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With daily high temperatures in the mid-30s, it's no surprise that staying cool (and hydrated) is on everyone's minds. But keeping the heat at bay is easier said than done. High oil prices mean expensive utility bills, should you choose to switch on the air-con at home. One possibility is heading to a public pool (or the condo pool of a friend or relative) to soak there. However, that also results in needing to spend money on sunscreen to prevent sunburn. (Image: ochimax studio, Unsplash) You could also head to the mall and chill there till evening, but you'll still need to spend money on food and drinks, and perhaps a movie or two. One of the best ways of remaining cool without racking up a huge utility bill is taking more showers. On the hottest days, a third shower may be needed to wash away the humidity and whatever oils have accumulated on your face and scalp. But is taking more showers harmful? (Image: Ashim D'Silva, Unsplash) What medical science says Since I'm not a doctor, I can only share what advice I've come across on medical websites. What I've learned thus far is this: Our skin needs balance in order to do its job. Too much or too little moisture are both not good. Overdo the moisturising or lotion and you end up all gooey, which is equally uncomfortable and may end up promoting bacterial growth. Dry skin, on the other hand, makes it easy for bacteria and other contaminants to penetrate. I learnt this from my dermatologist, who explained that this was the cause of those red, itchy bumps that sometimes appear on my hands and legs after a winter holiday. (Image: Seth Doyle, Unsplash) What we know so far Allowing sweat and bacteria to accumulate by not showering enough is no good. But if you take too many showers - even cold ones - you'll eventually strip away your skin's moisture and natural oils, which could lead to it becoming dry and irritated. I've never taken more than three showers a day – even on the absolute 'hell' days featuring clear skies and no wind. I recall that by the third shower, my skin already feeling taut and 'grippy'. Unless I plan to go cycling in this weather (unlikely), I think my standard two showers a day is enough. But everyone is built differently. Those with oilier skin and/or who tend to sweat more may take three or even four showers a day without drying out their skin. So, how many showers one needs ultimately depends on the individual. The important thing is to maintain a balance while trying to remain cool in an increasingly warming climate. – Jeremy (Main image: Seth Doyle, Unsplash)

I've often wondered: How much work would get done today if offices were not air-conditioned? What if the only air-con we could enjoy was only in shopping malls and supermarkets? Images of stuffy offices fill my mind. Despite the availability of fans to circulate air, the oppressive heat and humidity will lower our productivity. Many of my colleagues and I experienced this in our previous office, where the ancient air-conditioning system would have a monthly breakdown. For two days, the entire office would feel sauna-like due to the combination of people (we give off heat) and computers. The air would turn thick and stale even before 11am. It didn't matter if you had a desk fan either, because all it did was circulate bad air. (Image: Nathan Dumlao, Unsplash) Fortunately, nobody had body odour. If anyone did, he or she would have been called out in no time. We're polite, but under these conditions, we expect everyone to maintain hygiene! During these occasions, we tried opening the windows for fresh air, but since the building was located next to the junction of an arterial road, all that did was allow noise and dust in. So, the windows stayed shut. Air-con = comfort Air-conditioning reduces ambient temperature and humidity. According to this WebMD article, humidity is the main reason for our discomfort because it interferes with the sweating process. If you recall, sweating cools us down because it removes heat as it evaporates. But in humid conditions, it takes longer for this to happen, so we continue to feel hot and sticky. But with air-con, we can be more productive because our bodies spend less energy on keeping us cool. (Image: Towfiqu barbhuiya, Unsplash) The inevitable downsides Spending so much time in an air-conditioned environment isn't healthy for us. While lower humidity is great, some people are more affected by drier air, which can lead to stuffy or runny noses, dry eyes and even a dry throat. Dry skin can also be an issue. For some, this means needing to use more moisturiser. Surprisingly, some will also complain that the dry air is causing their oily skin to become oilier. Apparently, this is the skin attempting to retain moisture by causing the oil glands to work harder. And while an air-conditioned office is preferable to an outdoor one, we all know that these spaces facilitated the spread of COVID. The combination of being in proximity to others, along with the lack of air filtration, undoubtedly contributed to people falling ill. Constantly being in an air-conditioned environment can also lessen our ability to deal with heat stress, especially if you don't exercise outdoors. And with record temperatures that only continue to rise, being able to bear with and thrive in such conditions is more important than ever. (Image: Iryna Kozhyna, Unsplash) Turn it on or switch it off? Some people take their need for air-conditioning to the extreme and constantly keep it switched on at home. Others swear that keeping it off helps them manage skin issues and prevent respiratory conditions, while also lowering their utility costs. As with most things, it's best to find a balance between both extremes. Personally, I only switch on the air-con at home before bed (unless there's a monsoon surge and cooler weather) or if it gets unbearably warm. The rest of the time, I rely on my ceiling fans. – Jeremy (Main image: Alexandre Lecocq, Unsplash)

Parking outdoors can be a real pain sometimes on our sunny island. After a couple of hours baking under our mercilessly hot sun, the car takes on an additional function as a sauna room. I have been trying a couple of methods to deal with this problem - winding down the windows and driving off; turning the air-con to full blast and driving off; or waiting with the doors open. Well, none of them have worked particularly well for me so far. But guess what? A little application of science has come to my (our) rescue! The youtube video is in Japanese with Chinese subtitles so I will do a (rough) translation into English for the benefit of all readers. Basically, the way to cool down a car that has been parked in the sun is to: 1) Wind down the windows on door of one side 2) Close it 3) Open and close the door on the other side 5x Voila~ The car should be cooler by a significant amount! And to clarify; this method doesn't use the force of the door opening and closing to expel air. So don't bother slamming or yanking the door. Rather, the act of opening aids in drawing in cool air into the car! Well, the next time you find yourself in this situation, why not give this method a try? And let me know how it goes!