When temperatures climb too high, staying comfortable can become a challenge.
People living in hot climates developed clever ways to cope with the heat. From Southern Europe to North Africa, the Middle East, and tropical regions around the world, people learned how to work with nature rather than against it. Many of these traditional solutions are still highly effective today – and they require little or no energy.
Living in the Netherlands, I particularly appreciate that temperatures usually drop (a bit) at night. This offers a wonderful opportunity to cool our homes naturally if we know how to make use of it.
Here are some of my favourite low-tech ways to stay cool during summer.
1. Follow the Rhythm of the Day
People in warmer countries have long adapted their daily routines to the climate. The hottest hours of the day (between 10/11am to 4/5pm) are best reserved for quieter indoor activities. If possible, go for walks, do sports, garden, or run errands early in the morning or later in the evening.
2. Keep the Sun Outside
The best way to keep a house cool is to prevent heat from entering in the first place.
Open the windows and let air circulate and refresh the indoors in the early morning hours and close shutters, blinds, curtains, or exterior shades during the day. If you don’t have them, improvise with light-coloured fabrics, sheets, or other coverings. Once sunlight enters through the windows, it quickly heats the room.
3. Use Damp Sheets to Cool Incoming Air
One traditional method is to hang damp sheets in front of open windows or doorways. As water evaporates, the incoming air becomes cooler. You can also place damp cloths on window frames exposed to a breeze. This simple technique can noticeably improve comfort on hot days.
4. Open the House During the Coolest Hours
Take advantage of cool mornings and evenings. Open windows on opposite sides of the house to create cross-ventilation and allow accumulated heat to escape.
As soon as outdoor temperatures rise again, close windows and shades to keep the cool air inside.
5. Dress Like People in Hot Climates
Loose clothing made from linen, cotton, hemp, or other natural fibres allows air to circulate and helps your body regulate its temperature. Light colours reflect sunlight better than dark colours.
The “Bedouin Paradox”: “While light colors reflect the sun’s rays, studies on desert-dwelling populations wearing heavy, dark outer robes show they can stay cool if the fabric is loose. The thick dark fabric absorbs the sun’s heat on the outside, while the loose fit creates a chimney effect that allows cooler air to circulate against the skin. However, for typical daily wear, light colors perform better.” (read the full article by Kate Kershner on science.howstuffwork.com here)
6. Stay Hydrated
Drink water regularly throughout the day. Fresh mint, lemon, cucumber, or herbal infusions can make hydration more enjoyable.
Many cultures also drink warm herbal teas during hot weather, as they can encourage the body’s natural cooling mechanisms.
7. Eat Light and Seasonal Foods
Heavy meals make the body work harder and generate more heat.
Fresh fruits, vegetables, salads, and water-rich foods such as watermelon, cucumber, tomatoes, peaches, and berries help keep the body hydrated while feeling light and refreshing.
8. Use Water to Cool the Body
A damp cloth on the neck, wrists, ankles, or forehead can provide immediate relief.
A cool foot bath, rinsing your forearms with water, or a brief lukewarm shower can also lower body temperature surprisingly quickly.
9. Sleep Low
Because warm air rises, the coolest air is usually found closer to the ground.
In many hot regions, people traditionally sleep on low beds, floor mattresses, woven mats, or even directly on tiled floors during heat waves. If your bedroom becomes very warm, moving lower can make a noticeable difference.
10. Make Use of Cool Surfaces
Stone, brick, terracotta, and tiled floors often remain cooler than the surrounding air. Walking barefoot indoors or resting on these surfaces can help cool the body naturally.
11. Create Shade Outdoors
Trees are nature’s air conditioners.
Gardens with trees, bushes, climbing plants, pergolas, and other vegetation are often significantly cooler than paved areas. The more greenery around a home, the less heat is absorbed and reflected.
12. Cool Outdoor Spaces With Water
In many Mediterranean countries, people sprinkle water on patios, courtyards, terraces, or stone surfaces during the evening. As the water evaporates, it cools the surrounding air and makes outdoor spaces more comfortable.
13. Learn From Traditional Architecture
Many traditional homes in hot climates were designed to stay cool naturally through thick walls, shaded courtyards, high ceilings, and clever ventilation systems.
One fascinating modern adaptation is the use of recycled plastic bottles mounted in window openings. The wide opening faces outward while the narrow neck faces inward. As air passes through, it accelerates and enters the room as a cooler breeze. This simple system has been used successfully in several hot regions as a low-cost, electricity-free cooling solution.
14. Enjoy the Evenings
Perhaps my favourite summer tradition is spending time outdoors after sunset. Once the heat of the day begins to fade, a walk, a meal outside, or simply sitting in the garden or next to a canal or at the seaside becomes a wonderful way to enjoy the season.
A Final Thought
Many of the world’s hottest regions have centuries of experience living comfortably with heat. Instead of relying entirely on technology, people adapted their homes, daily routines, clothing, and habits to the climate around them.
There is a lot we can learn from that wisdom!
What are your favourite ways to stay cool naturally during the summer?
Share your ideas in the comments!
