8 Tips to Survive Working Outside in the Heat and Humidity

If you live in a hot muggy climate like coastal Texas - I call Houston the Great Dismal Swamp - the humidity can sure spoil the pleasure of summer outdoor activities like gardening. Here a few suggestions to help. The increase in laundry will be worth it.

1. Turn up the thermostat! Keeping your whole house below 75 degrees is not only expensive, it is actually dangerous to your health and self-defeating as well. By not allowing your system to adjust to warm weather, you feel the heat more intensely. You also expose yourself to temperature shock. The sudden change from 95 degrees outside to 70 degrees inside can make you nauseous.

2. Fight heat and humidity with warm water. Take more showers. A quickie with barely warm water will refresh you and make your house feel cooler. Such a shower at bedtime will let you fall asleep faster.

3. If possible, do your yard and garden work early in the morning or late in the afternoon, after the heat has eased. Take advantage of shade if you can. Of course, mosquitoes are more active during these hours so use repellent.

4. Timing. Come inside every half hour or so. Keep a towel by the back door so you can dry the sweat off your face and neck the moment you enter the house. Swab your face, neck (especially in back) and wrists with a cool wet wash cloth. Chug down a glass of ice water. Temperature shock can be pleasant in your mouth! Plus, the water will keep you hydrated.

5. Avoid polyester clothing, it's like wearing a plastic bag. Cotton, silk and rayon breathe. They also wash well. Cotton underwear is more comfortable for the same reason.

6. Wear a ventilated hat or cap when you're out in the sun. Even a mesh baseball cap will shade your face, cut the glare, and allow heat to escape your scalp. Remember, we're told to wear a hat in the winter because we lose most of our body heat through the top of our heads. In the summer that's a good thing. A ventilated hat or cap in summer lets that heat out while reducing incoming heat.

7. While you're outside, wear a cool damp washcloth draped around the back of your neck. To increase it's effectiveness, fold a couple of ice cubes inside. Even a wet bandanna tied loosely around your neck will help cool you for a while.

8. As soon as you're through outside, take off your sweaty work clothes, and take a short warm shower. There's another towel used. Put on dry clothes. More laundry, but you'll feel better.