The Heat is Unbearable this February
This February has been unbelievably hot and steamy. The warm weather is nice at first, a break from winter's chill. But this intense heat and humidity is just too much to handle. I can't seem to stay cool no matter what I do.
At night, I toss and turn, kicking off the sheets trying in vain to get comfortable. Sweat quickly soaks through my clothes and the bedding. No position provides relief from sticking to the damp mattress. I've even tried sleeping just in my underwear with a fan directly on me, but it's still miserable.
I wake frequently, disturbed by the stuffy air and inability to find a dry, cool spot on the pillow. After hours of frustration, I finally give up on sleep, emerging from the sauna of the bedroom while it's still dark out. No amount of tossing and turning beats this merciless heat.
As the sun rises, I consider taking another cold shower just for momentary refreshment. Lukewarm water does little to cool me off anymore in this relentless sauna. I have to turn that shower as cold as it goes for any true relief, even if it takes my breath away.
By midday, I feel wilting and drained like the battery is running low. The scorching sun through the windows makes the indoors an oven, sapping all my energy for being productive. I become sluggish as a sloth, unmotivated to do much more than find a cool towel for my forehead.
The nights don't provide any break, only more restlessness. If I crack the windows seeking a crossbreeze, I'm met with even muggier breezes or sounds of neighborhood dogs barking all night. But keeping the windows sealed makes the bedroom an airless tomb.
I try chugging ice water or snacking on chilled treats like popsicles to lower my body temperature. Sometimes it provides five minutes of feeling half-human before the sweat returns. I could eat ice cream for every meal and still be dripping.
I find myself daydreaming of somewhere - anywhere - the weather cooperates. I fantasize of winter snow or beachside ocean breezes. Something dry and refreshing to escape this oppressive humidity prison. Maybe I could buy an industrial air conditioner and turn my home into an igloo.
The bottom line is, no typical cooling methods are any match for this extreme blast of heat. Fans are puny, air conditioning units inadequate against this smothering air mass. I'm left struggling to simply breathe while fatigue sets in.
I wake up already drenched in sweat, the sheets are soaked and sticking to my skin. As I peel myself out of the damp bedding, a wall of thick, stale air hits me. It feels like I'm inhaling steam. So much for sleeping comfortably through the night - again.
Stumbling into the bathroom, I catch a glimpse of myself in the foggy mirror. My hair is frizzy and matted from tossing and turning. Dark circles under my puffy eyes make me look haggard and drained, despite just waking up. This extreme mugginess is definitely taking its toll.
I turn the shower to its coldest setting, desperate for any reprieve from the oppressive heat and humidity. As the icy stream hits my body, I shiver and gasp for air. It's a shocking jolt but one that's strangely satisfying and restorative after nights of restlessness. Just standing there, I can feel my internal temperature slowly lowering to normal levels again.
For about 10 minutes, I simply let the frigid water pour over me, closing my eyes and savoring this blissful escape from the sauna awaiting outside the curtain. I dread having to eventually step back into that dense, sweltering air clinging to every surface.
After toweling off, I pull on the lightest, loosest clothing possible - a thin tank top and shorts. Anything tighter would instantly become suffocating and drenched through in this soup-like atmosphere. I'll likely go through two or three outfits today from sweat alone.
Stepping into the living room only confirms that the rest of the house is just as muggy and overheated as the bedroom was. Not a single window open to encourage any cross-breeze. All the air conditioning units are pitiful against this smothering air mass. It's like the house is vacant and hasn't had working AC in years.
I try cranking all the units as high as they'll go, but it does little to defog the milky heat haze filling each room. I relocate to whichever area manages to be even slightly less sweltering to camp out for now with a cold drink in hand. Maybe I'll cocoon in a damp towel if I get desperate.
The afternoon only intensifies the stifling oven-effect as the sun blasts through the windows. I find myself moving every few minutes, chasing shadows like a lizard to escape the sizzling rays that pursue me. Constantly readjusting blinds and curtains becomes futile after a while.
As the day stretches on with no signs of the dense air lifting, I grow sluggish and foggy-brained. I've resorted to frozen products from the fridge to drape around my heated neck and forehead. Just trying to stay hydrated makes me sweat out even more fluids than I'm taking in.
By evening, I'm fatigued as if I haven't slept in days. The steambath conditions have zapped every ounce of energy and motivation from my body. I shuffle into the freezer section of the grocery store just to revive my wilting soul for a few minutes. Anything to break free from this relentless hot spell enveloping the world.
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