since it's officially summer and my AC is broken I'm going to share my tips for staying cool enough just in case anyone else ever needs them
a fan. multiple fans in fact. surround yourself in a vortex of spinning air. turn your house into a wind tunnel.
a spray bottle of water. I get the super fine mist kind like at the salon. spray yourself in front of the fan. evaporative cooking helps, yes even when it's humid. but if it's humid and you don't have a fan don't bother them you're just unpleasantly moist
wet a T-shirt and freeze it. doesn't last long but it's a relief in the meantime.
ice. I get gallon jugs that I fill with water and freeze. I keep two going so I can swap them out (I have a large freezer in the basement standard freezers are not going to let you do this. try ice packs or frozen vegetables). wrap them in a thin material like a T-shirt to avoid freezer burning your skin and cuddle up. I sit tailor style and plop it in my lap, or lay on my side and set it in front of me. put ice packs at major arteries (groin, armpits, neck)
cold showers or baths. no you can't stay in there until it's over I've tried
popsicles. I make jello popsicles, Google a recipe. also, frozen fruit. eat it straight out of the freezer it's fine.
Gatorade. i just make koolaid and add some pickle juice.
revisiting the fans: at night, the second the temperature is lower than it is in your house, open the windows and put your fan in them so it can suck in the cooler air from outside. if you have more than one fan, position it in another window facing out to suck the hot air out of your house (this is why you should have multiple fans). have a fan that can also hit you directly as you sleep (there can never be too many fans I mean that so seriously) set an alarm for shortly before sunrise to get up and close those windows
turn off the overhead lights (every light source emits heat). cover the windows with light blocking fabric during the day. even just a dark blanket will help. one room of my house has aluminum tiles that I made to put in the windows to reflect the heat. I got cheap canvas at the art store and covered it with aluminum, shiny side out. in the summer, I duct tape them in the windows
if your residence is multiple floors, stay on the lowest one as much as possible. heat rises.
I mean that. if you must have hot food (why?) use appliances that don't add much to the heat. instant pot. microwave. rice cooker. etc. but personally I just eat sandwiches or DIY protein boxes (boiled eggs, cheese, fruit, crackers, flatbread with peanut butter). cooking on the stove adds heat.
credentials for my expertise: I've lived in the southeastern United States my whole entire life, and didn't have AC at all until I was a teenager. currently my AC is broken, there's a heat wave, the temperature is 95 with a heat index of 105, and I am currently perfectly comfortable. because of my ice jug. my precious, precious ice jug.
