6 tips to adapt to the heat

Living in Mérida, Yucatán and adapting to the heat isn’t easy if you’re not used to extremely hot climates. In summer, the thermometer can top 40 °C.

Sweating, getting dehydrated or changing some routines is common if you live in a very hot city like Mérida.

So here are 6 key tips to adapt to the city’s heat and stop it being a daily nuisance.

Keys to beating Mérida’s heat

1. Wear loose, light-coloured clothing

Since your body is used to a certain temperature, it will take time to adapt to a hot climate.

In fact, the body, trying to cool down, compensates by increasing sweat production.

Don’t despair: once the body gets used to the heat, its sweat production drops.

Until then, if sweat bothers you, do what you can to stay cool. One solution is to wear loose clothing in light colours and lightweight threads such as cotton and linen.

2. Use efficient cooling equipment

An essential key to beating the heat in Mérida, and to keeping your home or workplace comfortable and cool, is investing in the right cooling equipment.

Choose an energy-efficient product so it uses less power. That way, you lower running costs, get better performance and reduce your carbon footprint.

3. Exercise in the morning or evening, and stay hydrated

Living in Mérida has many advantages. It’s a city with several parks and places for outdoor sports.

To enjoy your routine, do physical activity early in the morning or at night, when the day is cooler. And remember: always stay hydrated.

4. Cover the car windscreen

To avoid your car turning into an oven, cover its windscreen.

You can also protect the steering wheel with a light-coloured, heat-resistant fabric cover.

Don’t forget: if you have children or pets, never leave them in a closed car, not even for a few minutes.

5. Walk your pet when it isn’t hot

To fight the effect of hot weather on your pets, you may also need to change their routines.

7 dog breeds and Mérida’s heat.

It’s very important to keep this in mind: during the day, the street surface in hot cities is always hot enough to burn your dog’s paw pads.

Plan walks for the morning or evening, and make sure fresh water is always available.

6. Use sunscreen

Finally, if you’re moving to Mérida, Yucatán, never stop using sunscreen. While you need the sun for your daily dose of vitamin D, that doesn’t mean you should put your health at risk.

Apply sunscreen to your body every day, especially on parts exposed to the sun, to reduce the risk of skin cancer. Use factor 15 or higher, and wear hats and sunglasses.