r/heat_prep

So, I (20M) go to college and something that I forgot was the fact that I get very easily irritated in the heat.

While we had very little AC at my job, I genuinely believed that the irritation came from the people I was surrounded by. But then I got to campus and realized from being in buildings with no AC all day that I just get genuinely irritated in the heat and it makes me not want to socialize with the people around me or do any of the things that I want/need to do.

In my dorm room, I have AC and a fan that I can sit in front of, but that's really it. I have a water bottle that I can use to hydrate, but it doesn't do a lot to cool me off. Any ideas on what I can do to help in situations where an AC isn't available and won't be too noisy?

I've said before much of the discussion around heat prep focuses on daily, real-life issues in the first world, like air conditioning maintenance, proper use of electric fans, swamp coolers, managing humidity, backup power, solar shading and personal cooling products. That's all important, but my brain always goes to more extreme scenarios where normal first world parameters, like going to the air conditioned mall when your home system fails, don't apply.

I call this one, "Tub-pocalyse."

Temperatures have soared to unlivable levels. All you've got is running water and an electric fan. There is nowhere cooler to retreat to. Fill the tub with water, open the door and windows, point the fan at the water and get in once the water feels coolish to the touch. As long as the web bulb temperature is survivable, you'll get by as the fan will both cool the wet, exposed parts of your body and cool the tub's water towards the wet bulb temp. Air circulation is critical so the humidity from the evaporated water can escape. Eventually you'll need to get out in order to avoid maceration of your skin, but being completely wet with a fan blowing should buy you a decent amount of out time before you need to get back in.

The same principle could be adapted to a small, outdoor pool or pond if they were shaded and the water temperature could be brought down far enough.

Im mostly typing out of sheer boredom and exhaustion. I live in south USA and this summer has been one of the hottest I can remember my entire life. For DAYS heat advisories from 11AM until 8PM for multiple days in a row and its ridiculous. I feel like im sweating to death in the "comfort" of my own home.

I mainly keep to one room which is a makeshift living/bedroom combo. I have a window AC unit and 3 fans just trying to keep my one room cool. And dont get me wrong in comparison to outside it is cool. But its still so hot that im sweating just while sitting down. Drinks instantly sweat when in the room. Any leather seat turns into a slipping slide. I cant enjoy anything. Shoe space by front door is zoned off by a bedsheets. And hallway to laundry bathroom and all that is sectioned off by a door. Unfortunately beyond that door theres no AC just fan circulation so using the bathroom and your guaranteed to sweat excessively.

Back to main room im out of ideas for ways to keep room cooler. Im used air dynamics. I keep filter on AC spotless, I cover soft surfaces with hard storage tub lids so that the couch doesnt absorb all the cold air. I sectioned off hotter rooms. I have thermal curtains in front of windows. Im out of ideas. Thankfully im moving in a few weeks but im so miserable. I cant enjoyed hobby because its to hot. I dont sleep with blankets. Shit my cat even avoid the window how hot it is.

Update: thank you for all the great advice and amazing suggestions I even got to learn some new things while i was at it.

For everything I plan to do.....

1. I went and got some industrial tinfoil from Sam's club and plan to apply it within the next few days to the inside of my window. Unfortunately I cant reach the outside of my window with how high up it is so interior will have do. Good news im moving 2-3 weeks so hopefull no windows Crack and I can just pull the tinfoil down once im leaving.

2. I plan to add some cardboard/keep the foam insulation panels but fit them in more snug after I apply the tinfoil.

3. I plan to tack/nail the curtains above all that down to thicken then insulation layer/keep sunlight/thermal pockets of hot air from seeping in.

4. I was originally going to put my AC on dehumidifier mode but my mother stepped in to help and we got small room size dehumidifiers. To put around house to help with moisture levels and I can take these with me when I move into new home.

5. I will likely invest in mylar and blackout curtains for the new house if this remains an issue.

Ill put an update in a few days to say results. Thanks again everyone

TLDR:
Heatstroke occurred in Nov 2025 (9 months ago)
Developed dysautonomia, exercise intolerance and PEM as complications
Largely recovered from heatstroke itself - now battling remains of dysautonomia & PEM
Looking for personal stories of PEM and dysautonomia recoveries or long term recoveries from heatstroke + any specialist recommendations I haven’t already listed

****

I got heatstroke travelling overseas in November 2025 and experienced the following symptoms on the day of the event:

Outside temp was 30 degrees Celsius with 80%+ humidity
Irritability
Intense Nausea
Stomach upset
Lightheadedness/feeling faint
Feeling overwhelmingly hot and unable to cool down
High fever
Anxiety/panic
Shivering/trembling
Heartbeat rapid and strong
Skin pale and clammy
Confusion/altered neurological state
Stopped sweating completely and skin went dry
Skin turned red and hot to the touch
Began slipping in and out/close to losing consciousness

I didn’t know what was happening and would have spent at least 2 hours in the heat with active symptoms at the time before I was able to make it back to the hotel.

Went to hospital 3 days later after due to having relapse episodes of the same symptoms and unable to have the air conditioning warmer than 18 degrees Celsius. Blood tests were conducive to heatstroke but thankfully no signs of organ damage.

Developed dysautonomia experiencing huge adrenaline rushes and crashes and exercise intolerance upon returning home. I was unable to stand longer than 5 minutes and struggled to walk, and my legs would ache in agony after standing in the shower each night. I couldn’t drive or tolerate being a passenger in a vehicle so seeking medical help was difficult. I lost 7kg at this point which was over 10% of my body weight due to being unable to eat after each adrenaline dump. At its worst I was having 5-8 episodes per day including through the night.

At this point I was prescribed propanolol (beta-blocker) which helped manage the adrenaline issues. It took one month for my body to start sweating again and at first I could only sweat through my feet for another month before full normal perspiration returned.

Over the next couple of months I built up being able to tolerate being a passenger in a vehicle, to being able to drive myself, to being able to drive up to 30mins at a time. My heat intolerance improved and was actually one of the first symptoms to recover significantly (my car didn’t have working air conditioning at the time so was effectively doing exposure therapy- it worked!).

Months 3-8 since heatstroke event:
Focused on exercise tolerance (improving but still limited)
Reducing dosage of propanolol (almost off the medication now)
Diversifying diet and re-introducing new foods
Digestion improving
Heart rate and blood pressure improving
Putting weight back on (at month 9 I have finally put on 5kg of the 7kg I lost)

Somewhere along the line I developed Post-Exertional Malaise or PEM. It shows up 24-48 hours after I’ve extended myself too far whether it’s physical activity, social activity, cognitive load or a combination- even if I feel good in the moment of the activity.

Specialists I have seen so far:
General medicine specialist - prescribed iron infusion & B12 injections
Gastroenterologist - monitoring digestion improvement/progress
Neurology clinic specialising in dysautonomia - performed tilt table test
Cardiologist specialising in POTS & dysautonomia (seeing soon)

At month 9 of recovery, dysautonomia and PEM are the biggest struggles I’m dealing with and have made recovery incredibly non-linear and challenging. I’ve worked my full time job throughout my recovery (albeit with more sick days than the usual person) which adds an extra strain but don’t really have a pathway of taking extended time off.

My current supplements I’m taking to support recovery:
Co Q10 enzyme
Ashwaganda
L-theanine
Magnesium Glycinate
Creatine
Protein
Electrolytes (usually 1x per day)

Two days ago a PEM crash started after going on a big walk the day before. I slept for 12+ hours, couldn’t memorise a 5 item grocery list, entered my card pin wrong, and couldn’t follow google maps directions. Major brain fog and fatigue which is still continuing 3 days on.

Would love to hear from anyone else that has had a similar recovery from heatstroke or just a long term recovery in general. I have recovered soooo much from where I was 8-9 months ago which gives me a lot of hope but still certainly have my hard days.

Does it get better? Will I ever get back to normal where my brain and body can function like a normal person? 🥲 Are there any other specialist avenues I should go down?

Most of us here aren't anywhere close to these circumstances, but my mind always drifts back to how you'd survive when the chips are really down.

Suggestions for getting a good night's sleep when the weather is hot just now

When there is a lovely breeze then all the heat is bearable. A bit like being on one of the islands in Spain.

Man, we need the breeze.

I am not keen on Air Con, while a possible solution, it just adds to the climate disaster. Awnings with the use of fans (which are much cheaper to run) are probably a safer solution. Air con is just so drying on the skin and the eyes! Horrible.

Europe's fifth heatwave is officially upon us, but while it's intensely hitting Britain with a record-breaking 38ºC in Kew Gardens, hammering France and Central Europe, things in my neck of the woods in Spain are.. relatively sedate.

I'm actually currently in the north, where the high pressure system theoretically has more influence, but the aegis of the cold Cantabrian Sea blunts the majority of the impact. It's technically 5ºC above normal here, but the reality is that it's just made things feel a little hot rather than comfortably moderate. Nights are weirdly warm, but the sea breeze does a lot of ameliorate that. The range today was an unusually narrow 23-27ºC (73-81ºF).

Supposedly, according to the long range forecast, Madrid's serious heat might be over by the time we're back there with a chill high of only 26ºC/79ºF. I'll believe that when I see it.

So the end of the August is coming and despite the extensive national and global damage the heat has left, most of us regular folk in adapted regions have come through with very little change to our personal circumstances. Really not sure how to feel about that, as while I vastly prefer no great disasters in my life, I also can't help but think the ease which so many of us can ride out these events isn't motivating the population enough to support serious efforts at change.

I tested sleeping on a kapok trifold matress this summer and my night were more restful. I think my old synthetic matress is simply storing too much heat. The air circulation in the kapok matress seems better. Has anyone else experimented with this?