Wear loose clothing, mostly cotton This seems obvious, but wearing clothing that is loose rather than tight allows air to flow past the skin. This carries away the warmth that your body generates and allows cooler air to flow back in. The type of fabric you wear has an influence, too. When it’s really hot out, materials that “breathe”—allowing the flow of air through the fabric itself — also work to keep you cool. Cotton and linen are among the most breathable fabrics, so look for clothes made of those substances, as opposed to less permeable synthetics. Apply cold packs strategically Your body regulates its temperature via a small peanut-shaped section of the brain known as the hypothalamus. This region works almost like a thermostat in a home, turning the temperature up or down based on various factors — such as how cold or hot the skin is. Certain parts of the skin have a larger influence than others. These areas are called pulse points. They get their name because you can feel your pulse there, and the reason you can do that is because vessels are so close to the edge of your skin that one can easily hear or feel the flow of blood. When you want to lower your body temperature, chilling those pulse points with cold water or ice sends a signal to the brain that says, “I’m cold.” This tricks your brain into turning down its thermostat. Focus on pulse points that are easy to reach: the insides of your wrists, the area around your temple, and your neck. Holding an ice pack or even a cold washcloth against the skin on these regions will make your entire body feel cooler. Count your steps Exercising in extreme heat is usually not recommended. That’s because exercise actually heats the body up further and causes you to sweat, both of which make you feel more uncomfortable. When you’re sweating more, you’re also at greater risk of dehydration. So when it’s terribly hot outside, make sure you don’t exercise too much. Hydrate Speaking of sweat, that’s the best method our bodies have evolved to regulate body temperatures. Sweating helps to cool off the skin, which keeps the rest of us cool. The human body can regulate itself far more easily when it’s fully hydrated. Words to Learn 相关词汇 【透气的】tòuqì de permeable allowing fluids or gases to pass or diffuse through 【补充水分】bǔchōng shuǐfèn hydrate supply water to (a person, for example) in order to restore or maintain fluid balance 穿棉质宽松的衣服 这一条似乎显而易见，比起穿紧身的衣服，宽松的衣服可以使空气在皮肤上流动。这样（宽松的衣服）可以带走你身体产生的热量，也可以让凉爽的空气流入进来。 衣物的面料也是有影响的。室外十分炎热的时候，可以“呼吸”的面料也能让你感到更凉爽，因为空气可以穿过面料本身。棉和亚麻是最透气的面料，所以多穿这些面料的衣物，少穿透气性差的人造纤维面料。 巧用冷敷袋 人的身体通过脑部花生大小的下丘脑来调节体温。下丘脑的工作原理和家中的恒温器相似，根据不同的因素来调高或降低体温，比如说，根据皮肤温度的冷热。 有些特定部位的皮肤对下丘脑的影响比其他部位更显著，这些位置就是脉搏点。之所以叫脉搏点是因为在这些地方可以感受到脉搏，而且因为这里的血管和皮肤最近，人们可以轻易地听到或感触到血液的流动。 想降低体温时，用冷水或者冰块冷敷这些脉搏点会向大脑传递一个信号——“我好冷”。这样做可以欺骗大脑让它降低身体“恒温器”的温度。你可以从几个方便的脉搏点着手：手腕的内侧、太阳穴附近的区域还有颈部的区域。用一个冷敷袋或是一块凉毛巾放在这些地方的皮肤上会让你整个人都感觉凉快一些。 少运动 通常不推荐在酷热的天气里锻炼。因为运动会使人体体温进一步升高并且会导致出汗，这两样都不会让人感觉太舒服。人大量出汗时，还会增加脱水的风险。所以在室外特别炎热的时候，确保不要运动得太厉害。 补充水分 谈到出汗，这是我们身体调节体温的最佳方式。出汗可以使皮肤温度下降，这样也会让我们觉得很凉爽。而且当人体水分充足时，也是调节体温最容易的时候。 (Chinadaily.com.cn) | 