Summer Selfcare

As a Canadian, summer has always been my favorite part of the year. Warm weather, summer vacation, and longer days! Honestly, I still love summer even here in Japan. But, my favorite season does bring a few health risks I rarely worried about back home. Especially in the past couple years, Japan’s summer just keeps getting hotter. This is a guide to help you stay safe, healthy , and cool in Nagasaki’s summer heat.

For those who are unfamiliar with Nagasaki’s summer, it is hot and it is humid. In August the temperature regularly gets to the mid-30s, which can make it feel around 40 with the humidity. From July to September, there are regular heat stroke alerts. That said, there are many ways to help keep yourself cool and comfortable.

Read on to learn about heat stroke, how to avoid heatstroke, and Japanese products that help keep you cool.

Know the Signs of Heat Stroke

To keep yourself (and those around you) safe, please make yourself familiar with the following signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (necchuushou in Japanese).

  • headache
  • nausea
  • high temperature
  • red skin
  • fast pulse
  • dizziness
  • confusion
  • fainting
 
If you are feeling any of these symptoms, immediately move to a cool area, lay down, and drink water. If possible, apply a cool compress or frozen waterbottle etc. to the back of your neck and insides of your wrists.
Avoiding Heat Stroke

Of course, the best way to avoid heatstroke is to keep yourself cool. However, there are also some lifestyle aspects that can help fortify your body and make you less susceptible to the heat. There are also numerous helpful products listed in the following section.

  • Stay out of the sun as much as possible. Plan outings for the morning or late afternoon.
  • Keep yourself hydrated and fed. Good hydration and a healthy diet will help you stand the heat.
    • Many people lose their appetite because of the heat. Try to eat in a cool area and eat cool foods and fruits and veggies with high water content. Make sure to eat even if you have no appetite.
  • Ensure you have sufficient salt in your diet. Your body needs it to absorb H2O.
  • Get a good nights sleep.
  • If you will be in the sun more than a few minutes, wear a hat, sunglasses, arm covers and sunscreen.
    • As a very pasty individual, sunscreen is my biggest skincare cost!
    • The UV is extremely strong, so please protect your skin.
  • Wear light, loose, breathable clothes. Aim for 100% cotton or specialized cool weaves, such as UNIQLO’s airism line. 
    • There is also clothing with UV blocking tech available.
  • Use your airconditioning and fans.

Many Japanese people remain physically active throughout the summer, despite the gyms generally not being air conditioned. If you are continuously active as the the weather warms and keep yourself in a healthy condition, you can gradually adjust to the heat. That said, try to keep physical exertion to the cooler parts of the day.

For those who prefer to keep cool while exercising, consider a gym membership.

Japanese Products to Keep You Cool

As a country that experiences hot summers, there is a huge selection of products available to help keep you cool. I have compiled a list in the order of what I find the most helpful/commonly used.

Sun-blocking umbrellas (higasa). Not only do they block the UV, it is like having your own mobile bit of shade. Everyone uses these, even the little old granpas. You can pick them up at most shopping centers, and there are even small, pocket-sized ones available. They work in the rain, too.

Portable fans (handifan). These are sold all over the place in the summer. There are hand-held styles, as well as styles that clip onto your bag or hang around your neck. Some come with charging stands, so you can prop them up on your desk at school. You can buy these at electronics shops and many shopping centers in summer.

There are even special vests that have fans built-in.

Ice rings (aisu ringu). These a rings that you wear around your neck. Stick them in the fridge or freezer and they will stay cold for hours. They are sold at most shopping centers in the summer.

Sun-blocking clothing items. There are a number of clothing items that help protect you from the sun including sun sleeves/gloves, sunglasses, hats (some with neck covers), light sweaters, cooling turtlenecks/long-sleeves/leggings, and light scarves/towels to cover your neck. You can find these items at AEON shopping centers and other clothing shops.

Sports drinks and sports drink candies (supotsu dorinku, shioame). These can be found at almost any convenience store or supermarket in the summer. Salt intake is necessary for your body to stay hydrated. If you have been sweating and drinking water doesn’t seem to get you hydrated, you probably need salt. I always take one of these drinks frozen when I go hiking, and I keep a bag of the candies at work just in case. Many convenience stores also sell frozen drinks in summer.

Cooling wipes (rei shito). These look and feel just like wet wipes and are sold at drug stores and convenience stores. If you wipe your skin with them, you will soon feel a cooling sensation in the area like magic. They are also deoderizing.

***If you have sensitive skin please test them before using it. Also, certain formulations can be flammable and so please use with caution if you are a smoker.***

Summer in Nagasaki might be a lot hotter than you are used to. I hope that these tips and product recommendations will help you have as cool and comfortable a summer as you possibly can!