Help! It’s scorching hot all day and all night! What can i do? Here’s our advice on how to get through a heatwave without having a meltdown.
Britain isn’t designed for hot weather. Our homes are generally built to keep heat in, air conditioning is unusual, and many of us spend most of the year complaining that it’s too cold. Then a heatwave arrives.
A few days of very hot weather can be uncomfortable, make it difficult to sleep and leave you feeling exhausted. More importantly, extreme heat can be dangerous. Dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke are real risks, particularly for older people and those with existing health problems.
So, how do you cope when Britain gets too hot?
Keep the Heat Out of Your Home
The obvious reaction when your home gets hot is to open every window. Unfortunately, if it is hotter outside than inside, you may simply be letting more hot air into your home.
Close curtains and blinds on windows exposed to direct sunlight. Keep windows closed during the hottest part of the day if the air outside is warmer than the air inside.
When the temperature drops in the evening, open windows and, if possible, create a flow of air through your home.
Turn off unnecessary lights and electrical equipment. Televisions, computers and other electrical devices all produce some heat. You probably don’t want to use the oven for two hours either.
Drink More
You lose more fluid when it is hot, so drink regularly throughout the day. Don’t wait until you feel desperately thirsty.
Water is the obvious choice. Keep a bottle or glass nearby, particularly if you are working at a desk or relaxing at home. Cold drinks can also help you feel cooler.
Try to limit excessive alcohol. Sitting in the garden with a cold beer or glass of wine may seem like the perfect response to a heatwave, but too much alcohol can increase the risk of dehydration.
Change Your Routine
If you normally go for a run, walk the dog or do the gardening at lunchtime, change your plans.
Avoid strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day. The sun is generally strongest between 11am and 3pm, so exercise and physical jobs are better done early in the morning or later in the evening.
There is no prize for sticking rigidly to your normal routine during extreme heat. Slow down and take regular breaks.
Dress for the Weather
Wear loose, lightweight clothing. A wide-brimmed hat can help protect you from direct sunlight when you are outside.
If you are going out in the sun, seek shade and use a high-protection sunscreen. Sunglasses can also help protect your eyes.
It sounds obvious, but many of us get caught out because the day starts reasonably cool. Check the weather forecast before leaving home and take water, a hat and sunscreen if high temperatures are expected.
Find the Coolest Place
Not every room in your home will be the same temperature. Rooms facing the sun can become considerably hotter than shaded rooms.
Spend time in the coolest part of your home. You may even want to temporarily sleep in a different bedroom during particularly hot weather.
If your home becomes unbearably hot, consider spending some time somewhere cooler. A library, shopping centre or other air-conditioned public building may provide a welcome escape from the heat.
Use Fans Sensibly
A fan doesn’t actually cool the air. It moves air around, which can help sweat evaporate and make you feel cooler.
UK hot-weather guidance recommends electric fans when the air temperature is below 35°C. At very high temperatures, fans may not prevent heat-related illness.
A fan can be particularly useful in the evening when cooler air is entering through an open window.
Cool Yourself Down
A cool shower can provide quick relief. You can also put cool water on your skin or use a damp cloth on your neck and face.
Cold packs can help, but wrap them in a cloth rather than placing them directly against your skin.
If you have been outside or exercising, give your body time to cool down and drink plenty of water.
Check on Other People
Some people are much more vulnerable to hot weather than others. Older people, babies and young children, pregnant women and people with certain long-term health conditions may be at greater risk.
People who live alone can also get into difficulty without anyone noticing.
If you have an elderly relative, friend or neighbour, check that they are coping. Make sure they have something to drink and that their home isn’t becoming dangerously hot.
A phone call is good. Visiting them is even better if you are concerned.
Know the Signs of Heat Exhaustion
Heat exhaustion can develop when the body becomes too hot. Signs can include:
- tiredness
- dizziness
- headache
- feeling or being sick
- excessive sweating
- pale or clammy skin
- muscle cramps
- fast breathing or heartbeat
- a high temperature
- extreme thirst
- weakness
If someone has signs of heat exhaustion, move them to a cool place, remove unnecessary clothing, give them cool water or a rehydration drink and cool their skin.
They should start to feel better within about 30 minutes.
Heatstroke Is an Emergency
Heatstroke is much more serious.
If someone remains unwell after being cooled down for 30 minutes, or develops symptoms such as confusion, loss of consciousness or a seizure, call 999.
Don’t assume they just need to sleep it off or cool down on their own. Heatstroke is a medical emergency.
Heatwaves: Be Sensible
Most people can cope with hot weather by making a few simple changes. Drink more, keep your home as cool as possible, avoid strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day and pay attention to how you feel.
Most importantly, don’t underestimate extreme heat simply because you are in Britain.
We may not get heatwaves very often, but when they arrive, knowing how to keep cool can make them considerably safer and more bearable.
Where to Find More Help
There’s more advice available from the government: here’s the UK Health Security Agency’s hot weather advice and the NHS heat exhaustion and heatstroke guidance