Top 5 strategies to beat the heat in Lagos

Weather can be a good conversation starter, don’t you think? But it often goes the same way almost every day, 

For more than half of the year, especially in places like Lagos, the weather is, in simple terms, hot. Uncomfortably hot, so much so that the sun can have you cranky and wishing for rain. 

It’s difficult to know just what to do to beat the heat, unlike the rainy season, when you can just cover up and get cozy, the heat can get to you with a tank top and shorts. 

But it’s possible to maneuver your way through this weather and we’ve put together some tips to help. 

How to beat the heat in Lagos

1. Stay hydrated

The heat brings a dry mouth and scratchy throat, both of which are uncomfortable. What you need is to drink enough water. This helps regulate your body temperature and blood pumping to your heart.

It also helps increase your energy levels and improve your mood. There are many scientific studies on the importance of staying hydrated.

2. Wear light-colored clothes 

It’s simple; light-colored clothes absorb less heat.

When the weather is hot, you want heat away from you and not absorbed into your body and that’s why it’s advisable to wear clothes that reflect heat and in turn, keep your body cool.

Examples of light colors are white, light blue, light pink, etc. Find more light colors here.

3. Use sunscreen 

The sun produces rays that in large amounts, like when the weather is really hot, can be harmful to our skin and cause discoloration, wrinkles, dark spots, and other sun damage.

Wearing sunscreen protects your skin from the harmful effects of the sun and allows you to maintain even and healthy skin. It also reduces your risk of skin cancer.

Read our guide on sunscreens. 

4. Eat light

When there’s a lot of heat, our appetite reduces. According to an article from BBC good food, one of the reasons this happens is that the body tries to regulate our body temperature by cutting down on heat-generating functions like the digestion of food.

So it’s best to eat light and hydrating food like food with high fluid content, fruits, and vegetables can help keep the body temperature low and keep you hydrated. Try avoiding too much fiber and protein because they are thought to be more difficult to digest. 

5. Wear loose-fitting clothes with cool materials

We still stand by our mantra, no plan is complete without a good outfit. And a good outfit should be comfortable.

The most practical and comfortable outfits to wear when the weather is hot are loose-fitting outfits with materials like linen, cotton, rayon, or silk. 

Check out our list of comfortable and stylish fashion items to own.