8 Unique Cooling Products That Help Me Survive Summer With CMT, AFOs, and Menopause
This post was originally published and has been updated for Summer 2026.
Required Affiliate Disclosure
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase—at no additional cost to you.
Will it cover the amount of money I’ve spent testing cooling gadgets, random Amazon finds, artificial olive trees, and products that promised to change my life?
Not even close.
But it helps support Trend-Able, and I only share products I genuinely use, love, or would recommend to a friend while standing directly under an air-conditioning vent.
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Every year around this time, people start saying things like:
“I can’t wait for summer break!” “Bring on the heat!”
“I wish it were like this all year long!”
And every year, I wonder if we’re living on the same planet.
Don’t get me wrong. I love sunshine. I love patios. I love vacations. I love sitting outside with friends.
What I don’t love is being hot.
In my opinion, the perfect weather is 65 degrees and sunny. Maybe 70 if there’s a breeze. Because when you live with a disability, summer can be a lot.
Heat can increase fatigue, drain your energy, and make you question every life choice that led you outside in the first place.
In fact, years ago, I coined the term “Seasonal Self-Pity Syndrome” and wrote an entire post about how to avoid falling into that trap when summer starts winning. (You can read it here.)
I live with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), a neuromuscular condition that already makes my body work harder than it should.
Many people with CMT, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), post-polio syndrome, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injuries, and other neurological or neuromuscular conditions report that heat makes their symptoms feel worse.
Fatigue ramps up. Weakness feels more noticeable. Energy disappears faster. It’s like someone secretly swapped out your fully charged battery for one that’s hanging on at 12%.
Then there are the leg braces.
I wear carbon-fiber AFOs every day. They allow me to walk farther, safer, and with less effort. They’re also basically tiny personal saunas attached to my legs.
By August, my braces and I are in a toxic relationship.
And because life enjoys a good plot twist, I’m 55 years old and apparently still not finished with perimenopause.
Is it a hot flash? Is it the humidity?
Or am I slowly combusting from all three? The answer is usually yes.
Now, before anyone tells me to “just stay inside,” I should mention that I actually love summer. I just enjoy it differently. While other people are chasing the sun, I’m chasing shade, air conditioning, and any cooling product that promises not to make me feel like a wilted hydrangea by 2 p.m.
Over the years, I’ve found a few cooling products that genuinely help. None of them is magical. They won’t make July in Florida feel like October in Michigan. But they can make a hot day a little more manageable.
Below are some of my favorite cooling products for 2026. Some are newer technologies, some are disability hacks, and a few are things I never thought I’d own but now refuse to live without. Click the bolded text or images to shop.
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We’re no longer talking about those flimsy neck fans from a few years ago.
The newest generation uses cooling plates that sit against your skin and cool almost instantly.
They’re basically tiny wearable air conditioners, and they’re surprisingly effective when you’re standing outside wondering whether you’re having a hot flash, overheating from your leg braces, or simply melting.
My Favorite: The TORRAS COOLiFY Air. It feels less like a fan and more like having a tiny personal air conditioner hanging around your neck.
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The Embr Wave isn’t a fan, an ice pack, or a smartwatch.
It’s a wearable device that sits on your wrist and delivers cooling sensations that can help you feel more comfortable during hot flashes, night sweats, stressful situations, or those mysterious moments when your internal thermostat decides to completely lose its mind.
No, it doesn’t actually lower your body temperature.
But many users—including women in perimenopause and menopause—say it helps them feel cooler and more comfortable surprisingly quickly.
As someone who regularly plays the game of “Is it a hot flash, the weather, my leg braces, or all three?” I appreciate anything that improves my odds.
Is it expensive? Yes.
Have I spent more money on things that were far less useful? Also yes.
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This is one of those disability-and-midlife hacks nobody talks about.
If you wear AFOs, you already know that summer and leg braces aren’t always the best combination. By July, my carbon-fiber braces can feel less like mobility devices and more like personal space heaters strapped to my legs.
On especially hot days, I sometimes use small flexible gel ice packs or cooling packs around my calves before putting on my braces. I’ve also tucked them near particularly hot spots after spending time outside.
And ladies, while we’re being honest…
The same concept works surprisingly well inside a bra.
Perimenopause has taught me that there are very few problems in life that aren’t improved by strategically placed ice packs.
My favorites are the small, flexible gel packs that stay soft when frozen. They’re much more comfortable than traditional ice packs and are small enough to fit where you actually need them.
My Pick: NatraCure Mini Gel Ice Packs. They’re inexpensive, reusable, stay flexible when frozen, and work equally well for overheated legs, overheated bras, and overheated women who are simply trying to survive August.
I keep several in the freezer all summer long.
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Just when I thought we’d reached peak cooling technology, someone decided a fan wasn’t enough.
The newest personal cooling devices combine multiple cooling methods into one gadget, often including airflow, cooling plates, and a fine misting system.
In other words, they’re trying very hard to prevent you from becoming a puddle.
These are especially helpful for outdoor concerts, sporting events, travel days, theme parks, and any situation where shade and air conditioning are nowhere to be found.
Are they a little extra?
Absolutely.
But if you’re standing outside wondering whether you’re having a hot flash, overheating from your leg braces, or questioning your decision to leave the house, extra is sometimes exactly what’s called for.
My Pick: The Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Pro. It’s rechargeable, portable, incorporates a cooling mist, and feels far more sophisticated than the handheld fans we’ve all suffered through in the past.
Because if I’m going to carry a cooling device, I want it to work hard enough to justify the purse space.
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This is funny, memorable, and very “you.”
I discovered this completely by accident. Cooling gel pet mats are designed to stay cool without electricity, refrigeration, or charging. At some point, I realized that if they’re good enough for my dogs, they’re probably good enough for me. I refuse to judge anyone who buys one. We’re all just trying to survive July.
My Pick: The Green Pet Shop Cooling Mat (the one most people buy).
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I used to think carrying a sun umbrella made me look like a Victorian woman wandering through a garden.
Turns out she was the smartest person there.
Portable shade is wildly underrated, especially when heat drains your energy faster than you’d like.
One important note: if you have CMT, arthritis, or hand weakness, skip the traditional umbrellas and look for an automatic open-and-close model with a large push button.
My Pick: The G4Free UPF 50+ UV Protection Travel Umbrella. It provides instant shade, blocks UV rays, and is much easier to operate than most traditional umbrellas.
Because sometimes the best cooling product isn’t another gadget—it’s simply carrying your own shade.
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Let’s talk about nighttime. You finally cool down.
You get comfortable. You fall asleep.
Then at 2:17 a.m., you wake up wondering if someone turned your mattress into a crockpot.
As someone who wears leg braces all day and is apparently still hanging out in perimenopause at age 55, I’ve become a big believer in cooling bedding.
The newest cooling blankets, sheets, and mattress pads are dramatically better than they were even a few years ago. They help pull heat away from your body instead of trapping it.
My Pick: The Rest Evercool Cooling Comforter. It has a cult following for a reason and feels noticeably cooler than traditional bedding.
Because if I’m going to be hot all day, I’d at least like a break at night.
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Most cooling products aren’t exactly fashionable. Cooling vests? Effective.
Gel ice packs stuffed into your bra? Effective. Stylish? Not so much.
That’s why I was intrigued when I discovered cooling necklaces designed specifically for women dealing with heat, hot flashes, and summer temperatures.
These necklaces contain freezable beads that stay cool against your skin and can provide surprisingly welcome relief on a hot day.
Do they replace air conditioning? Sadly, no.
Do they make me feel slightly more put together than walking around with an ice pack tucked into my shirt?
Absolutely.
My Pick: Hot Girls Pearls cooling necklaces.
Because I’ve spent enough years wearing braces. Not everything on my body needs to look therapeutic
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My Most Effective Cooling Strategy
Want to know my most effective cooling product? Air conditioning.
I realize this isn’t groundbreaking advice.
But after years of living with CMT, wearing braces, and navigating the delightful surprise that is perimenopause at age 55, I’ve accepted that I am simply not built for extreme heat.
I’ve stopped pretending otherwise.
Summer is still one of my favorite seasons. I just enjoy it with a giant water bottle, a portable fan, cooling products scattered throughout my house, and a healthy respect for temperatures above 80 degrees.
A few other things that help:
- Drink water before you’re thirsty
- Schedule outdoor activities earlier in the
- Seek shade whenever
- Take breaks before you need
- Wear lightweight, breathable
- Stop pretending you’re the kind of person who enjoys sitting in direct sunlight for
Living with a disability is already tiring enough.
If heat makes your symptoms worse, don’t feel guilty about using every tool available to stay comfortable. Whether it’s a wearable neck air conditioner, cooling jewelry, strategic ice packs, or simply carrying more water than you think you’ll need, small changes can make a surprisingly big difference.
And if anyone judges you for carrying cooling gadgets, sitting in the shade, or treating air conditioning like a personality trait?
They’re probably sweating too.
Twenty-five-year-olds have Hot Girl Summer.
At 55, I’m aiming for Climate-Controlled Girl Summer. And honestly, I think we’re winning.
That’s all I’ve got for you today, Perfectly Imperfect Friends. Have a wonderful summer—and stay cool out there.
Xo
Lainie
Love this!
Deae Lainie,
thank you so much for the wonderful tips
and wishing you a beautiful summer!
Thank you so much Lotta! I appreciate you reading it and taking the time to comment! Stay cool 🥵
These cooling products are a game-changer for anyone dealing with a disability during hot weather. From cooling vests to portable fans, they offer practical solutions to help stay cool and comfortable. Thanks for sharing these helpful recommendations!
Great ideas. Have you found any good cooling pillows? I purchased a Therapedic Polar Nights pillow and it didn’t seem any different than a regular pillow. I returned it.
Hi,
This is the one I have & love. https://amzn.to/2EA0zP5
Thanks Lainie! These are great suggestions . I am gonna try the fan on my head one!