When it comes to scorching hot summer days, things tend to get worse before they get better. Sure, you enjoy a few nice, sunny afternoons in June, but then the temperatures start to creep up, and before you know it you're entering the dog days of August with a soul sucked dry by the summer heat. You've heard rumors that there are ways to stay cool without air conditioning, and at this point, you are willing to try pretty much anything to keep the sweat at bay. Your last electric bill was approximately eight times more expensive than it usually is thanks to the purring window unit you have blasting 24/7 — but even with the AC turned on high, you only feel like a glimmer of your old, pre-summer, perspiration-free self. These are hard, hot, and trying times, and while I'm no weather person, I feel pretty safe saying there are hotter days ahead of us yet.
It's time to reclaim control from this terrible tyrant we call sumer. We tried a few cooling hacks out ourselves to see if it really is possible to beat the heat without air conditioning, and wanna hear something cool? They worked! Of course, nothing can compare to sticking your face directly in the AC, or standing with the freezer door wide open, or jumping into a temperature-controlled pool, but if you ever find yourself in a warm-weather pinch, these tricks will help you chill out, both mentally and physically. Here's everything you need to know to avoid a total meltdown this summer.
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