Heatwave cooling strategies: showers, foods, windows and home tricks

Medical experts advise against taking an icy cold shower during extreme heat because it narrows surface blood vessels, raises blood pressure and does not lower core body temperature. A lukewarm shower of about 26‑27 °C cools the body safely and efficiently.

Consuming water‑rich fruits and vegetables – such as cucumber, tomato, watermelon, strawberries, grapefruit, melon, peach, pineapple and raspberries – helps maintain hydration, supports temperature regulation and reduces the risk of heat‑related fatigue.

In residential settings, Italians keep homes cool by keeping windows and blinds shut while the outdoor temperature exceeds 35 °C, ventilating at night with opposite‑side windows for cross‑breeze, hanging a damp cloth in the airflow, using fans with ice or frozen water bottles, and avoiding heat‑generating appliances like ovens during the hottest part of the day.

For drivers, research shows that keeping windows closed and using air‑conditioning is more fuel‑efficient above 72 km/h (45 mph); below that speed, open windows consume less fuel than the air‑conditioning system.