How to stay cool in a heat wave even without air conditioning
[July 01, 2026]
By CALEIGH WELLS and MELINA WALLING
Heat can be dangerous, but health experts say there are ways to manage
the threat.
Scorching temperatures, especially combined with high humidity, pose
risks particularly for children, older people and those with certain
health conditions. Anyone can suffer from heat-related illness.
Climate change is also exacerbating heat waves and heat stress.
So here are some tips to stay safe:
When heat becomes dangerous
Dangers posed by hot weather depend on more than the temperature. The
most detailed measurement is called the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT),
which includes temperature, humidity, cloud cover and wind. The heat
index, which measures temperature and humidity, is less descriptive but
easier to find on weather apps. Both explain why a shaded soccer field
on a 90 degree F day (32 degree C) in arid Phoenix may be less risky
than an exposed park on an 80 degree F (27 degree C) day in soupy Little
Rock.
Just based on heat index, NOAA has a chart that calculates how dangerous
prolonged exposure can be. For example, a day in which temperatures
reach 96 degree F (36 degrees C) and 45% humidity would fall into the
“danger” category for prolonged exposure or strenuous activity.
The WBGT threshold isn't exact, but recent research suggests that even
some young, healthy people can't endure hours of exposure to high heat
and humidity.
How to cool down
Overnight temperatures can be a particularly dangerous part of a heat
wave, said Ashley Ward, director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub at
Duke University.
“Your body needs a reprieve,” she said. “You don't get that overnight,
we start the next day at a deficit.” Heat can worsen labor productivity
and lead to more visits to the emergency room.
“When we have overnight temperatures that don't drop below 75 degrees" F
(24 degrees C), she said, “you start to see some pretty extraordinary
outcomes with respect to heat illness and heat stroke, and even
mortality.”
Ward said air conditioning can help, but she acknowledged that not
everyone has access.
If you can't afford to cool the whole house, Ward said, create a “cool
corner" and sleep there, so your body is prepared to tackle the next
day.
Evaporative or “swamp” coolers can help in dry heat, but they increase
humidity and can make it more difficult to cool down. In humid places,
just use a fan.
If you don't have air conditioning, find public places that do,
including movie theaters, malls and libraries. Some communities set up
cooling centers.
Depending on where you live, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance
Program can help you buy a window air conditioning unit, according to
the National Council on Aging. Some local nonprofits and civic
organizations can also help.
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Grace Chyuwei pours water on Joe Chyuwei to help with the heat Aug.
3, 2025, in Death Valley National Park, Calif. (AP Photo/John Locher,
File)
 Know your rights if you work
outside
Knowing what workplace protections you have is important. Some
states have them, including Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada,
Colorado, Minnesota and Maryland, according to the Natural Resources
Defense Council. Other states don't have any.
If your state has work rules, try to learn them — though there are
still challenges to ensuring regulations are actually enforced, said
Bharat Venkat, director of the University of California, Los Angeles
Heat Lab.
He notes that sometimes shaded areas are too far away for workers to
take breaks without losing wages, or that management can make it
impossible for workers to advocate for themselves. “Most workers
don’t actually have control over their time or control over where
they work," Venkat said.
Within those constraints, finding ways to stay hydrated and lower
your body temperature are important. You can do this by drinking
lots of fluids, wetting clothing or putting cold water or a cold rag
on your hands, feet, armpits and neck. A portable handheld fan or a
cooling vest can also help.
If you're exercising, avoid the hottest times of day and bring more
water than you think you need.
Knowing heat illness symptoms
Heat illness symptoms can vary by person, Venkat said. Medications
or existing health conditions can also make it harder to regulate
body temperature or notice you're getting too hot.
Early trouble signs include heavy sweating, muscle cramps and
headache. That's when you stop what you're doing and cool yourself
off, for example by splashing yourself with cold water or finding an
air-conditioned space.
As heat exhaustion sets in, new symptoms arrive, including faster
heart rate and dizziness. Next comes heat stroke, which can include
confusion, slurred words and fainting. Ward said that's when to call
911.
“Don’t be embarrassed to call 911 or go to urgent care when you
think you might have overdone it in the heat,” he said.
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Walling and Wells are former Associated Press reporters.
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