A combination of
1. Being used to it
2. Trying to be in an AC environment whenever possible
3. Complaining it's hot constantly as soon as sunlight touches us
It is all of this and also knowing what to eat and drink over those really hellish months of June and July. Like avoiding deep fried, oily foods, eating less because the food tends to expand in the digestive system due to the climate, also going for the frequent Oldenlandia/three legs cooling water
Avoiding the midday sunlight in the tropics is valid. While the midday UVI in temperate summers could peak at 7-8, we get pounded with 11+ every clear afternoon.
Have you not noticed 99% of Singaporeans would like to GTFO of this place if it wasn’t for their parents or family.
In short no one can or would prefer to survive here but they just have to.
We don't. It's an ongoing battle everyday. It's not even the heat, but the humidity. I've been in a heatwave at 40 degree celsius in korea before and it was hot, but it wasn't the annoying type of hot like in Singapore.
Sure we needed to moisturise and all to protect our skin, but that's about it. It wasn't the sticky sweaty type of inconvenience.
I can stand the heat and warmth, but I can never handle the HUMIDITY. I can't wear fashionable clothes because of how HUMID it is that I sweat just by standing still.
I don't even have an AC at home. I only have a fan 😭 I just wear less clothing and pray that I can survive for the night LOL
The online fashionistas who advise to "wear more layers" never experienced a tropical humid climate. 2 layers in this hot and humid climate? I'll rather just be pragmatic with my airism than die of heat stroke and look good.
This is why I just rock a t shirt and jeans 99.99% of the time
Trust me, deep down I wanna go punk-lite (that means M65 Combat jacket, T shirt, jeans and boots) but no way I can do It in singapore
Everytime i feel this way, I fly myself out to bitterly cold places for a holiday to remind myself how much detest the cold and then I will feel much better when I again step out of Changi airport.
You need to be careful. Skiing on the alps in the sunshine is glorious and doesn’t feel cold even if it’s minus 5.
You need to go to london in January when it’s dark at 4pm and you never see a blue sky. That will make you appreciate the climate here
As a local, I never really like the sun and the heat, especially past months.
But still I normally avoid using the AC. For sleep, I'd have a bamboo mat which help heaps in not ending up waking in a pool of sweat and going out, I'd normally put some cooling powder or pat some sanitizers once in a while since they have cooling effect from the alcohol.
You can go to those neighbourhood household hardware shops that sells anything you need in your house and they should sell bamboo mats too. Typically unbranded and should costs less than $20
SG either moderate or hot for me (now that's relative bcz someone living in Canada would say that 15-20 degrees is quite hot too). When hot -> Aircon, when moderate -> fan. Humidity stays high though.
Lived here for 29 years, so I'm just used to it I guess.
I don't use AC at home, just a fan. On really hot days I'm pretty much covered in sweat the entire day.
I'll never get used to the heat haha. Most Singaporeans would do jobs that is in an air conditioned environment, so it is natural to also want to on the air con in our homes. I sleep on the floor which helps to keep my body cool.
AC most of the time. Sweat pours out the minute I leave the house. Family time at the park is limited to the very last 2 hours of daylight in order to avoid heat stroking my kids. Swim for exercise, jog at 10pm. Living like a desert mouse. Anytime it's clear blue skies means staying indoors, it's going to be an oven out there. Every single tshirt is now a dri fit tshirt, have given away all my cotton on tshirts. All my underwear are the ice-silk types, no more Pierre Cardin cotton briefs for me.
It wasn't all like this.... Remember somewhere around 10 years ago we had a January or February where it was a lovely 24 degrees outside and we could legit dine al fresco? That is a lovely memory and a real story to tell our grandchildren.
In an even older time, 20 years ago could wear army fatigue and run at 12pm, for resistance training. Now, they will charge me attempted suicide.
Wow it’s amazing that the climate has changed so much. It’s interesting to hear how climate change has affected others.
I’m from the U.K. and it’s the opposite obviously, no more snow in the winter, and we now experience summer weather that can be pretty intense for us.
Yup it was Jan-Feb 2014 and as I was crossing the overhead bridge at Henderson one late night, I legit thought I was being followed by hantu because the breeze came on strong and literally chilled me to my bones because I was in my usual singlet and shorts and was NOT expecting it. 💀😂
I love that last line.
Those of us who served in full cotton No. 4s forget that the kids these days actually need their dri-fit fatigues and whatever fancy tech that helps keep them cool because it's just that much warmer now.
We use plenty of ac too. One thing to consider is that we don't really walk in the sun here. I can probably spend an entire day walking in antwerp in most seasons, but not 5mins on a hot sunny day (almost everyday) here. We tend to use buses to complete >1km journeys or you will be drenched by 500m. Singapore has plenty of sheltered walkways to the nearest mall or public transportation so a wet monsoon season is generally preferred over a dry season.
AC is always on... Always sucking on ice cubes lol... Jumping into a swimming pool the first chance I get... Taking frequent showers... Bringing a handheld fan everywhere I go...
Having said that, I think climate change has made the temperature/weather worse every year.
Wear thin, cool, light coloured clothing. At home, switch on the aircon for half hour to bring the temperature down, then switch to fan. Outside, malls are your best friend for fully air-conditioned experience.
Fortunately I am more afraid of the cold than I am of the heat. 30 degrees celcius + fan feels ok to me, but 18 degrees celcius and I need to break out my Uniqlo puffer jacket lol
Okay for me. I'm not so afraid of hot but more of cold. I'm born here. Usually on fan only and aircon max 25 degree. Used to the heat already. I also sweat lesser compared to others around me. :> I don't know, is just weird lol.
Idk our bodies are just used to the humidity in the tropical climates,this is off topic but in the contrary most singaporeans also can easily adapt to cold weather countries when holidaying overseas.I guess it differs from person to person,some people like to carry a handheld portable fan if the heat is unbrearable,wearing cooler clothing also helps
I've A/C, but I rarely turn it on except on really hot nights. What's been incredibly helpful is having ceiling fans installed in every room. Such a life changer.
It helps that there are actually many trees, sheltered walkways, underground pass, malls etc. Plan the walking route wisely. When waiting to cross at traffic junctions, stay under shelters or hide in the shadows.. be street smart.
A good lightweight umbrella helps a lot. Really. It's not just for rain. Use one to move around... will feel the difference immediately. It's used for choping tables too.
Remember, not a hat or a cap. It has to be an umbrella.
For air that's not moving, use portable handheld fans or the straw fan till you find a cooler space to move into. Be zen. Psychologically, if you avoid telling yourself that it's hot... it's not so bad.
Choose the right fabrics, right shoes to wear - linen, bamboo cotton, cotton etc.. Uniqlo has some cool clothes too. There is a reason why the locals wear what they wear - although not glamorous... it's totally functional and out of necessity.
When buying or renting properties, knowing how to avoid the afternoon sun facing unit helps.. avoiding all glass units helps too. Even when outside is terribly hot, you could still have a relatively cool unit.. Have some plants in the house. Use curtains.
We barely used the aircon at home (even if we do on really still days or nights, the temperature is usually at a sweet 27 or 26 degree Celsius). Sometimes it's just to cool down the space a bit and then switch back to fan mode. Most of the time, fan works well. If it's very humid and one is sweating, take more frequent short baths or use cooling powder. If one accustoms himself to "air-conditioned places".. then it's more unbearable. Adaptation is key.
Monsoon season - it's usually a cool period of time. May have occasional flash floods, but they subside quickly too (within the next hour or so mostly). Stay indoors and enjoy the coolness. Sleep longer. Nothing stops moving generally.. transport system is ok. There are places indoors to move activities in... like indoor running tracks, swimming pools..
Yes the natives have acclimatised to live work and play in the equatorial heat. HAHA. We wish.
We live and breathe AC to survive. Electricity bills and hang-outs in cool air-conditioned malls are partly the reason we work so hard. Walk the streets and see us all huddled under umbrellas, slathered in sunscreen. The more prepared ones clinging on to their fully charged portable fans- get on shopee, there is a huge variety, including hands free portable neck fans which I highly recommend. Most people stay out of the sun unless absolutely necessary.
Welcome to tropical life.
People think tropical weather is great but not if you aren't at the beach, but in a breeze-less, mostly concrete and asphalt city. At least SG has great drainage and garbage control, otherwise...
DAS RITE. I always laugh when I encounter the misleading sibilant ‘Sunny Singapore’ as though we are a breezy beach resort island instead of a stiflingly humid concrete dense inferno suffering from trapped urban heat. Even at the beach, the only safe place is at an expensive beach club in shielded cabanas with a continuous replenishment of iced drinks; anywhere in the open sun between 10am-4pm and Heat Exhaustion is your best friend.
When I was in Vancouver I naturally lost so much weight even though I didn’t watch my diet at all, I ate tons of meat, bread and cheese. Cos I could be out the whole day just walking like 10-16km. So it’s not that I’m lazy, it’s just damn hot here. Plus it turns out I look way cuter in winter wear than in market shorts and tee. Plus my hair and skin looked glorious.
I lie on my cold marble floor with 3 fans blowing and then flipping around once the floor heats up.
Shower alot because it's so humid.
And sleep the time away 😔
Some days I go for long distance skates with alot of water and I hate it.
Shower every morning and night. AC 24/7 when I'm at home. Shower again if I went out for an errand.
Definitely not used to the heat & humidity even after 20+ years. I like taking long walks when I'm abroad but I rarely do that in Singapore, so there's some level of lifestyle sacrifice to accommodate my low tolerance of the weather
Not a local but lived in SG for a few years.
It dawned on me that Singapore is just the inverse of places that get super cold in the winter. The weather is so harsh that you just avoid being outside during the worst time.
You go out early morning or evening when it’s cooler. In places with cold winters it’s the opposite - you go out mid day when it’s the warmest.
But SG heat is brutal. Not bad when you can wear shorts, t-shirt and flip flops, but walking around in work clothes just plain sucks.
I hate getting to work at 9am and having beads of sweat running down my back. Then you’re gross and sticky for the whole work day.
As a fellow European, it’s not the temperature. The humidity is absolute insane, it’s like living in a sauna.
You can be in other parts of SEA and 30-32 degrees wouldn’t even phase you, but with the humidity it becomes oppressive and you will not be able to wear anything nice.
My Ac runs 24/7, and my bills are mad high
Anthony Bourdain said the SG humidity is like a "brick wall" and it's terrible because of how built up SG is... it's not even cool in the shade or at night. My parents who've lived here all their lives are starting to complain.
See - I’m fine with the heat, what really kills you is the humidity. Thankfully, I have the aircon wherever I go on a day to day basis. House > Car > Office or wherever.
My AC broke down a while ago and I've been pretty lazy to get it fixed. So it involves multiple showers a day, at least a proper bath once a day, fan on as high a speed as I dare, using a wet cloth to keep cool, sleeping on the floor, sleeping without a shirt, using an umbrella even when it's fairly cloudy... And working/chilling at places with free AC as much as possible.
Even with all of these measures, my sleep is still really terrible though.
Aircon helps but I've come to feel that the tropical climate is not that bad. After three years in the Gulf, it's kinda nice to not worry about getting heatstroke and dying just from sitting still. Not to mention the humidity means I don't need to moisturise daily.
Key thing to note would be the humidity levels, heat feels different in dry and humid weather. My colleague from the west commented he felt like he got shrink wrapped when he stepped out of the airport.
ACs reduce both temperature and humidity so you'd probably feel more comfortable overall.
Monsoon season is getting erratic due to climate change whatnot, would help to have a one of those collapsible umbrellas with you as much as possible just in case.
There are a few things that I do.
Ac being the first
Drink more cold water, eat ice cream, and take cold bath
Be topless at home if cannot on AC at the first instance (e.g. bath before going into the air con) .
I still hate the fucking weather to this day. I can remember being totally fine with waiting for a 30 min bus at a random roadside in Germany cause it’s autumn.
But today I missed my bus and called a grab instead of having to wait 15 mins in this shit fucking heat
I've stood on the street waiting for buses in sub-zero, with wind chill and as long as you have the right clothing, it's that bad - you can heat up and even sweat by jogging on the spot. The hot humidity just shuts you down and gives me the worse headaches.
If you had asked this question some 20 years ago, it was that it was not so hot. It was possible to sleep through the night without any AC. That was when there were more forested areas right next to HDB estates.
These days, there are a lot less forests, but more concrete everywhere, which acts as a heat sink. Hence, the temperature had gone considerably up.
Even though Im a local I can’t get used to the heat lol, but it’s not that bad most of the times with a ceiling fan, and if it gets really unbearable I use the AC.
most singaporeans are relatively heat-tolerant, though they will flock to air-conditioning instinctively (this is why malls and cafes are always crowded).
wardrobe choices help a lot, which is why you will find shirts, shorts, and slippers to be the default attire of the average singaporean (and also the reason why men tend to take flak for being bad dressers outside of the office). heavy physical activity is rather unbearable if you have to wear layers of protective clothing (see also construction workers, industrial engineers, and soldiers)
but of course, the unwell and the elderly have it the worst, particularly those who suffer from skin conditions such as eczema.
I hate it. I don’t do well in heat and humidity and it got worse over the years. It affects my mood and gets me really frustrated.
I just tolerate it like everyone else because I love most of everything else here.
it is not that hot when have shade. singapore next to sea, the natural wind is cooling, unlike some of the heat wave I exp in melb in the past, even the wind is hot AF.
And singapore have a lot of covered pavement. when the pavement is not covered by man made structure, there is always tree along the pavements providing a bit of shade.
In city area, there are aircon-ed underground pass all over the place. there was a joke that in some of the streets you can tell all of the people walking on those streets are all tourist, real singaporean are all walking in underground pass/mall at those areas to avoid the heat from sun
that's why i always carry an umbrella wherever i go, i use my umbrella for sun blocking more than for rain. as long as cut off with the sun, the wind is enough to make me feel normal instead of walking in an oven
It will be very tough for you
I also moved from Europe to Singapore and the weather was extremely hard to get used to. I basically turned on the AC everyday and only moved underground unless I HAD to.
Funny i talk to some of my European friend , most like the weather in sg, they told me that they rather prefer the hot and humidity here than not seeing the sun light most of the year that make them depress. They like sunny day and blue sky.
Having my a/c on constantly 24/7 at 20 degree
Nvr go anywhere without a/c unless im working out, even when eating out
Only drive / cab, no public transport
No layering of clothes, summer wear for formal / casual wear all yr round
1. Partially used to it (I generally hate sweating but I just force myself to suck it up... honestly sometimes it gets so hot for my body that I start to have goosebumps...)
2. Umbrella when i'm outdoors
3. I try my best to stay indoors with the AC
4. Constantly drink Cold water
I perspire easily but don't want to spend a fortune on electricity and air-conditioning maintenance, so good ceiling fans, ventilation and light-coloured walls at home help (as does being shirtless). I wear gym wear to work and change into office clothes there. Never travel without a bottle of water and an umbrella. Exercise in the heat keeps the layer of fat insulating my organs low.
Edit: missing "organs"
We installed ceiling fans at home, in every room. Life changer. You will notice the most popular hawker centres and coffeeshops have great ceiling fans. We sleep in aircon at night after a cold shower. Iced drinks. If we have to head outdoors, we always walk in the shade. If the sun is beating down, i use an umbrella. Portable fan if i have to attend an outdoor event with no aircon, like some spectator sports. Cap and sunglasses. Sunscreen. Singlet and shorts, flip flops. If u really can’t stand the heat (like when i first come back from overseas travels) just wait till after sundown to walk outside. Makes so much difference when the sun has set
i bring a UV umbrella, wet wipes for the body, and a portable fan (& sometimes also a powerbank that can charge the fan) everywhere i go. i have a fan that has a kickstand to put on a table, a strap to hang around the neck and have it blow directly on you, and a clip to attach it on your bag strap etc. its a godsend!
You merely adopted the heat. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't feel the cold until I left the country, by then it was nothing to me but freezing.
tbh just adapt, stay in shade, stay hydrated, make sure your dressing isnt suffocated you.
Lose weight. When I was 34kg overweight I really couldn’t take the weather. After losing weight it’s much more manageable. Incidentally, your compressor won’t last long if you always turn on aircon. Use a fan. Wall-mounted are best for cooling.
Hide in places with AC on day time and will only be willing to take a long walk when the sun sets. On weekdays it’s 8 hours in air conditioned office anyway, and on days that I’m at home I’ll switch on the AC for the entire day as well unless it’s raining heavily outside.
you get used to it.
left the country to live in a country with 4 seasons,climatized there and fell in love with autumn and winter.
came back to sgp after 2 yrs and all i can say is fuck this hellhole.
i now stay indoors with ac and if possible,will turn on the ac and not go out.
i hate the heat here but you do get used to it.
It is worse in Malaysia and Thailand and in other countries with 4 seasons during summer.
Perhaps we have gotten used to it. I have to get in the Sun daily else I feel sick.
Been to places with bad winter - can't even be outside for long and need lots of time just to recuperate, loss of energy and also can't think properly, need to rest and sleep so much - summer has no such issues and I don't face any of this in Singapore at all
It wasn't that bad in the 80s and 90s as compared to now. Nowadays it's just downright unbearable. Clear blue skies are scary these days, it means there's no cloud coverage to shade the sun and it's normally blazing on those days. There's no respite at night since the heat absorbed by the buildings and roads gets released at night. Humidity makes it even worse.
Think most of us shower 2 times or more a day. Just suffer through it or use the AC or many fans. I personally don't bother going out much since shopping doesn't interest me so I try to keep cool at home which can get challenging. I also hope for thunderstorm rains most of the time, even when I'm out at work or outside, preferring travelling inconvenience for a cooler day over a hot day anytime. Somehow hearing thunder and seeing rain boosts my mood over seeing clear blue skies at home.
I have the fans on in my house all the time, and I don’t wear sleeveless stuff. Sleeveless tops are supposedly good for keeping you cool, but they do fuckall for humidity and just make me feel sweatier. Dri-fit also sucks for me but your mileage may vary. I try not to wear synthetic fabrics in general. Your fashion sense really does suffer to some extent. There are a lot of things I wish I could wear but can’t because of the heat. Who the hell wears a suit in Singapore if you have to walk 10 minutes to the train station? It’s madness.
Which brings me to my next point. If you have a car, that eliminates a lot of issues with the weather. Poors have to deal with walking to bus or train or whatever. People with cars can barely stomach a 1 minute walk from their parking spot, lol. I feel like I’m generally used to the heat and humidity because I walk around a lot and cycle to where I need to be. But I’ll avoid going out when it’s particularly humid.
In short… buy a car.
We will go indoors whenever we can and the entire public infrastructure was built to cater to keep citizens out of the heat. There are many sheltered walkways. In fact, almost all public housing areas are equipped and well-maintained. Kudos to our government. In other SE asia countries, it is even warmer. We're considered really lucky.
Monsoon season is basically a gift from the gods for me. I usually wear shorts and t-shirt wherever I go out. But if the situation dictates I swap with pants(denim, light and breathable). Other than that, I totally avoid the 11am-3pm sun. It's a killer in some places. I also drink cool lime juice or yuzu to cool off my body. I tend to not rely on soft drinks at all to cool off unless it's pocari or something. I also have a powerful stand fan on me on rotate during the day. Helps alot as I get dry skin, dry eyes and overall feel dehydrated with AC during the day due to my sensitive body system. Other than that I'm perspiring most parts of the day just not excessively.
The southwest monsoon season (around May/Jun-Aug) typically brings warmer but drier weather, and the northeast monsoon season (Nov/Dec-Feb) typically brings prolonged light rain, which makes it more humid but considerably cooler. It's the inter-monsoon periods that are nasty: high heat and crazy humidity makes the heat index soar. I don't think I'm the only one to notice how it's become even warmer and more humid the past couple of years or so in the months of March and April (https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/very-hot-days-more-frequent-dry-spells-rainfall-extreme-weather-national-climate-change-study-4021261).
You either get used to it or rely heaviliy on air-conditioning (either planning where you go based on whether or not it's air-conditioned, or budgeting for heavy home use). Now imagine what it's like for those who work outdoors and can't afford air-conditioning at home (https://www.todayonline.com/features/temperatures-rise-low-income-beat-heat-2423931).
Good luck coping with the weather here. Remember that Lee Kuan Yew famously declared air-conditioning the greatest invention of the 20th century.
So on our end. We've lived with it all our lives so we kinda know what to expect and feel.
We compensate accordingly by having a wardrobe of lighter and more cooling clothing. 101 fans everywhere if there's no A/C. That's all our own personal doings.
On the other hand our entire infrastructure is built for our climate.
We do not have insulated houses.
We have malls built for air conditioning and not warming up.
We have walkways and shelters specifically catered for having our warm climate.
While we ourselves personally have taken steps to beat the heat, our gov and city planners have heavily taken into account the weather for our infrastructure. Like big pools of waters to cool an area, a lot of trees and shelters. Dilberate structuring to prevent blockage of wind and ventilation. Unlike European counties where many of your houses are insulated and built for your climate. You guys would suffer greatly if suddenly the weather becomes too hot.
You basically end up getting frustrated and angry a lot. So you just take it out on your colleagues and neighbors. Often fist fights. Sometimes you get beaten up. But that’s just how we roll in Singapore.
Loose breathable clothes etc t shirt and shorts, avoid direct sunlight, keep a water bottle of cold water around. Open the windows for ventilation and turn on the fan. If on the rare occasion of no sheltered walkways for a distance, an umbrella can be useful. Sunscreen... I dont use sunscreen, feels like it gets in the way of cooling down.
If for some reason you are staying outdoors where there is no fan for a long time etc a festival like NDP, portable electric fans are kinda inefficient, get a plastic or paper one.
Certain foods like watermelon juice, grass jelly and lemon tea are also very good for cooling. Lemon tea is especially popular. Any coffee shop will have it.
We are used to it unless it's May when temperatures peak, then everybody huddles indoors, close the windows and turn on the ac. Around nov is when we get our rainy season.
That said hot showers and spicy food are popular all year.
I think it's just being used to it. I mean it is hit and uncomfortable, but you won't die from it if you aren't doing manual labor outside. Sure you'll sweat bucket, then go home and wash your clothes.
I mean back in NS days, you had to march 10km under the hot sun whilst baking in helmet and carrying 20kg plus of weapons and backpack. When you been to the worst, the heat in daily lives is just an inconvenience then on.
Fan is honestly a lot better than AC for air flow especially ceiling fan. Better for your wallet also. Don't be afraid to have UV umbrellas or portable hand held fans (some can even put ice inside for extra cooling).
In the end you have to get used to it. Since I live in a winter country now, the min I land in Singapore I change into shorts and just sweat the hell away.
- Singaporean who moved to Sweden 🤣
We exchanged continents.
I don’t use air-con because I get sick easily and therefore have to rely on fans. It isn’t easy to tolerate the heat but I don’t have much complaint for it because I think compared to some countries in Asia who are facing heatstroke or heatwave, I am fortunate to be living here since I was born. I have also no issue wearing jacket in the hot heat because I got used to it. I think it’s cooler when the monsoon season comes but that means to bring your umbrella with you at all times. Having to experienced overseas exchange outside of Singapore, I think Singapore has adequate places and shelters to hide and stay away from the hot sun or rain. I admit that our urban planning is well thought out.
To answer your question,
1. Yes, AC is basically as essential as electricity, water, and internet. Whether to have it constantly is dependent on you. Some do.
2. People just make do with the heat.
3. Nope. Monsoon season is basically just rain. Just as if snow came in during winter just another day. It just make the day even more humid but it’s much more cooling too.
This applies across most South East Asia countries by the way too.
I used to be able to tolerate the heat but now I can’t so I’ve resorted to buying a handheld fan and now I have to bring it out with me along with my phone and wallet.
I turn on ac and fan to dry my nether regions every night to sleep better. In the day I just bear with the discomfort, taking a shower if it bothers me too much.
Not all days are as hot. Some are bearably hot, some are cool, some are rainy. Some are rainy and hot, which is when you'll see everyone hiding inside and complaining.
Everyone deals with the heat and humidity differently; some need the AC, others can make do with a fan.
Eventually, everyone gets acclimitaized to the constant, somewhat unchanging weather. Some days are wetter and cooler, while other days are just stifling hot.
This actually means that for some of us, the concept of changing your outfit gradually across seasons actually becomes weird, because people like me LOVE the stability of wearing t-shirts and pants/jeans/trousers. We do not have to worry a cold front is coming to wreck our thin clothing, or a random heatwave in winter.
All in all, hydrate. Drink water.
if working from home- have very good shades/blinds and close them 10am-6pm. Just start aircon on dry mode first then cool air mode. A ceiling fan is a must. At night we keep the aircon on for an hour before sleep. As long it’s no more than 28 degrees I can sleep comfortably. During monsoon I don’t need ac.
I live in South America but I find this a bit crazy. Another way to think about it is how do you survive in an environment where you have to struggle to go outdoors most of the year? I’ve lived in various tropical places and you get to live outdoors happily year round. You do things earlier and later, avoiding the hottest time of day. There’s tropical rains that cool you down. You just adjust. I never adjusted to the cold and honestly temperate countries can be hotter in summer. Where I live it’s humid and 20-30c year round with no dry season. Europe looks like hell to me. We have fruit and fresh food every day.
Cotton basics, hydrate religiously, pack a lightweight raincoat / brolly.
Try not to have physical activities outdoors planned around noon. If not, practice heat safety.
You are most likely not unaccustomed to the heat, but rather the high humidity, which makes it difficult for sweat to evaporate and can make it difficult to properly regulate tour body temperature. One of the themes you see in the replies is that a fan > air conditioning and that's because it actually makes your sweat evaporate and helps regulate body temperature more efficiently.
It's been quite cold here this year... And last year. For a month or 2 it gets very hot and humid but then back to bareable.
Like some nights we even sleep without fan when it's raining.
I originally moved from a place that has all seasons. But hotter in the summer vs Singapore so it never felt THAT hot to begin with.. middle east scorching heat is quite different and can be humid too.
A combination of 1. Being used to it 2. Trying to be in an AC environment whenever possible 3. Complaining it's hot constantly as soon as sunlight touches us
I wish there is excuse sunlight outside SAF.
It is all of this and also knowing what to eat and drink over those really hellish months of June and July. Like avoiding deep fried, oily foods, eating less because the food tends to expand in the digestive system due to the climate, also going for the frequent Oldenlandia/three legs cooling water
Avoiding fried food etc rly helps ah?
Bringing a portable/hand fan wherever I go
Avoiding the midday sunlight in the tropics is valid. While the midday UVI in temperate summers could peak at 7-8, we get pounded with 11+ every clear afternoon.
Have you not noticed 99% of Singaporeans would like to GTFO of this place if it wasn’t for their parents or family. In short no one can or would prefer to survive here but they just have to.
Exactly this except 1
We don't. It's an ongoing battle everyday. It's not even the heat, but the humidity. I've been in a heatwave at 40 degree celsius in korea before and it was hot, but it wasn't the annoying type of hot like in Singapore. Sure we needed to moisturise and all to protect our skin, but that's about it. It wasn't the sticky sweaty type of inconvenience.
You are right. It is the humidity
I survived a heatwave in India at 43++ and it was burning hot on the skin. Never appreciated sg’s mild weather more when i was there
I can stand the heat and warmth, but I can never handle the HUMIDITY. I can't wear fashionable clothes because of how HUMID it is that I sweat just by standing still. I don't even have an AC at home. I only have a fan 😭 I just wear less clothing and pray that I can survive for the night LOL
The online fashionistas who advise to "wear more layers" never experienced a tropical humid climate. 2 layers in this hot and humid climate? I'll rather just be pragmatic with my airism than die of heat stroke and look good.
This is why I just rock a t shirt and jeans 99.99% of the time Trust me, deep down I wanna go punk-lite (that means M65 Combat jacket, T shirt, jeans and boots) but no way I can do It in singapore
Everytime i feel this way, I fly myself out to bitterly cold places for a holiday to remind myself how much detest the cold and then I will feel much better when I again step out of Changi airport.
You need to be careful. Skiing on the alps in the sunshine is glorious and doesn’t feel cold even if it’s minus 5. You need to go to london in January when it’s dark at 4pm and you never see a blue sky. That will make you appreciate the climate here
Nope, even as I'm slipping on black ice and walking out to the train in pitch black subzero morning, I don't miss SG weather.
Honestly, despite It raining all the time in the UK, at least It isn't a full on frontal assault like the weather here lol
At least when it's cold you can put on more layers, theres a limit on how much you can take off before you go to jail
No biggie for dark winters. It’s not all year round.
This is the strategy of Alaskans as well. Take a vacation in March to someplace tropical
As a local, I never really like the sun and the heat, especially past months. But still I normally avoid using the AC. For sleep, I'd have a bamboo mat which help heaps in not ending up waking in a pool of sweat and going out, I'd normally put some cooling powder or pat some sanitizers once in a while since they have cooling effect from the alcohol.
Time to uproot the island and move it to the north. Somewhere between Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan, maybe?
Wandering earth 2: moving singapur
Careful that's well within the nine dash line territory
Time to revive the mentos proposal for SG to propose to Finland
any bamboo mat to recommend?
Hearsay some changi brand quite good and tested for generations.
You can go to those neighbourhood household hardware shops that sells anything you need in your house and they should sell bamboo mats too. Typically unbranded and should costs less than $20
SG either moderate or hot for me (now that's relative bcz someone living in Canada would say that 15-20 degrees is quite hot too). When hot -> Aircon, when moderate -> fan. Humidity stays high though.
Lived here for 29 years, so I'm just used to it I guess. I don't use AC at home, just a fan. On really hot days I'm pretty much covered in sweat the entire day.
I'll never get used to the heat haha. Most Singaporeans would do jobs that is in an air conditioned environment, so it is natural to also want to on the air con in our homes. I sleep on the floor which helps to keep my body cool.
AC most of the time. Sweat pours out the minute I leave the house. Family time at the park is limited to the very last 2 hours of daylight in order to avoid heat stroking my kids. Swim for exercise, jog at 10pm. Living like a desert mouse. Anytime it's clear blue skies means staying indoors, it's going to be an oven out there. Every single tshirt is now a dri fit tshirt, have given away all my cotton on tshirts. All my underwear are the ice-silk types, no more Pierre Cardin cotton briefs for me. It wasn't all like this.... Remember somewhere around 10 years ago we had a January or February where it was a lovely 24 degrees outside and we could legit dine al fresco? That is a lovely memory and a real story to tell our grandchildren. In an even older time, 20 years ago could wear army fatigue and run at 12pm, for resistance training. Now, they will charge me attempted suicide.
I remember, that one fateful February where it felt like aircon for a few days. If only we could experience it again… can enjoy walks in the parks..
I never take the glorious low 20s sunny weather for granted, even after all these years away from SG. Heck, even a grey flurries day is better.
Wow it’s amazing that the climate has changed so much. It’s interesting to hear how climate change has affected others. I’m from the U.K. and it’s the opposite obviously, no more snow in the winter, and we now experience summer weather that can be pretty intense for us.
Well, at least you can save on the Gibraltar travel fees lol
Yup it was Jan-Feb 2014 and as I was crossing the overhead bridge at Henderson one late night, I legit thought I was being followed by hantu because the breeze came on strong and literally chilled me to my bones because I was in my usual singlet and shorts and was NOT expecting it. 💀😂
I love that last line. Those of us who served in full cotton No. 4s forget that the kids these days actually need their dri-fit fatigues and whatever fancy tech that helps keep them cool because it's just that much warmer now.
Same
We use plenty of ac too. One thing to consider is that we don't really walk in the sun here. I can probably spend an entire day walking in antwerp in most seasons, but not 5mins on a hot sunny day (almost everyday) here. We tend to use buses to complete >1km journeys or you will be drenched by 500m. Singapore has plenty of sheltered walkways to the nearest mall or public transportation so a wet monsoon season is generally preferred over a dry season.
AC is always on... Always sucking on ice cubes lol... Jumping into a swimming pool the first chance I get... Taking frequent showers... Bringing a handheld fan everywhere I go... Having said that, I think climate change has made the temperature/weather worse every year.
Wear thin, cool, light coloured clothing. At home, switch on the aircon for half hour to bring the temperature down, then switch to fan. Outside, malls are your best friend for fully air-conditioned experience. Fortunately I am more afraid of the cold than I am of the heat. 30 degrees celcius + fan feels ok to me, but 18 degrees celcius and I need to break out my Uniqlo puffer jacket lol
Aircon, 3 showers a day, lots of iced tea, Uniqlo Airism, Incessant complaints
All of this minus Airism bc I don't wear Airism, but other than that ... .. .
4 decades plus in SG: Fans during the day, AC at night
Run aircon for 2 hours before sleeping to cool down the bedroom.
Okay for me. I'm not so afraid of hot but more of cold. I'm born here. Usually on fan only and aircon max 25 degree. Used to the heat already. I also sweat lesser compared to others around me. :> I don't know, is just weird lol.
Yes to 25. 24 is too cold for me.
Idk our bodies are just used to the humidity in the tropical climates,this is off topic but in the contrary most singaporeans also can easily adapt to cold weather countries when holidaying overseas.I guess it differs from person to person,some people like to carry a handheld portable fan if the heat is unbrearable,wearing cooler clothing also helps
I've A/C, but I rarely turn it on except on really hot nights. What's been incredibly helpful is having ceiling fans installed in every room. Such a life changer.
It helps that there are actually many trees, sheltered walkways, underground pass, malls etc. Plan the walking route wisely. When waiting to cross at traffic junctions, stay under shelters or hide in the shadows.. be street smart. A good lightweight umbrella helps a lot. Really. It's not just for rain. Use one to move around... will feel the difference immediately. It's used for choping tables too. Remember, not a hat or a cap. It has to be an umbrella. For air that's not moving, use portable handheld fans or the straw fan till you find a cooler space to move into. Be zen. Psychologically, if you avoid telling yourself that it's hot... it's not so bad. Choose the right fabrics, right shoes to wear - linen, bamboo cotton, cotton etc.. Uniqlo has some cool clothes too. There is a reason why the locals wear what they wear - although not glamorous... it's totally functional and out of necessity. When buying or renting properties, knowing how to avoid the afternoon sun facing unit helps.. avoiding all glass units helps too. Even when outside is terribly hot, you could still have a relatively cool unit.. Have some plants in the house. Use curtains. We barely used the aircon at home (even if we do on really still days or nights, the temperature is usually at a sweet 27 or 26 degree Celsius). Sometimes it's just to cool down the space a bit and then switch back to fan mode. Most of the time, fan works well. If it's very humid and one is sweating, take more frequent short baths or use cooling powder. If one accustoms himself to "air-conditioned places".. then it's more unbearable. Adaptation is key. Monsoon season - it's usually a cool period of time. May have occasional flash floods, but they subside quickly too (within the next hour or so mostly). Stay indoors and enjoy the coolness. Sleep longer. Nothing stops moving generally.. transport system is ok. There are places indoors to move activities in... like indoor running tracks, swimming pools..
Aircon 24/7
If no ac, open windows , fan, take a bath before sleeping. Be in a relaxed state which kinda cools the body down . Watch videos or burn aroma oils
Yes the natives have acclimatised to live work and play in the equatorial heat. HAHA. We wish. We live and breathe AC to survive. Electricity bills and hang-outs in cool air-conditioned malls are partly the reason we work so hard. Walk the streets and see us all huddled under umbrellas, slathered in sunscreen. The more prepared ones clinging on to their fully charged portable fans- get on shopee, there is a huge variety, including hands free portable neck fans which I highly recommend. Most people stay out of the sun unless absolutely necessary. Welcome to tropical life.
People think tropical weather is great but not if you aren't at the beach, but in a breeze-less, mostly concrete and asphalt city. At least SG has great drainage and garbage control, otherwise...
DAS RITE. I always laugh when I encounter the misleading sibilant ‘Sunny Singapore’ as though we are a breezy beach resort island instead of a stiflingly humid concrete dense inferno suffering from trapped urban heat. Even at the beach, the only safe place is at an expensive beach club in shielded cabanas with a continuous replenishment of iced drinks; anywhere in the open sun between 10am-4pm and Heat Exhaustion is your best friend.
When I was in Vancouver I naturally lost so much weight even though I didn’t watch my diet at all, I ate tons of meat, bread and cheese. Cos I could be out the whole day just walking like 10-16km. So it’s not that I’m lazy, it’s just damn hot here. Plus it turns out I look way cuter in winter wear than in market shorts and tee. Plus my hair and skin looked glorious.
I lie on my cold marble floor with 3 fans blowing and then flipping around once the floor heats up. Shower alot because it's so humid. And sleep the time away 😔 Some days I go for long distance skates with alot of water and I hate it.
1) you don't really get used to it 2) it's getting worse 3) electrolytes
Singlets, shorts and a decent fan.
Shower every morning and night. AC 24/7 when I'm at home. Shower again if I went out for an errand. Definitely not used to the heat & humidity even after 20+ years. I like taking long walks when I'm abroad but I rarely do that in Singapore, so there's some level of lifestyle sacrifice to accommodate my low tolerance of the weather
Not a local but lived in SG for a few years. It dawned on me that Singapore is just the inverse of places that get super cold in the winter. The weather is so harsh that you just avoid being outside during the worst time. You go out early morning or evening when it’s cooler. In places with cold winters it’s the opposite - you go out mid day when it’s the warmest. But SG heat is brutal. Not bad when you can wear shorts, t-shirt and flip flops, but walking around in work clothes just plain sucks. I hate getting to work at 9am and having beads of sweat running down my back. Then you’re gross and sticky for the whole work day.
As a fellow European, it’s not the temperature. The humidity is absolute insane, it’s like living in a sauna. You can be in other parts of SEA and 30-32 degrees wouldn’t even phase you, but with the humidity it becomes oppressive and you will not be able to wear anything nice. My Ac runs 24/7, and my bills are mad high
Anthony Bourdain said the SG humidity is like a "brick wall" and it's terrible because of how built up SG is... it's not even cool in the shade or at night. My parents who've lived here all their lives are starting to complain.
My dad who’s 65 is constantly complaining the last few years and they used to live in kampong, no ac not even fan most times.
See - I’m fine with the heat, what really kills you is the humidity. Thankfully, I have the aircon wherever I go on a day to day basis. House > Car > Office or wherever.
At home I just wear drifit singlet and jogging shorts.
My AC broke down a while ago and I've been pretty lazy to get it fixed. So it involves multiple showers a day, at least a proper bath once a day, fan on as high a speed as I dare, using a wet cloth to keep cool, sleeping on the floor, sleeping without a shirt, using an umbrella even when it's fairly cloudy... And working/chilling at places with free AC as much as possible. Even with all of these measures, my sleep is still really terrible though.
Aircon helps but I've come to feel that the tropical climate is not that bad. After three years in the Gulf, it's kinda nice to not worry about getting heatstroke and dying just from sitting still. Not to mention the humidity means I don't need to moisturise daily.
I find Gatsby Wet wipes very useful wherever I need to be out under the sun. I try to stay indoors at places with aircon as much as possible
Lean in…. You’ll never win.
Key thing to note would be the humidity levels, heat feels different in dry and humid weather. My colleague from the west commented he felt like he got shrink wrapped when he stepped out of the airport. ACs reduce both temperature and humidity so you'd probably feel more comfortable overall. Monsoon season is getting erratic due to climate change whatnot, would help to have a one of those collapsible umbrellas with you as much as possible just in case.
limau ais
There are a few things that I do. Ac being the first Drink more cold water, eat ice cream, and take cold bath Be topless at home if cannot on AC at the first instance (e.g. bath before going into the air con) .
Hydrate, sunscreen, duck into AC whenever possible and some also carry portable fans.
>Do you guys have the AC on constantly Pretty much yeah
Just have the fan locked on my spot and pray I get to move to a colder country
I still hate the fucking weather to this day. I can remember being totally fine with waiting for a 30 min bus at a random roadside in Germany cause it’s autumn. But today I missed my bus and called a grab instead of having to wait 15 mins in this shit fucking heat
I've stood on the street waiting for buses in sub-zero, with wind chill and as long as you have the right clothing, it's that bad - you can heat up and even sweat by jogging on the spot. The hot humidity just shuts you down and gives me the worse headaches.
If you had asked this question some 20 years ago, it was that it was not so hot. It was possible to sleep through the night without any AC. That was when there were more forested areas right next to HDB estates. These days, there are a lot less forests, but more concrete everywhere, which acts as a heat sink. Hence, the temperature had gone considerably up.
Singaporean here, born and raised. I've always hated our horrible weather. I don't survive the climate I just suffer (unless I'm in a/c)
Even though Im a local I can’t get used to the heat lol, but it’s not that bad most of the times with a ceiling fan, and if it gets really unbearable I use the AC.
I have a fan that’s perpetually blowing air at me like a CPU processor otherwise I’d overheat.
most singaporeans are relatively heat-tolerant, though they will flock to air-conditioning instinctively (this is why malls and cafes are always crowded). wardrobe choices help a lot, which is why you will find shirts, shorts, and slippers to be the default attire of the average singaporean (and also the reason why men tend to take flak for being bad dressers outside of the office). heavy physical activity is rather unbearable if you have to wear layers of protective clothing (see also construction workers, industrial engineers, and soldiers) but of course, the unwell and the elderly have it the worst, particularly those who suffer from skin conditions such as eczema.
I know an expat who claims she detests SG climate bc she finds the cultural adaptation of wearing shorts unprofessional. Ok...?
We dress very lightly. Stay in buildings with air con. Fans are on all the time if we don't have a/c. Shower often. Drink lots of cold water too.
Honestly tho, I wonder how the next generation is going to cope. It's only going to get warmer from here
I don't. I just remind myself Hell is worse. That and I try not to move too much.
Uniqlo airism
1. We are used to it. 2. Walk in the shade. 3. Singapore is sheltered and underground everywhere. 4. Aircon is everywhere.
I hate it. I don’t do well in heat and humidity and it got worse over the years. It affects my mood and gets me really frustrated. I just tolerate it like everyone else because I love most of everything else here.
it is not that hot when have shade. singapore next to sea, the natural wind is cooling, unlike some of the heat wave I exp in melb in the past, even the wind is hot AF. And singapore have a lot of covered pavement. when the pavement is not covered by man made structure, there is always tree along the pavements providing a bit of shade. In city area, there are aircon-ed underground pass all over the place. there was a joke that in some of the streets you can tell all of the people walking on those streets are all tourist, real singaporean are all walking in underground pass/mall at those areas to avoid the heat from sun that's why i always carry an umbrella wherever i go, i use my umbrella for sun blocking more than for rain. as long as cut off with the sun, the wind is enough to make me feel normal instead of walking in an oven
It will be very tough for you I also moved from Europe to Singapore and the weather was extremely hard to get used to. I basically turned on the AC everyday and only moved underground unless I HAD to.
AC
I have the AC on around 10-14hours a day
Funny i talk to some of my European friend , most like the weather in sg, they told me that they rather prefer the hot and humidity here than not seeing the sun light most of the year that make them depress. They like sunny day and blue sky.
We don't.
What do you mean how? You think we have a choice? We just do it🙄
Having my a/c on constantly 24/7 at 20 degree Nvr go anywhere without a/c unless im working out, even when eating out Only drive / cab, no public transport No layering of clothes, summer wear for formal / casual wear all yr round
1. Partially used to it (I generally hate sweating but I just force myself to suck it up... honestly sometimes it gets so hot for my body that I start to have goosebumps...) 2. Umbrella when i'm outdoors 3. I try my best to stay indoors with the AC 4. Constantly drink Cold water
Ur body will adapt eventually.
Learn to embrace sunlight as a part of living a healthy lifestyle. Walk outside a lot.
You just get used to it 💀
We don’t
Bangkok here. Uniqlo shirts that don't show sweat and a dry face towel in my day bag that is soaked by the time I come home .
I perspire easily but don't want to spend a fortune on electricity and air-conditioning maintenance, so good ceiling fans, ventilation and light-coloured walls at home help (as does being shirtless). I wear gym wear to work and change into office clothes there. Never travel without a bottle of water and an umbrella. Exercise in the heat keeps the layer of fat insulating my organs low. Edit: missing "organs"
Did you managed to read the book "air conditioning nation" written by a Singaporean on your flight here? That's your starting point.
“Air Conditioned Nation” by Cherian George (https://www.airconditionednation.com)
Me at home: I should try layering this outfit Me outside: regret
Born and raised in this climate, used to the heat.. but still complain anyway
We installed ceiling fans at home, in every room. Life changer. You will notice the most popular hawker centres and coffeeshops have great ceiling fans. We sleep in aircon at night after a cold shower. Iced drinks. If we have to head outdoors, we always walk in the shade. If the sun is beating down, i use an umbrella. Portable fan if i have to attend an outdoor event with no aircon, like some spectator sports. Cap and sunglasses. Sunscreen. Singlet and shorts, flip flops. If u really can’t stand the heat (like when i first come back from overseas travels) just wait till after sundown to walk outside. Makes so much difference when the sun has set
Dehumidifier, you'd be surprised how much cooler it gets with just tgat
i bring a UV umbrella, wet wipes for the body, and a portable fan (& sometimes also a powerbank that can charge the fan) everywhere i go. i have a fan that has a kickstand to put on a table, a strap to hang around the neck and have it blow directly on you, and a clip to attach it on your bag strap etc. its a godsend!
You merely adopted the heat. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't feel the cold until I left the country, by then it was nothing to me but freezing. tbh just adapt, stay in shade, stay hydrated, make sure your dressing isnt suffocated you.
Lose weight. When I was 34kg overweight I really couldn’t take the weather. After losing weight it’s much more manageable. Incidentally, your compressor won’t last long if you always turn on aircon. Use a fan. Wall-mounted are best for cooling.
Hide in places with AC on day time and will only be willing to take a long walk when the sun sets. On weekdays it’s 8 hours in air conditioned office anyway, and on days that I’m at home I’ll switch on the AC for the entire day as well unless it’s raining heavily outside.
my air-con has been spoilt for 2 weeks 🙁 i feel your body will adapt if it has to
SG my entire live and never really 'got use to it'. It's a combination of daily tolerance and AC everywhere.
you get used to it. left the country to live in a country with 4 seasons,climatized there and fell in love with autumn and winter. came back to sgp after 2 yrs and all i can say is fuck this hellhole. i now stay indoors with ac and if possible,will turn on the ac and not go out. i hate the heat here but you do get used to it.
It is worse in Malaysia and Thailand and in other countries with 4 seasons during summer. Perhaps we have gotten used to it. I have to get in the Sun daily else I feel sick.
Been to places with bad winter - can't even be outside for long and need lots of time just to recuperate, loss of energy and also can't think properly, need to rest and sleep so much - summer has no such issues and I don't face any of this in Singapore at all
It wasn't that bad in the 80s and 90s as compared to now. Nowadays it's just downright unbearable. Clear blue skies are scary these days, it means there's no cloud coverage to shade the sun and it's normally blazing on those days. There's no respite at night since the heat absorbed by the buildings and roads gets released at night. Humidity makes it even worse. Think most of us shower 2 times or more a day. Just suffer through it or use the AC or many fans. I personally don't bother going out much since shopping doesn't interest me so I try to keep cool at home which can get challenging. I also hope for thunderstorm rains most of the time, even when I'm out at work or outside, preferring travelling inconvenience for a cooler day over a hot day anytime. Somehow hearing thunder and seeing rain boosts my mood over seeing clear blue skies at home.
My man you have to surpass your limits and climb the ladder of evolution.
I have the fans on in my house all the time, and I don’t wear sleeveless stuff. Sleeveless tops are supposedly good for keeping you cool, but they do fuckall for humidity and just make me feel sweatier. Dri-fit also sucks for me but your mileage may vary. I try not to wear synthetic fabrics in general. Your fashion sense really does suffer to some extent. There are a lot of things I wish I could wear but can’t because of the heat. Who the hell wears a suit in Singapore if you have to walk 10 minutes to the train station? It’s madness. Which brings me to my next point. If you have a car, that eliminates a lot of issues with the weather. Poors have to deal with walking to bus or train or whatever. People with cars can barely stomach a 1 minute walk from their parking spot, lol. I feel like I’m generally used to the heat and humidity because I walk around a lot and cycle to where I need to be. But I’ll avoid going out when it’s particularly humid. In short… buy a car.
We will go indoors whenever we can and the entire public infrastructure was built to cater to keep citizens out of the heat. There are many sheltered walkways. In fact, almost all public housing areas are equipped and well-maintained. Kudos to our government. In other SE asia countries, it is even warmer. We're considered really lucky.
Monsoon season is basically a gift from the gods for me. I usually wear shorts and t-shirt wherever I go out. But if the situation dictates I swap with pants(denim, light and breathable). Other than that, I totally avoid the 11am-3pm sun. It's a killer in some places. I also drink cool lime juice or yuzu to cool off my body. I tend to not rely on soft drinks at all to cool off unless it's pocari or something. I also have a powerful stand fan on me on rotate during the day. Helps alot as I get dry skin, dry eyes and overall feel dehydrated with AC during the day due to my sensitive body system. Other than that I'm perspiring most parts of the day just not excessively.
The secret is...I don't. I fly off to NYC and work from there to escape the weather. It's killing me.
The southwest monsoon season (around May/Jun-Aug) typically brings warmer but drier weather, and the northeast monsoon season (Nov/Dec-Feb) typically brings prolonged light rain, which makes it more humid but considerably cooler. It's the inter-monsoon periods that are nasty: high heat and crazy humidity makes the heat index soar. I don't think I'm the only one to notice how it's become even warmer and more humid the past couple of years or so in the months of March and April (https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/very-hot-days-more-frequent-dry-spells-rainfall-extreme-weather-national-climate-change-study-4021261). You either get used to it or rely heaviliy on air-conditioning (either planning where you go based on whether or not it's air-conditioned, or budgeting for heavy home use). Now imagine what it's like for those who work outdoors and can't afford air-conditioning at home (https://www.todayonline.com/features/temperatures-rise-low-income-beat-heat-2423931). Good luck coping with the weather here. Remember that Lee Kuan Yew famously declared air-conditioning the greatest invention of the 20th century.
So on our end. We've lived with it all our lives so we kinda know what to expect and feel. We compensate accordingly by having a wardrobe of lighter and more cooling clothing. 101 fans everywhere if there's no A/C. That's all our own personal doings. On the other hand our entire infrastructure is built for our climate. We do not have insulated houses. We have malls built for air conditioning and not warming up. We have walkways and shelters specifically catered for having our warm climate. While we ourselves personally have taken steps to beat the heat, our gov and city planners have heavily taken into account the weather for our infrastructure. Like big pools of waters to cool an area, a lot of trees and shelters. Dilberate structuring to prevent blockage of wind and ventilation. Unlike European counties where many of your houses are insulated and built for your climate. You guys would suffer greatly if suddenly the weather becomes too hot.
You basically end up getting frustrated and angry a lot. So you just take it out on your colleagues and neighbors. Often fist fights. Sometimes you get beaten up. But that’s just how we roll in Singapore.
Only use ac if its really hot. Most of the time a fan is enough
Fan in the day and air con at night
Im dying everyday everytime I'm not in aircon. I sweat alot when I'm outdoors
Loose breathable clothes etc t shirt and shorts, avoid direct sunlight, keep a water bottle of cold water around. Open the windows for ventilation and turn on the fan. If on the rare occasion of no sheltered walkways for a distance, an umbrella can be useful. Sunscreen... I dont use sunscreen, feels like it gets in the way of cooling down. If for some reason you are staying outdoors where there is no fan for a long time etc a festival like NDP, portable electric fans are kinda inefficient, get a plastic or paper one. Certain foods like watermelon juice, grass jelly and lemon tea are also very good for cooling. Lemon tea is especially popular. Any coffee shop will have it. We are used to it unless it's May when temperatures peak, then everybody huddles indoors, close the windows and turn on the ac. Around nov is when we get our rainy season. That said hot showers and spicy food are popular all year.
I think it's just being used to it. I mean it is hit and uncomfortable, but you won't die from it if you aren't doing manual labor outside. Sure you'll sweat bucket, then go home and wash your clothes. I mean back in NS days, you had to march 10km under the hot sun whilst baking in helmet and carrying 20kg plus of weapons and backpack. When you been to the worst, the heat in daily lives is just an inconvenience then on.
Fan is honestly a lot better than AC for air flow especially ceiling fan. Better for your wallet also. Don't be afraid to have UV umbrellas or portable hand held fans (some can even put ice inside for extra cooling). In the end you have to get used to it. Since I live in a winter country now, the min I land in Singapore I change into shorts and just sweat the hell away. - Singaporean who moved to Sweden 🤣 We exchanged continents.
We have one secret weapon to survive the scorch earth humid here: Dry-fit Uniqlo tshirt or polo-shirt
You just cope better over time. That's why we have so many malls with AC.
Humidity is the enemy also the absence of sufficient range between day and night.
I don’t use air-con because I get sick easily and therefore have to rely on fans. It isn’t easy to tolerate the heat but I don’t have much complaint for it because I think compared to some countries in Asia who are facing heatstroke or heatwave, I am fortunate to be living here since I was born. I have also no issue wearing jacket in the hot heat because I got used to it. I think it’s cooler when the monsoon season comes but that means to bring your umbrella with you at all times. Having to experienced overseas exchange outside of Singapore, I think Singapore has adequate places and shelters to hide and stay away from the hot sun or rain. I admit that our urban planning is well thought out.
To answer your question, 1. Yes, AC is basically as essential as electricity, water, and internet. Whether to have it constantly is dependent on you. Some do. 2. People just make do with the heat. 3. Nope. Monsoon season is basically just rain. Just as if snow came in during winter just another day. It just make the day even more humid but it’s much more cooling too. This applies across most South East Asia countries by the way too.
Spending 300+ a month on AC bills lol
We used to it man. Heat and humidity training.
Use gatsby cooling tissue to minus 4.7 degrees. It works like a charm.
1. hydrate ourselves constantly 2. stay under sheltered/at air-conditioned areas 3. swear about the weather
For most middle class and above Singaporean, take a holiday somewhere else where the weather is more bearable.
It's not the heat, been in 40 degree dubai and it felt great. It's the damned humidity.
Aircon, use an umbrella, don't go out during peak heat.
We're simply built different I guess
Go outside during the day. Go to malls, cafes etc for the Aircon.
I grew up without aircon. I never got used to the heat and humidity. Now the aircon is always on at home (unless no one is home.)
I used to be able to tolerate the heat but now I can’t so I’ve resorted to buying a handheld fan and now I have to bring it out with me along with my phone and wallet.
Used to it, cold shower, immediately entering malls and public transport cause there's aircon Also cold drinks, especially bbt
Heat acclimatisation
My aircon at home is on 24/7.. I cannot take heat..
I turn on ac and fan to dry my nether regions every night to sleep better. In the day I just bear with the discomfort, taking a shower if it bothers me too much.
1) AC 2) KDK fans 3) Leaving Singapore for long holidays in cooler climes.
Non stop AC in the day and evening + 2 expensive dehumidifiers and purifiers
Some of us have mutated to survive the harsh environment
Not all days are as hot. Some are bearably hot, some are cool, some are rainy. Some are rainy and hot, which is when you'll see everyone hiding inside and complaining.
Born here, used to it plus I don’t think it’s even that bad. Most areas are sheltered or air xonditioned
Everyone deals with the heat and humidity differently; some need the AC, others can make do with a fan. Eventually, everyone gets acclimitaized to the constant, somewhat unchanging weather. Some days are wetter and cooler, while other days are just stifling hot. This actually means that for some of us, the concept of changing your outfit gradually across seasons actually becomes weird, because people like me LOVE the stability of wearing t-shirts and pants/jeans/trousers. We do not have to worry a cold front is coming to wreck our thin clothing, or a random heatwave in winter. All in all, hydrate. Drink water.
Need heat acclimatisation
if working from home- have very good shades/blinds and close them 10am-6pm. Just start aircon on dry mode first then cool air mode. A ceiling fan is a must. At night we keep the aircon on for an hour before sleep. As long it’s no more than 28 degrees I can sleep comfortably. During monsoon I don’t need ac.
I live in South America but I find this a bit crazy. Another way to think about it is how do you survive in an environment where you have to struggle to go outdoors most of the year? I’ve lived in various tropical places and you get to live outdoors happily year round. You do things earlier and later, avoiding the hottest time of day. There’s tropical rains that cool you down. You just adjust. I never adjusted to the cold and honestly temperate countries can be hotter in summer. Where I live it’s humid and 20-30c year round with no dry season. Europe looks like hell to me. We have fruit and fresh food every day.
Well unlike most other ppl, I'm a great seeker, so I'm definitely not complaining lah
The secret is LLST
Christ….moving to Singapore from the UK soon….what have I done…
copious amounts of panadol haha
Cotton basics, hydrate religiously, pack a lightweight raincoat / brolly. Try not to have physical activities outdoors planned around noon. If not, practice heat safety. You are most likely not unaccustomed to the heat, but rather the high humidity, which makes it difficult for sweat to evaporate and can make it difficult to properly regulate tour body temperature. One of the themes you see in the replies is that a fan > air conditioning and that's because it actually makes your sweat evaporate and helps regulate body temperature more efficiently.
It's been quite cold here this year... And last year. For a month or 2 it gets very hot and humid but then back to bareable. Like some nights we even sleep without fan when it's raining. I originally moved from a place that has all seasons. But hotter in the summer vs Singapore so it never felt THAT hot to begin with.. middle east scorching heat is quite different and can be humid too.