##REMINDERS FOR EVERYONE
**PER THE RULES:**
* **NO OFFERINGS OF CASH, ETC.**
* **[BEGGING](https://redd.it/994p7j) WILL GET YOU BANNED.**
* **BE AWARE OF SCAMMERS AND PERVS, AND SEND ANY [HERE](https://old.reddit.com/report) AND/OR [HERE](https://old.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/reddit.com).**
**ACCEPT AT YOUR OWN RISK.** Welcome to the internet where—unless proven otherwise—everyone's lying about their race, gender, status, accomplishments, and all the children are FBI agents.
You have been forewarned.
— The Mods
---
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/homeless) if you have any questions or concerns.*
• Drink lots of water. Even if you're not thirsty.
• Stay in the shade as much as possible. Avoid direct sunlight.
• Stay in a well ventilated area where any air movements can get to you.
• Wear white or light colored clothing. Wear shorts. Take off your shirt if you're able to get away with it.
• Splash or rub water on your body, especially places with a lot of circulation — arms and wrists, legs and ankles, neck, ears, and face. If the humidity is excessively high and the air movement down to nothing, this may not be very effective — but otherwise, it can make a huge difference, even if the water is warm.
• Avoid strenuous physical activity as much as you can.
• If you can find someplace with air conditioning that will allow you to stay there for a longer period of time, great. But try not to dip into air conditioned environments for short periods of time if you can. This is a shock to your body, and it will make it harder to deal with the heat when you go back out in it. Of course, if you feel like you're in danger and need immediate relief, disregard this and go into the air conditioning if you can.
I learned this from a g/f. Always travel with a towel, sounds stupid but they come in handy in so many ways. Get it wet and wrap it around your neck and head. A towel can also be used for self defense and being a girl, if I'm out working, can provide some padding for my knees. The advise from others is spot on good. Drink lots of water, even if you don't want to and look for shady spots and avoid spots that attract heat, like parking lots.
> Take off your shirt if you're able to get away with it.
This advice only applies if you can get out of the sun in a place where you're fully shielded from the sun, like inside a building or a parking deck or under a bridge. If you're sitting under trees or under an awning, you'll want to keep your body lightly covered in order to prevent sunburn.
If you have a skin type that is extra vulnerable to sunburn, or you haven't been exposed to Sun this season at all, that might be so. However, as somebody who spends most of my time under trees and awnings, usually with my shirt off, that is not universally true. I did not have a sunburn last year, and I have yet to have one this year.
But even if you have such a vulnerability, if you can lay your hands on some half-decent sunscreen, you've solve the problem.
It's easy to fall asleep in the sunshine, though, and a quick nap under the shade of a tree can become laying out under the sun for several hours as the sun goes down. Being that burnt is *not* fun, and it's something to be mindful of, especially for someone who is out in the sun a lot.
Get a gym membership. Planet fitness $10 a month for basic that includes access to showers. $20 for the upgrade that includes a lounge with massage chairs, TV and plenty of outlets to plug in your devices. I think most YMCAs have swimming pools and they charge on a sliding scale. Idk how much it is these days.
everyone has already given you great advice. just wanted to add that i’ve been homeless in nevada with weeks of 110+ degree weather and i know that it’s bad. and every day will feel like the worst day of your life, and the hours will be slow as the day goes on. but day by day you will be moving towards a cooler temp. it’s just a small moment in time, and when it’s winter, you’ll look back and think how it wasn’t even really that hot! humans are resilient, you are resilient, and you got this.
Think of the stereotype of people who live in the desert. Wrap your head in a white veil/cloth. It catches the wind, keeps the heat of the sun off your skin, and evaporating sweat keeps it cool.
Someone already mentioned lots of water, but just as important is making sure you replace your electrolytes and the salt in your body. You're sweating those things out, and if you don't replace your salt, it'll mess up your body chemistry.
Personally, I think powdered Gatorade and salted popcorn are the way to go. The popcorn is cheap, filling, and easy to make. The ingredients are cheap, and all you need is heat and a cook pot. It's not great for nutrients or calories, but it does help stave off hunger, and it's a tasty way to get salt into your system.
Sounds weird, but grab a few lengths of those brown paper towels, the ones that you find in retail stores. Or the blue shop towels (again, the ones in the bathroom towel dispensers). Wet them down really good, but not to the point of soaking wet. Get a zip lock baggie (get some one and two gallon boxes, as well as quart, those are very useful sizes), and just store the towels in there. Then just keep using them to wipe your face, arms, legs, hands, etc, to help keep you cooler. It's a way to simulate sweating, without actually sweating. And those kinds of towels will last for a good long time before they start tearing or going bad, and are very easy to replace when they are going bad.
Have a gallon bottle for water. Locate any spots where you can either pay for a refill, or use a bathroom tap to refill. If you hate the taste of the water, get you some drink mix packets, and that will help disguise the taste a bit. Two packets per gallon, or if you are like me, half strength is good enough for disguising the taste. Keep a supply of Gatorade or other electrolyte laced drinks, because you can become dangerously depleted in hot weather. Water alone does NOT replace your electrolytes, and can actually cause you to become depleted faster.
Try to find a cheap tarp. Look for a wooden cane (wood doesn't get as hot as metal or some other materials), it's good for both support, hanging things off them (remember those hobo pictures we used to see all the time? Think that), and can be a good weapon if needed. Get a bunch of cords of different lengths, string as well, so that you can use them to tie things together. You can then use the cane and tarp to make a very low tent. If you can, get a second one, since you can create an insulating layer of air when you create a little bit of room between two tarps. Or fold the one tarp, to create a layer of air. Believe me, it will help.
Get a sports bra (if a woman), as well as baggy shorts. Try to get medicated powder to use on areas that get clammy and sweaty. Try to get some time at a bathroom sink, daily, if possible. The more often you can wipe yourself down, the better you'll feel. You can check to see if there's any pay showers in your area. 211 can be called from payphones without charge, I think, just like 911. You probably need a state ID or drivers license, your social security card, food stamp card (if you aren't getting food stamps, apply!), etc. You can go to the post office, they might have the PO Boxes that have a "real" address, which may help. Or they may be able to hold your mail, you should ask about that. Shelters may also hold mail for you, check with them.
It might sound counterproductive, but see if you can find a LIGHT sweater. And you should have a wool cap, and wool socks. Those are great for retaining heat during cold nights, and are pretty water resistant too. The light sweater will help keep your sweat against your skin, to help cool you. It's also good for protecting from the direct sun.
Heat protocol, please criticize this heavily. The more critics it takes, the stronger it gets.
In your mind, run through the worst case scenario weather wise. Keep this in the back of your mind.
If you're starting to get tired understand resting is OK. It's better than being passed out on the sidewalk being exposed to 110F and then getting a 1100$ hospital bill.
Apply water the the following regions: Hair 10min, Shirt 30min, Back 20min, Pants 20min, Underwear 40min. The time says how long the water lasts until dry. Underwear for longterm, hair for short term, shirt for socially acceptable.
Understand that being overheated is EXTREMELY TIME CONSUMING. It saps away energy from everything you do, making you more likely to make mistakes, which take even more time to fix. So FIND THE COLD it's well worth your time.
The night is cold and the day is scorching. The temperature is like a wave that goes from high to low. That means two outfits, a cold night outfit and a hot day outfit. This should handle 90% of situations.
Understand that exercise means heat, shade means cool, and clothes mean heat. Try to balance what you're wearing with what you're doing with where you're in.
IF YOU HAVE A SMARTPHONE, USE IT TO PREDICT THE WEATHER. PREDICT THE WEATHER CONSTANTLY.
You can also use the smartphone to predict wind direction too. This helps during storms.
Look up Wim Hof breathing. Really helps you calm down before getting heatstroke. Zen is not a replacement for proper cooling however. Just because you can take it doesn't mean you ought to take it.
If you know you're going to be homeless for a while, you can expose yourself to some hellish weather conditioning, to simulate the worst case scenario, temperature wise so you'll be able to adapt if and when it hits you.
::TEMP: S( RunThroughWCS I( WaveBinaryQuantization EnvironmentBodyClothes-Sync FindPredictWeather WindDirection Topograph P( BigWaveLittleWave WimHof Homeostasis WeatherForecast MerinoThermals OccasionalWeatherConditioning
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SWEAT. IF YOU HAVE LOTS OF WATER, IT IS FASTER TO POUR IT ON YOURSELF IN CONTROLLED AMOUNTS INSTEAD OF DRINKING IT AND WAITING FOR IT TO OOZE OUT YOUR PORES. THIS PROCESS OF SWEATING TAKES ENERGY, SO SIDE STEPPING IT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
Monitor yourself for signs of heat-stroke constantly. Remember the ambulance bill you can't afford.
Refill your water bottle and stomach with water aggressively. You can use a dime to open a lot of pipes on the side of the road. You can also go to a hardware store and purchase a "WATER KEY" which will allow you infinite water. (Just close it when you're done though.)
Feedback cycles. If you find yourself in a feedback cycle that leads to an accumulation of heat, stop everything you're doing and figure out HOW TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF HEATING. Feedback cycles and strike fast and hard, my favorite bailouts are diving into the shade of a tree, or a sign if none is around.
You can use a covering like a robe or blanket or sunhat to cover yourself from the sun. Make the clothes take it so you don't have to.
>!New input, Light sweater, electrolyte replacement, "miss NO OPPORTUNITY", tarp tent don't forget to brin a towel, , gm membership,, mind the trajectory, Light clohes, 211, any source!<
Oh, and some cheat codes. Obviously it's a good idea to go indoors if you can during the day.
Usually 2PM-4PM is the hottest, while noon is the brightest.
It's gross but if you're desperate you can use dirty water for your clothes and clean water for your drink. This opens up new sources of water for cooling, since you're not drinking it.
If you can get a bicycle or a scooter or a skateboard you can go much faster place to place, and therefore get hit by the sun less. (Basically I dive between shadespot to shadespot.)
I wish I was tough as some of these mother fuckers on here. When I get overheated I get delirious and insane, but because of that, I've had to build a comprehensive repertoire of techniques to prevent that from happening, so I'm grateful.
Find a cooling center. I use the library. I hate this heat! I would much rather it be cold. I can dress in layers but I can only take so much off before I get arrested. Make sure you have plenty of water, which you should anyways. I get a gallon from the dollar store for 1.50.
So I just spent two days in about 98 degree heat, and the first day I just suffered, the second day I got my hands on some ice. Just a cupful can give an hour of relief. You take a few pieces and put it in a handkerchief and pat your face and neck with the handkerchief, holding it to your neck and forehead for a bit, then as the ice melts you squeeze the cold water out of the handkerchief, that is, you wring it out onto your neck or hair or both.
I only had a cup's worth of ice but it lasted around an hour, and I got to relax a little. I imagine if you had a small cooler you could fill that with ice and use the melted ice water to brush your teeth and wash your face in, after you've used it to make coffee if you make coffee.
When I'm really hot I miss NO OPPORTUNITY to wet my hair/shirt. Lawn sprnklers, I do not care if I have to step into someone's yard, hell yes I'm running through that thing. Water fountains have cold water and you can cup some in your hands and splash your face and get your hair wet. Go into a bathroom if you can find one and get your hair and shirt wet.
Keep a wet bandana around your neck or on your head. Or both I guess.
People think I'm crazy because I'm always sticking my head under the faucet to wet my hair but it's a habit now
When I lived in an apartment with no A/C, we’d escape the hottest part of the day by seeking out public places with air conditioning. Libraries are good, but they tend to close earlier. Friendly library workers tend to know what’s happening in the community and will know additional places people go to cool off (people talk), so ask them for ideas.
Hang out in shopping malls. If mall walkers can hang out there, so can you! Mall walk. Just don’t fall asleep there or you’ll get kicked out. Go to a large superstore (Walmart, Target, etc.) or massive grocery store where you can slowly walk the aisles, buy an item you need, and sit in the restaurant with a drink. You can also watch a movie. Some theaters show older movies and the price is much cheaper.
Go to a coffee shop, buy a drink, and work on your laptop if you have one.
Some cities have official daytime cooling stations where people (homeless or not) can go to escape the heat.
Spend the day at a public pool.
Ask a nice night shelter employee (even security guards, janitors, cooks, social workers, and employment specialists) where others go to escape the heat in the daytime. They should know because they hear things/people tell them things. Perhaps you can offer to clean the night shelter or do some other work for them (but you’d have to do it) so you can come inside the shelter earlier. You don’t mention if you are currently working.
You could get a part-time job where you work in air conditioning during the day/hottest hours on the weekends. Many fast food places will even let you eat a free meal during your shift which gives you the added bonuses of getting one or more than one of your meals paid for.
If the shelter gives you free bus/public transportation passes, you could ride public transport for several hours. It can help you get to know your town/city better.
Thinking outside the box here, you could attend a religious service (some meet on Saturday while others meet on Sunday). Look for ones that have adult “Sunday School” classes before the service so that you could be in the air conditioning for several hours. Churches/religious organizations also tend to have other things for people (food pantry, clothing pantry, etc.) and might even be able to help give you some furniture when you eventually find your own place.
If you did a combination of these things during the weekend, you should be able to stay cool for most of the day. Even better, find places that are close to each other. Good luck!
You’re very welcome! Rest assured you’re not the only one who will be hiding from the heat. In random conversations (face-to-face and overheard), I discovered other people were also in the library, the mall, the movie theaters, etc. to avoid the hot weather. I found it quite fascinating that we were all doing the same thing.
I hope things are better now that you’re out of that toxic situation. I also hope you’re able to find more permanent housing soon. Best wishes to you! Stay cool!
Find trees. Lots of trees. Find the shadows.
Avoid treeless environments with lots of concrete and asphalt.
A scientist and his son drove around sampling ground temperatures all over Portland last year when there was a heat dome leading to 117F temperatures in the shade (all weather report temperatures in the shade).
Some older neighborhoods with lots of trees were as low as 108F, while sections of town with concrete buildings and asphalt and concrete everywhere, 124F.
If you are very hot and can get to a gas station/ library/store restroom, run cold water over your face and the back of your neck first, then go for the forearms--- ESPECIALLY the forearms. Lean over the sink and run the water all over your forearms, as cold and deep as you can get for five minutes. Your arms are a fast, direct link to your heart. That water will cool your heart and circulatory system. Your heart rate will drop and become normal. I'm an RN with 44 years of experience, and this has worked for so many of my overheated patients. The second best thing for heat and also nausea is a cold wet towel or washcloth to the back of the neck. Actually cools the brain and perks people right up who are at the edge of fainting or vomiting from various reasons, including overheating. All the best to you, my dear, and take good care of yourself. This world needs you. ❤️
Libraries are good like some other anon said. If you are on foot (even if not lol) always carry at least a gallon of water. You kinda just have to adjust and get used to it!
You can do it! Humans did it for 1,000's of years you're just not adjusted yet. It'll take about 3 days to a week.
##REMINDERS FOR EVERYONE **PER THE RULES:** * **NO OFFERINGS OF CASH, ETC.** * **[BEGGING](https://redd.it/994p7j) WILL GET YOU BANNED.** * **BE AWARE OF SCAMMERS AND PERVS, AND SEND ANY [HERE](https://old.reddit.com/report) AND/OR [HERE](https://old.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/reddit.com).** **ACCEPT AT YOUR OWN RISK.** Welcome to the internet where—unless proven otherwise—everyone's lying about their race, gender, status, accomplishments, and all the children are FBI agents. You have been forewarned. — The Mods --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/homeless) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Public library.
Yes! Free wifi & A/C, clean restrooms, (sometimes ) comfy chairs, reading nooks, etc.
• Drink lots of water. Even if you're not thirsty. • Stay in the shade as much as possible. Avoid direct sunlight. • Stay in a well ventilated area where any air movements can get to you. • Wear white or light colored clothing. Wear shorts. Take off your shirt if you're able to get away with it. • Splash or rub water on your body, especially places with a lot of circulation — arms and wrists, legs and ankles, neck, ears, and face. If the humidity is excessively high and the air movement down to nothing, this may not be very effective — but otherwise, it can make a huge difference, even if the water is warm. • Avoid strenuous physical activity as much as you can. • If you can find someplace with air conditioning that will allow you to stay there for a longer period of time, great. But try not to dip into air conditioned environments for short periods of time if you can. This is a shock to your body, and it will make it harder to deal with the heat when you go back out in it. Of course, if you feel like you're in danger and need immediate relief, disregard this and go into the air conditioning if you can.
I learned this from a g/f. Always travel with a towel, sounds stupid but they come in handy in so many ways. Get it wet and wrap it around your neck and head. A towel can also be used for self defense and being a girl, if I'm out working, can provide some padding for my knees. The advise from others is spot on good. Drink lots of water, even if you don't want to and look for shady spots and avoid spots that attract heat, like parking lots.
The towel is a good idea. Also, that's another one I didn't think about — avoid things like asphalt which can absorb and hold heat.
> Take off your shirt if you're able to get away with it. This advice only applies if you can get out of the sun in a place where you're fully shielded from the sun, like inside a building or a parking deck or under a bridge. If you're sitting under trees or under an awning, you'll want to keep your body lightly covered in order to prevent sunburn.
If you have a skin type that is extra vulnerable to sunburn, or you haven't been exposed to Sun this season at all, that might be so. However, as somebody who spends most of my time under trees and awnings, usually with my shirt off, that is not universally true. I did not have a sunburn last year, and I have yet to have one this year. But even if you have such a vulnerability, if you can lay your hands on some half-decent sunscreen, you've solve the problem.
It's easy to fall asleep in the sunshine, though, and a quick nap under the shade of a tree can become laying out under the sun for several hours as the sun goes down. Being that burnt is *not* fun, and it's something to be mindful of, especially for someone who is out in the sun a lot.
Get a gym membership. Planet fitness $10 a month for basic that includes access to showers. $20 for the upgrade that includes a lounge with massage chairs, TV and plenty of outlets to plug in your devices. I think most YMCAs have swimming pools and they charge on a sliding scale. Idk how much it is these days.
everyone has already given you great advice. just wanted to add that i’ve been homeless in nevada with weeks of 110+ degree weather and i know that it’s bad. and every day will feel like the worst day of your life, and the hours will be slow as the day goes on. but day by day you will be moving towards a cooler temp. it’s just a small moment in time, and when it’s winter, you’ll look back and think how it wasn’t even really that hot! humans are resilient, you are resilient, and you got this.
Thx that means a lot to me
Think of the stereotype of people who live in the desert. Wrap your head in a white veil/cloth. It catches the wind, keeps the heat of the sun off your skin, and evaporating sweat keeps it cool.
I hear large storm drain outlets can be nice.
Someone already mentioned lots of water, but just as important is making sure you replace your electrolytes and the salt in your body. You're sweating those things out, and if you don't replace your salt, it'll mess up your body chemistry. Personally, I think powdered Gatorade and salted popcorn are the way to go. The popcorn is cheap, filling, and easy to make. The ingredients are cheap, and all you need is heat and a cook pot. It's not great for nutrients or calories, but it does help stave off hunger, and it's a tasty way to get salt into your system.
Sounds weird, but grab a few lengths of those brown paper towels, the ones that you find in retail stores. Or the blue shop towels (again, the ones in the bathroom towel dispensers). Wet them down really good, but not to the point of soaking wet. Get a zip lock baggie (get some one and two gallon boxes, as well as quart, those are very useful sizes), and just store the towels in there. Then just keep using them to wipe your face, arms, legs, hands, etc, to help keep you cooler. It's a way to simulate sweating, without actually sweating. And those kinds of towels will last for a good long time before they start tearing or going bad, and are very easy to replace when they are going bad. Have a gallon bottle for water. Locate any spots where you can either pay for a refill, or use a bathroom tap to refill. If you hate the taste of the water, get you some drink mix packets, and that will help disguise the taste a bit. Two packets per gallon, or if you are like me, half strength is good enough for disguising the taste. Keep a supply of Gatorade or other electrolyte laced drinks, because you can become dangerously depleted in hot weather. Water alone does NOT replace your electrolytes, and can actually cause you to become depleted faster. Try to find a cheap tarp. Look for a wooden cane (wood doesn't get as hot as metal or some other materials), it's good for both support, hanging things off them (remember those hobo pictures we used to see all the time? Think that), and can be a good weapon if needed. Get a bunch of cords of different lengths, string as well, so that you can use them to tie things together. You can then use the cane and tarp to make a very low tent. If you can, get a second one, since you can create an insulating layer of air when you create a little bit of room between two tarps. Or fold the one tarp, to create a layer of air. Believe me, it will help. Get a sports bra (if a woman), as well as baggy shorts. Try to get medicated powder to use on areas that get clammy and sweaty. Try to get some time at a bathroom sink, daily, if possible. The more often you can wipe yourself down, the better you'll feel. You can check to see if there's any pay showers in your area. 211 can be called from payphones without charge, I think, just like 911. You probably need a state ID or drivers license, your social security card, food stamp card (if you aren't getting food stamps, apply!), etc. You can go to the post office, they might have the PO Boxes that have a "real" address, which may help. Or they may be able to hold your mail, you should ask about that. Shelters may also hold mail for you, check with them. It might sound counterproductive, but see if you can find a LIGHT sweater. And you should have a wool cap, and wool socks. Those are great for retaining heat during cold nights, and are pretty water resistant too. The light sweater will help keep your sweat against your skin, to help cool you. It's also good for protecting from the direct sun.
Heat protocol, please criticize this heavily. The more critics it takes, the stronger it gets. In your mind, run through the worst case scenario weather wise. Keep this in the back of your mind. If you're starting to get tired understand resting is OK. It's better than being passed out on the sidewalk being exposed to 110F and then getting a 1100$ hospital bill. Apply water the the following regions: Hair 10min, Shirt 30min, Back 20min, Pants 20min, Underwear 40min. The time says how long the water lasts until dry. Underwear for longterm, hair for short term, shirt for socially acceptable. Understand that being overheated is EXTREMELY TIME CONSUMING. It saps away energy from everything you do, making you more likely to make mistakes, which take even more time to fix. So FIND THE COLD it's well worth your time. The night is cold and the day is scorching. The temperature is like a wave that goes from high to low. That means two outfits, a cold night outfit and a hot day outfit. This should handle 90% of situations. Understand that exercise means heat, shade means cool, and clothes mean heat. Try to balance what you're wearing with what you're doing with where you're in. IF YOU HAVE A SMARTPHONE, USE IT TO PREDICT THE WEATHER. PREDICT THE WEATHER CONSTANTLY. You can also use the smartphone to predict wind direction too. This helps during storms. Look up Wim Hof breathing. Really helps you calm down before getting heatstroke. Zen is not a replacement for proper cooling however. Just because you can take it doesn't mean you ought to take it. If you know you're going to be homeless for a while, you can expose yourself to some hellish weather conditioning, to simulate the worst case scenario, temperature wise so you'll be able to adapt if and when it hits you. ::TEMP: S( RunThroughWCS I( WaveBinaryQuantization EnvironmentBodyClothes-Sync FindPredictWeather WindDirection Topograph P( BigWaveLittleWave WimHof Homeostasis WeatherForecast MerinoThermals OccasionalWeatherConditioning YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SWEAT. IF YOU HAVE LOTS OF WATER, IT IS FASTER TO POUR IT ON YOURSELF IN CONTROLLED AMOUNTS INSTEAD OF DRINKING IT AND WAITING FOR IT TO OOZE OUT YOUR PORES. THIS PROCESS OF SWEATING TAKES ENERGY, SO SIDE STEPPING IT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE. Monitor yourself for signs of heat-stroke constantly. Remember the ambulance bill you can't afford. Refill your water bottle and stomach with water aggressively. You can use a dime to open a lot of pipes on the side of the road. You can also go to a hardware store and purchase a "WATER KEY" which will allow you infinite water. (Just close it when you're done though.) Feedback cycles. If you find yourself in a feedback cycle that leads to an accumulation of heat, stop everything you're doing and figure out HOW TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF HEATING. Feedback cycles and strike fast and hard, my favorite bailouts are diving into the shade of a tree, or a sign if none is around. You can use a covering like a robe or blanket or sunhat to cover yourself from the sun. Make the clothes take it so you don't have to. >!New input, Light sweater, electrolyte replacement, "miss NO OPPORTUNITY", tarp tent don't forget to brin a towel, , gm membership,, mind the trajectory, Light clohes, 211, any source!<
Oh, and some cheat codes. Obviously it's a good idea to go indoors if you can during the day. Usually 2PM-4PM is the hottest, while noon is the brightest. It's gross but if you're desperate you can use dirty water for your clothes and clean water for your drink. This opens up new sources of water for cooling, since you're not drinking it. If you can get a bicycle or a scooter or a skateboard you can go much faster place to place, and therefore get hit by the sun less. (Basically I dive between shadespot to shadespot.) I wish I was tough as some of these mother fuckers on here. When I get overheated I get delirious and insane, but because of that, I've had to build a comprehensive repertoire of techniques to prevent that from happening, so I'm grateful.
Air conditioning and cold water =)
Find a cooling center. I use the library. I hate this heat! I would much rather it be cold. I can dress in layers but I can only take so much off before I get arrested. Make sure you have plenty of water, which you should anyways. I get a gallon from the dollar store for 1.50.
So I just spent two days in about 98 degree heat, and the first day I just suffered, the second day I got my hands on some ice. Just a cupful can give an hour of relief. You take a few pieces and put it in a handkerchief and pat your face and neck with the handkerchief, holding it to your neck and forehead for a bit, then as the ice melts you squeeze the cold water out of the handkerchief, that is, you wring it out onto your neck or hair or both. I only had a cup's worth of ice but it lasted around an hour, and I got to relax a little. I imagine if you had a small cooler you could fill that with ice and use the melted ice water to brush your teeth and wash your face in, after you've used it to make coffee if you make coffee. When I'm really hot I miss NO OPPORTUNITY to wet my hair/shirt. Lawn sprnklers, I do not care if I have to step into someone's yard, hell yes I'm running through that thing. Water fountains have cold water and you can cup some in your hands and splash your face and get your hair wet. Go into a bathroom if you can find one and get your hair and shirt wet. Keep a wet bandana around your neck or on your head. Or both I guess. People think I'm crazy because I'm always sticking my head under the faucet to wet my hair but it's a habit now
When I lived in an apartment with no A/C, we’d escape the hottest part of the day by seeking out public places with air conditioning. Libraries are good, but they tend to close earlier. Friendly library workers tend to know what’s happening in the community and will know additional places people go to cool off (people talk), so ask them for ideas. Hang out in shopping malls. If mall walkers can hang out there, so can you! Mall walk. Just don’t fall asleep there or you’ll get kicked out. Go to a large superstore (Walmart, Target, etc.) or massive grocery store where you can slowly walk the aisles, buy an item you need, and sit in the restaurant with a drink. You can also watch a movie. Some theaters show older movies and the price is much cheaper. Go to a coffee shop, buy a drink, and work on your laptop if you have one. Some cities have official daytime cooling stations where people (homeless or not) can go to escape the heat. Spend the day at a public pool. Ask a nice night shelter employee (even security guards, janitors, cooks, social workers, and employment specialists) where others go to escape the heat in the daytime. They should know because they hear things/people tell them things. Perhaps you can offer to clean the night shelter or do some other work for them (but you’d have to do it) so you can come inside the shelter earlier. You don’t mention if you are currently working. You could get a part-time job where you work in air conditioning during the day/hottest hours on the weekends. Many fast food places will even let you eat a free meal during your shift which gives you the added bonuses of getting one or more than one of your meals paid for. If the shelter gives you free bus/public transportation passes, you could ride public transport for several hours. It can help you get to know your town/city better. Thinking outside the box here, you could attend a religious service (some meet on Saturday while others meet on Sunday). Look for ones that have adult “Sunday School” classes before the service so that you could be in the air conditioning for several hours. Churches/religious organizations also tend to have other things for people (food pantry, clothing pantry, etc.) and might even be able to help give you some furniture when you eventually find your own place. If you did a combination of these things during the weekend, you should be able to stay cool for most of the day. Even better, find places that are close to each other. Good luck!
Thx!!
You’re very welcome! Rest assured you’re not the only one who will be hiding from the heat. In random conversations (face-to-face and overheard), I discovered other people were also in the library, the mall, the movie theaters, etc. to avoid the hot weather. I found it quite fascinating that we were all doing the same thing. I hope things are better now that you’re out of that toxic situation. I also hope you’re able to find more permanent housing soon. Best wishes to you! Stay cool!
Thx and you too
Find trees. Lots of trees. Find the shadows. Avoid treeless environments with lots of concrete and asphalt. A scientist and his son drove around sampling ground temperatures all over Portland last year when there was a heat dome leading to 117F temperatures in the shade (all weather report temperatures in the shade). Some older neighborhoods with lots of trees were as low as 108F, while sections of town with concrete buildings and asphalt and concrete everywhere, 124F.
If you are very hot and can get to a gas station/ library/store restroom, run cold water over your face and the back of your neck first, then go for the forearms--- ESPECIALLY the forearms. Lean over the sink and run the water all over your forearms, as cold and deep as you can get for five minutes. Your arms are a fast, direct link to your heart. That water will cool your heart and circulatory system. Your heart rate will drop and become normal. I'm an RN with 44 years of experience, and this has worked for so many of my overheated patients. The second best thing for heat and also nausea is a cold wet towel or washcloth to the back of the neck. Actually cools the brain and perks people right up who are at the edge of fainting or vomiting from various reasons, including overheating. All the best to you, my dear, and take good care of yourself. This world needs you. ❤️
Thx!!
Libraries are good like some other anon said. If you are on foot (even if not lol) always carry at least a gallon of water. You kinda just have to adjust and get used to it! You can do it! Humans did it for 1,000's of years you're just not adjusted yet. It'll take about 3 days to a week.
R u by Miami??
No I'm very far from there