Surprising Ways to Cool Off

1. Cool your pulse. Wrap an ice cube in a towel and apply it to any of your body's major pulse points (think wrists, behind the knees and inside elbows) for a minute, then remove it for a minute�repeat until you feel sufficiently cool. Pulse points are areas of the body with the best circulation, so lowering your blood temperature in those spots will carry the cooling effect throughout the entire body.

2. Go light with hair care. During the summer months, our whole bodies sweat more�including our scalps. Avoid weighing down your hair (and subsequently covering your scalp) with heavy hair products, so air can make contact with your scalp, cooling your head.

3. Think cool. You know that whole mind-body connection? Well, put it to good use this summer by visualizing yourself in a chilly place in order to cool yourself down. This is especially important if you find yourself in a stressful situation, such as waiting in line at an amusement park or sitting in a traffic jam. Try picturing yourself somewhere calm and cool, like floating in a pool or sitting in front of a powerful fan.

4. Eat spicy food. Thanks to capsaicin, a chemical found in hot peppers, your body sweats when you eat spicy foods�without raising your body temperature. As the moisture evaporates from your skin, all your body's surfaces will be cooled down.

5. Take a cooling breath. Yogis call it sheetali pranayama, but even if you don't practice yoga, you can still try it out. Sit in a comfortable position with your hands on your knees. Stick your tongue out without straining it and curl up both sides to create a tube-like shape. Inhale, drawing air through the tube your tongue forms; the air temperature will decrease as it passes over your tongue, leaving behind a pleasantly cool sensation.