Grew up in the southern US and just spent a couple weeks in the Philippines:

• cold drinks
• fans
• lightweight, breathable clothing

That’s about it - the sweat is unavoidable

I live in Chihuahua, Mexico, where it usually means dry heat so pretty much anything works but it also means you can use a thing called swamp coolers that pretty much just increase humidity by humidifying air and shooting it quickly. They are incredibly efficient.

Sad part is when it gets humid (in monsoon times) it really doesn’t sufice, so an AC is required or just remove as much clothing as possible.

Clothing does help a lot with dry heat, you can use thin fast-drying clothing and that helps evaporate sweat which takes away most heat. Again in humid heat you really can’t cool unless you dehumidify with an AC (which is incredibly efficient the more humid the area is, and can be inverted to be used as heaters for much cheaper than gas or normal resistive electric heaters).

In the UK I think your best bet is a reversible heat pump.

From my experience in the UK, it is quite humid, went to Liverpool and London last year. I’m from central america, in a city that gets humid and getting increasingly hotter by the year.

Hot and humid means there’s really nothing you can do to cool down other than let yourself sweat and try and catch a breeze. Buy yourself a nice pair of shorts above the knee made out of a breathable fabric (100% cotton, cotton/linen mix, etc., avoid plastic and sports fabrics, they trap heat and moisture) and some shirts made out of the same material. Keep yourself to the shade, use sunblock, and stock up on cold beverages and/or fruit to make beverages with.

If summers in the UK somehow are dry, covering yourself head to toe with breathable fabric will do the trick. There’s a reason why arabs wear drapey clothing.

Mind you, sweating above 36-37 in a humid environment does nothing, as the humid air and heat makes it impossible for your body to transfer heat out. Really sucks y’all can’t get ACs up there. I dunno what I would do w/o one. I’m not made for temps above 25 and I can’t sleep on a moist mattress.

A fan with a damp (cold) cloth on it.

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If you are or were a student in Australia, Mexico, southern USA, Spain, Portugal, Greece, South Africa, or any other hot parts of the world, how do/did you stay cool during the day?

I live offgrid in a campervan in the desert US. I maintain temps by snowbirding (changing elevation and latitude to follow mild wx).

I have shadecloth and an evaporative cooler when things get a little intense. Temp-controlled roof vent.

Southern US here, my household acclimatized. Last year we didn’t run the AC until the last week of July and we cut it back off at the end of August.

First thing in the morning we open all the windows, put fans in the Western windows, and open the attic door. Cooler air is pulled in from the South West, convection pulls hot air to meet it, and then the hot air rises out of the living space. It’s still hot, we sweat all day, but you become accustomed to it and shift your life around it. We get up early, do any chores before lunch, rest from noon til late afternoon, do other activities in the evening. Sweat helps cool the body, if you sweat you’ll be cooler, but you have to stay hydrated.

not from a super hot place, but we do get up to like 35-40 degrees in the summer at times

best way to cool is to open windows at night, close them and the blinds during the day, submerge yourself in water for additional cooling :)

Have you tried using a neck gaiter?

Ex: Buff neck gaiters

Pretty much what other users said:

• remember to drink (water is the best but if you feel fatigued from the heat there are supplements that you can add to the water, ask your pharmacist)
• natural fibers clothes like cotton or linen are better that synthetic ones
• you can even buy a little fan to put on your desk, they’re powered through a usb so you don’t need a socket, just your pc
• if you’re outside in the sun don’t forget a hat
• eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, they’re fresh and have all the good vitamins and plenty of water Hope this helps! From the sunny Italy

Keep house dark. We cook outdoors in summer on BBQ or using solar oven. Ceiling fans only. Keep out of the sun and grow trees that provide shade for house.

Run cool water over your forearms.

If you have a bucket of ice water you can dunk your arms in for extra effect.

Helps cool you down pretty quick.

A wet towel on your neck and shoulders can really help out, they make stretchy ones that are really nice, plus they help keep the sun off your neck

Time also helps. The longer and more you spend in the heat, the more you get used to it. Your body will adapt.

I come from the cold north and live in a tropical area now. The heat used to kill me. It still does 15y later, but I can handle it much better than before.