Californians share their tips for staying cool during the heat wave

(FOX40.COM) — The mercury has risen in Northern California , and by the looks of it, it’s only going to go higher.

As the strongest heat wave in recent memory bears down on the Golden State, we asked our social media followers for their tips for keeping cool.

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A collection of their answers is below, along with answers found on Reddit conversations about dealing with the heat, in case you need to consider new ways to handle California summers.

• Many people responded with go-to answers of staying indoors with A/C, drinking water, wearing lighter clothing and swimming in pools
• Change diets to salads and cold foods for lunch and dinner
• Black out the windows with curtains or other materials
• Use neck and shoulder ice packs, or even wet or frozen washcloths
• Avoid the stove or large oven, opting instead for no-cook meals
• Install shade cloth and misters in patios and porches
• Head to the stores, malls, casinos, theaters, libraries, or other indoor places
• Stay at work longer to use their A/C instead of the one at home
• If working outdoors, schedule it for earlier in the day to head home early
• Go somewhere cooler, like the Lake Tahoe area (one follower said they’re going to the Oregon coast, which may not be much cooler )

Many other people commented that they would handle this heat wave as they have every other one…by just living through it, considering that every summer it gets hot, not just this one.

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