Staying Cool with Chronic Illness

Staying cool with chronic illness is never easy, many of us struggle to regulate our temperatures which can lead to overheating. Added to that is the fact that many medications can affect how our bodies react to heat and direct sunlight. So, now we finally have sunshine and heat here in the UK, I thought I would share some of my best strategies for keeping cool in a country where we don’t have AC and our homes are built to keep heat in!

Why it’s important to keep cool with chronic illness

Keeping cool is especially important for children, those over 65 and anyone with chronic illnesses or who are disabled. This is for a number of reasons, for example many of us struggle to regulate our temperatures and are unable to move as easily to stay in cooler places in our homes.

We can also experience photosensitivity or sun sensitivity due to medications, so knowing your body and the drugs you take is important. Hot weather can cause increased blood pressure, migraines, heat rashes and dizziness all reasons to stay cool as possible.

Summertime should be spent outdoors, enjoying the sunshine and if you are able to do that then you should. But knowing some tips and tricks to keep you cool, whether you are stuck at home, or out and about will help you to enjoy the summer so much more.

Tips for staying cool

• Keep Hydrated – We lose a lot of hydration through sweating when it is hot, so it is so important to replenish by drinking water as much as possible. I keep a bottle of water beside me a lot of the time and drink that through the day which lessens the number of times I must get up. Remember that caffeinated drinks and alcohol do not count when it comes to making sure you drink enough.
• Keep the room cool – I have found that keeping windows and doors closed and any windows facing the sun covered keeps our home cooler. We also use tower fans and ensure doors are kept open between rooms in the house so that there is a free flow of air. This also prevents a room getting too hot which is awful if you happen to be in there and feeling too tired to move trust me!
• Use cooling products – Look online and you will soon find products especially made for keeping disabled people cool. I use a dog cooling mat for my feet in bed, a cooling headwrap and a cooling roller both are excellent for migraines too. I also use hand fans but if you struggle to hold things, you can buy ones that look like headphones that hang around your neck.
• Be inventive – I know it sounds crazy, but we are all individuals and so we find what works for us! On top of the things I already mentioned, I also get a towel and soak it in cold water wring it out and lay it over my legs on hot nights. It is such a game changer and not something I have ever heard anyone talk about before but it works for me. So, try it and let me know if it works for you!
• Do the obvious – These are things we all know but do not always do, pace yourself, don’t try and do too much, stay indoors between 11am-4pm, keep your medication in a cool place, live the siesta life and take naps.
• Be aware – Some symptoms of heat related illness are dizziness, fainting, headaches, profuse sweating, nausea etc. If you or someone you know has any of these contact a medical professional or go to A&E.

I really hope you manage to stay cool this summer, and I hope some of this information and tips help you to do it. Don’t forget to leave a comment with your best tips for staying cool with chronic illness to help other readers.

Thank you xx

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