when the sun is low in the southern sky.
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Apply Water!
If you hang a wet sheet in front of a window and there is some sort of a breeze, you will maximize the cooling effect throughout your room. When the Brits went to India, long before air conditioners were invented, they would leave the bottom of their cotton or linen curtains in water. The water would be soaked up by the curtains and, when the window let in air, it felt much cooler. This still works well, providing there is some sort of breeze.
Get the Colors Right
People often say that dark colors soak up heat. Actually, colors such as red, orange, and yellow do a good job of deflecting infrared light which radiates heat. The color of both the inward and outward facing sides of any blinds or drapes are important, but the outward facing side is the one which will deflect the heat and rays away from the room. When the plugs are in the sockets, they . When your appliance, charger, or other electronic item isn’t in use, make sure .
No Curtains? Improvise!
If you don’t have curtains, drapes, or blinds and your window lets in a lot of sunlight, you can improvise and use a different kind of covering. Using a car windshield shade can be a great way to stop your room from getting too hot and you can often find them in a variety of sizes or cut them to fit. They’re also easy to remove.
Control the Humidity
Lowering the Humidity
Humidity and heat go hand in hand. Humid climates can make us feel hotter, so a dehumidifier can help amplify the cooling effects of fans and air conditioners. Dehumidifiers can make a room comfortable in a different way, by impacting the moisture within the air. On humid days, the slow speed of a fan combined with a dehumidifier can remove more moisture from the air. If you have troubles with your dehumidifier, check out the video below for quick troubleshooting.
Or Raise the Humidity!
Some moisture in the air can help you to feel comfortable. Really dry heat can cause you to feel dehydrated. If you live in a climate that is hot and dry, adding moisture using a humidifier or “swamp cooler” can improve the air and make the effects of your fan and other cooling methods far more effective. If your humidifier gives you hard time, check out the video below for quick troubleshooting.
Change How You Think About Chores
During cooler times, you don’t have to think too much about how your chores affect the heat in your home. But when it’s hotter, you should make some changes.
Cook Outside
An outdoor grill is nice when the weather is hot, but it can also be a good way to avoid adding extra heat from cooking inside to an already stifling home. Heat can transfer from your stove to the rest of the room easily and, by cooking outside, you can take this totally out of the equation.
Save Your Chores for Evening
Not only will you feel more like doing chores during the cooler evening, but appliances, like dishwashers and washing machines, can also throw off a lot of heat. Don’t add to the heat in your home — save these chores for evening. You can even leave your dishwasher on overnight and wake up to it finished. If clothes washing in the day is necessary, make sure any ventilating fans are on, as this will help pull the warmer air out of your home.
Make the Most of Your Clothes Dryer
If you keep the vent of your clothes dryer clean and free of lint, your clothes will dry quicker and, therefore, keep the heat it produces to a minimum. Alternatively, use an outside clothesline to dry your clothes without creating extra heat.
Be Sensible With Electronics and Lights
Ban Incandescent Lights!
Replacing your incandescent lights is sensible for lots of reasons. Not least of all, incandescent lightbulbs waste 90 percent of the energy they consume, by emitting heat. Opt for a more energy efficient bulb — this will save you money, too.
Turn Your Lights Off
Even CFL bulbs produce some heat. If you can get away without having the lights on, you should do so to keep cooler.
Unplug Electronics
Turning off any gadgets or appliances which aren’t in use is obvious, but this is not enough. When the plugs are in the sockets, they can still produce heat and use energy. When your appliance, charger, or other electronic item isn’t in use, make sure it is off and unplugged from the socket.
Long Term Home Alterations
Weatherize to Avoid Losing Cool Air
Insulation
Weatherizing is a good way to keep the home at the temperature you want. It is useful in both hot and cold climate conditions, insulating the temperature you have created in your home and keeping the inclement weather out. To properly weatherize your home, use caulk and weatherstripping around your windows and doors. Fill in any cracks, which will stop air from transferring from indoors to outdoors, and vice versa, when you don’t want it to. 
Image credit: energy.gov
Radiant Barriers
A clever way to insulate your home is to use a radiant barrier. A radiant barrier is a building material made with a reflective foil that deflects sunlight and heat. This can block cool air from transferring out of the house or hot air coming in through your attic. Florida Social Energy Center states that putting one in place can reduce the cost of cooling your home by up to 12%.
Image credit: radiantguard.com
Check out some tips for installing a radiant barrier here:
Roof Update
Your roof is a massively important component of how much heat is kept in and out of your home. If you can afford to, it could be worth getting a new roof as newer designs of roof may do a better job of deflecting heat. Innovative roofs, such as the cool roof, are specifically designed to deflect more sunlight. If you live in a hot area, you can tackle the problem by considering your home’s roofing.
Extra Duct Fans or Vent Boosters
If one room tends to be hotter than the rest of your home, no matter what you try, it might be worth getting a vent booster fan or a duct fan. It can increase the flow of cooler air into your room and keep the temperature more comfortable. If the rest of the house is at a comfortable temperature, a duct fan can be a way to cool that one stubborn room.
Whole House Fans
Some people ignore this as an option because, for the price of a whole-house fan, you can buy a basic air conditioning unit. However, the energy usage of an air conditioner is likely to be much higher, so a whole house fan will cost far less in the long run. These types of fans can be installed in the attic for maximum power and efficiency. 
Image credit: centricair.com
Keep the Attic Cool
Clear Blockages
Attics are vital to cooling, as we’ve already mentioned. Any blocked vents could keep all the heat in, so make sure you haven’t put anything in your attic in the way of essential vents, to improve ventilation.
Let the Hot Air Out
Hot air will rise to the top, but adding vents can help you to get rid of this air so it isn’t warming your whole home. Roof vents can let cooler air come into your house, too.
Solar Attic Fans
Embracing solar power is a great way to save money and energy. A solar attic fan uses the sun’s rays to power it, meaning you don’t have to pay for extra energy to run this fan. 
Image credit: pinterest.com
Here is one we recommend –
QuietCool 30 Watt Solar Powered Gable Mount Attic Fan
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Consider Shade When Landscaping
Cast Shade on Your Home
Awnings, gazebos, and pergolas can create shade during the sunniest parts of the year and greatly reduce your need for air conditioning or other cooling. The Professional Awning Manufacturers Association estimates an awning can save you around $200 a year.
Trellises
Trellises allow you to plant vines and other climbing plants, which can shade the wall of your home. They will stop the heat from the sun having such a big effect. Trellises on east and west-facing windows can block some of the summer sun.
Trees and Shrubs
By planting trees and larger shrubs near your house, you can reduce cooling costs by an incredible amount. They are most effective on the west and south sides of your home and, if you use them correctly, they can reduce the temperature within your home by 3-6 degrees, due to the shade they provide. It is estimated that you can save from 15-50% on your air conditioning costs by planting trees and shrubs around your home.
Cool Yourself, Not Just Your Home
The reason we take all these steps to cool our homes is not for the benefit of the house, it is for the people within. Though it is important to know how to cool a house without AC, there are ways to cool yourself, as well as your home. If you try any of the ideas below, you may feel much cooler even without any improvements inside your house.
Stay Hydrated
Know How Your Body Works
You should know how your body works and treat it as your own built-in air conditioner. The body will sweat in order to cool itself off and this requires a lot of water. The CDC advises that you keep hydrated with cool water, as a top priority.
Iced Beverages
Crushed ice can make a slushie beverage and these have been proven to improve your endurance on days when it is extremely hot. These drinks will help you to feel cool and are especially useful if you are exercising or need to spend time outdoors. Your body will probably crave ice cold drinks on the super hot days, too!
Avoid Alcohol and Caffeine
Alcohol and caffeine are diuretics, which means they can make you dehydrated. Even if a cool, alcoholic drink is tempting, steer clear to keep your inbuilt air conditioner working as it should be!
Wear Appropriate Summer Clothes
Clothing options are an opportunity to be smart and not create excess heat that your body really doesn’t need. Wearing the appropriate summer clothing can ensure you don’t make your body any hotter than it truly has to be.
Cut and Fabric
The cut and fabric of your clothes are vital for choosing clothes that don’t feel too hot. Go for looser fitting cottons for your shirts, shorts, and even your underwear.
Wear Specifically Designed Cooling Clothes
We live in a high-tech world and there are clothes that are specifically designed to help you keep cool. This cooling vest just needs to be soaked in cool water and then it can provide hours of cooling and comfort for whoever is wearing it.
Another option is the FlexiFreeze Ice Vest which uses 96 ice cubes to bring the temperature of whoever is wearing it down to a more comfortable level.
Cooling or moisture-wicking clothing may be more comfortable and there’s also fitness clothing specifically designed to cool. Outdoor brand, Columbia makes Omni-Freeze Zero and Under Armour has CoolSwitch, designed to lower your temperature in hot conditions.
Apply Cold to Your Body
Jump in a Cold Shower
This is a great way to quickly lower the temperature of your body and it’s an option available to most people! Cold showers can provide a lot of relief on unbearably hot days and can keep you feeling cool and fresh.
Or Opt for a Cold Bath
Sometimes a shower can increase the humidity in your home, especially if not properly ventilated. Many people opt for cold baths in order to cool themselves right to the core, as described here.
Cool Your Pulse Points
Pulse points almost ‘trick’ the body into feeling cooler, as they are more sensitive to cold temperatures. Cold compresses or ice on pulse points, such as your ankles, back of the neck, elbows, and wrists, can help you to get comfortable in the heat.
Use Specific Cooling Towels
Cold towels have been used for many years to help people cool down, but specific cooling towels, such as the Balhvit Instant Relief Cooling Towel, are designed to stay cool for longer. They can provide cold relief for hours, rather than minutes!
Braids and Ice Cubes
This is one of the stranger tips we’ve found, but one that can be effective. If you have braids, stuff them with ice cubes to keep cool! This might sound like a crazy tip to stay cool, but it might be perfect for you.
Peppermint
Peppermint can be your best friend in hot environments! Peppermint contains a lot of menthol. Menthol has a cooling effect on the skin, which leads many people to turn to the substance when they are feeling the heat.
Peppermint in the Shower
Showers can be great in hot weather anyway, but a peppermint soap or shower gel can spread the cooling effects all over your body and give you get that drop in temperature you’ve been craving. You can make your own peppermint soap, for example, by following these instructions.
Peppermint Oil
Peppermint is available as an essential oil. Keep a spray bottle with some peppermint oil at the side of your bed to give yourself a little spray whenever the heat is starting to get too much. Apply to feet and pulse points for even more benefits. Here’s a nice DIY post about how to make a peppermint mist for feet at home.
Or a Peppermint Stick
Peppermint balms in stick form are another way you can apply this essential oil to your body. If you’re hot at night, rubbing a menthol stick on your forehead can give you a quick cooling effect. If you’ve woken up sweaty and overheating, this can be a perfect tonic.
Watch What You Eat
Eat Smaller Meals
What you’re consuming on those hotter days can also have a big impact on how you feel, in terms of body heat. You should opt for smaller meals, but eat more frequently, so you don’t go hungry. The idea of this is that it can help with better hydration and therefore help your body process the heat.
Don’t Overdo it on Protein
Protein is quite complex for the body to break down, certainly more so than other types of food, such as carbs or fat. Eating too much of it can mean that your body temperature rises as the body tries to digest. Why not switch to something like a salad or a meal full of veggies, which can be easier to digest?
Turn Down The Heat on Your Sleeping!
Sleep can be one of the most difficult aspects of high temperatures in certain seasons. Did you know that the body has an ideal sleeping temperature? The following tips have been included to try and help you to stay comfy and get a good night’s sleep.
Sleep Solo!
Explain to Your Partner
Two bodies generate more heat than one. That’s why penguins huddle together to preserve heat! If you have a spare room or a comfy couch to sleep on, it might be best to do this to ensure that you don’t overheat due to the body heat of a partner.
Kick out the Pets
Lots of us love our pets and allow our cats and dogs to sleep on the bed, but they can produce body heat, too. It will be more comfortable for you (and them) to get them to sleep in their own bed.
Sleep Elsewhere
Downstairs
It is important to remember that heat rises and that rooms lower down in your home will likely have much cooler air. Most bedrooms are upstairs but, by moving downstairs, you can take advantage of the cooler temperatures on the ground floor or basement. You can also sleep on the floor of your room if you notice it’s cooler.
Sleep Outside
What better opportunity for a campout? The cool summer air can be lovely, especially if there’s a breeze. Why not make it an event and sleep in a tent or hammock outside?
Whatever you do, don’t sleep in your car with the air conditioner running. This can be tempting, but it is extremely dangerous, as carbon monoxide can build up in the vehicle.
Keep Feet Cool and Comfortable
Feet are very sensitive to heat and cooling your feet down can cool down your whole body. You can keep iced or cold water next to your bed and, if you need to dip into it during the night, this is easily done. You can even keep your feet out of the covers and put a cold compress on them.
Apply Cold on Hot Evenings
Cold Water Bottle
Just as you can fill a hot water bottle with hot water, you can do the same with cold water and even keep it in the freezer. Similar options include freezing a 2-liter bottle and then wrapping it in a pillowcase. Hold it close to your chest and cool your core, which in turn will cool the rest of your body. Use your cold compress on your forehead before you sleep, or on cooling points, like your ankles and the back of your knees.
Fill Some Socks
Another top tip is to fill a sock up with rice and then seal it with a cable tie or just tie it up. You can leave it in the freezer, which will create a cold compress that should stay cool until you drift off to sleep!
Get Misty
A plant mister or a small misting device can give a cooling effect. Spray it on your pulse points and make sure the water is cold. You can even make your own sprayer with an empty perfume bottle.
Specific Bed Equipment for Cooling
Buckwheat Pillows
Buckwheat pillows don’t absorb as much heat as a less-breathable material will. They can be amazing for staying cool, compared to cotton and down.
Bamboo Mats over Mattress
Mattresses soak up a lot of heat. Use a bamboo or straw mat instead. Though they might not be quite as comfortable, they don’t keep all that heat sealed in.
Waterbeds
Waterbeds can be very comfortable and, though they can be great at stopping overheating in hot weather, they do need to be heated when it gets cold outside during the winter season.
Swap the Bed Entirely
Why not ditch your bed? A hammock or a simple cot can help – they are suspended and, therefore, airflow is increased. They can even be set up outdoors in the cooler air, if needed.
Dress Right
Pajamas Can Be Helpful
Though you might assume pajamas make you hotter, some moisture-wicking materials can help you to stay cool during the night.
No Nudity!
Nudity isn’t actually the best way to stay cool. Any pajamas can wick moisture away, so wearing loose PJs can be your coolest, most comfortable option.
Shower for Sleeping
Why not rethink your showering rituals? Take a cool shower before bed. Why not leave your hair wet? Or shower in your pajamas, so you stay cooler for longer? If you wake up and you’re sweaty, you can change your moist pillowcase and sheets and have a quick, cool shower.
Bed Sheets
Get rid of your old sheets and opt for either natural fibers, such as bamboo, or techier fabrics, which are moisture wicking. You can also dampen your sheets and keep them in the fridge or freezer for a while before sleeping, to make them comfortably cool.
Tech Can Help – Cooling Products
Chillow
Try a cooling pillow, such as the Chillow. This pillow uses a water-based filling to keep you cool through the night.
Cooling Mattress
Why not opt for a “ventilated mattress to increase airflow and prevent all that heat from locking inside the bed?
Cool Mattress Toppers
There are also mattress toppers which can help. This memory foam topper includes a cooling gel and is made to be breathable.
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Mattress Protector
Slightly different to a mattress topper is a mattress protector. This bamboo mattress protector is designed to regulate temperature during the night.
Further Tips to Stay Cool
Sleep Spread Eagle
This position can ensure that your arms and legs don’t touch, building up heat near your core. Try to sleep spread eagle, if you can, to let air circulate around your body.
Tie Up Long Hair
Long hair can cover the cooling point at the back of your neck and make it feel much warmer. Tie it up to avoid this.
Use Talc in Bed
Talc can absorb a lot of the water and moisture on our bodies and help you feel much cooler. Make sure you opt for high-quality talcum powder that doesn’t contain asbestos.
Use Essential Oils
Lavender is known to help people sleep and, if you’re already spraying or misting the room with water, why not include some lavender oil?
Stay Away from Alcohol
One of the worst things you can do for your body temperature is to dehydrate yourself before bed, but alcohol can do exactly that. It is also a diuretic, meaning you might wake up to go to the bathroom, just as you’ve got off to sleep. Stay away from alcohol for a good night’s sleep in warm conditions.
Did You Like Our Tips About Cooling a House or Room Without AC?
Have you enjoyed this post? I wanted to include some tips on how to make your house cool without AC in order to help people sleep better and improve their quality of life during these hot months. Our article has covered ways you can cool yourself and your home naturally. You can make changes to your behavior, such as how you do your chores or use your electronics. There are things you can change in the home, for long-term improvements in hot weather. We’ve also included helpful products and tips on how to hack your fans and window treatments to help cool your home. If you’ve found this post helpful, feel free to share it with others and leave us your own comments and tips in the section below.
Last update on 2023-02-02 at 17:40 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API