Five Ways to Beat the Heat Wave

(July 6) -- With triple-digit temperatures and rising humidity levels baking the East Coast, residents from New England to the Carolinas are looking for ways to beat the heat wave.

After consulting with emergency management officials' advice and talking to a few everyday people, we came up with this handy list of Five Ways to Stay Cool:

1. Read a book, enjoy a $1 lunch and make some new friends at a neighborhood cooling center. Authorities in New York and Connecticut have opened official cooling centers for residents without air conditioning, particularly the elderly, who are more susceptible to heat stroke. The government-advised centers are often libraries, churches or community centers where AC -- and entertainment -- are in high supply. The heat wave may be the perfect time to get a library card, meet new neighbors and take advantage of an almost-free lunch, as some New York cooling centers offer specials for a buck -- or free for seniors.

As New York's Mayor Michael Bloomberg said, "Consider going to a library, a shopping mall or a movie theater to get a break from the heat." "Toy Story 3" has been a success in theaters, along with the Fourth of July weekend box-office winner, "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse," featuring a vampire who happens to be ice cold.

2. BYOC -- or as we like to call it, Bring Your Own Cool. If you plan to brave the steamy temperatures outside, bring your own supplies. Emergency management officials suggest plenty of water, but one New York street vendor who plans to remain outside during the heat wave said it's crucial to be extra-prepared. "I have water, I have a fan and I have my hat," Pierre Moore told AOL News. (It's worth noting he was also standing beneath an umbrella and holding a damp rag.) Wear light, breathable clothes and tote sunscreen if you will be spending time in the sun, which the National Weather Service predicts will be blazing during the post-holiday heat wave.

3. Tap into your inner child. Hit the community pool, run through a sprinkler or spring for an ice cream cone. "When it's very hot, you have to eat something cold," Sonia Lago, who sells flavored ices in Manhattan, told AOL News. "The moms and dads get ice for their babies and ice for themselves." For adults, drinking alcohol isn't advised in extreme heat, but adventurous eaters could try the beer sorbet available online from Delicieuse ice cream makers.

4. The following advice may be jarring for Americans on the go, but for those who are blessed with air conditioning and an understanding boss, the best way to beat the heat is to stay home. Don't go for a run, which doctors advise against in extreme heat, and don't walk the dog, as animals are sensitive to heat-related illness, veterinarians say. Just stay home and crank up the AC (though officials say the thermostat shouldn't go below 78 degrees). While lounging on the couch and drinking plenty of water, pick up the phone and check on friends, family and neighbors, particularly anyone who may be battling the heat alone.

5. Remember cool is a state of mind. Surely you've seen your co-worker's screen saver set to a tropical island backdrop in the dead of a snowy winter. The same mentality works in reverse, research has shown. According to a report in London's Daily Mail, closing your eyes and envisioning snow could actually make your body temperature drop slightly. So daydream away -- winter is a mere five months away.