July 18th, 2022 by Sarah Miles

The UK has never been known as a hot country, but our climate is very changeable, and we can experience extremes of weather. Because we don’t get consistently high temperatures for large parts of the year, it often means that we don’t cope with heat waves too well as we’re just not used to it. Keeping cool is about much more than just feeling comfortable as it can potentially be a risk to health, especially for older or clinically vulnerable people so it’s always useful to have some strategies for keeping cool.

Here are some simple ways to stay cool and beat the heat this summer:

Stay hydrated

When you sweat, you can become dehydrated quite easily and that can be detrimental to health. Drink plenty of liquids, ideally water, to keep your hydration levels up and keep you cool (adding ice will help). Take water with you if you go out and if you are in your car, you could keep drinks in a cool box to ensure they stay cold. Remember though that caffeine and alcohol are diuretics so these types of drinks can actually dehydrate you so, if you do have them, drink plenty of water as well.

Block direct heat

Block direct sunlight (and therefore, heat) from coming in by closing blinds and curtains during the hottest part of the day. Do this for rooms you are not using as well as those you are – you will be thankful when you go to bed if you have shielded the bedroom from all that accumulated heat.

Wear light clothes

We’re referring here to light in terms of fabric and colour. Lightweight, loose, natural fibre clothes will be much airier than thicker, synthetic materials and dark colours absorb more heat whereas light-coloured ones will help to deflect it.

Don’t sleep naked

You may think that stripping off entirely in bed is the best way to stay cool during the night, but clothing will actually help draw sweat away from your body and therefore prevent you from feeling as sticky and sweaty. Lightweight cotton pyjamas or nighties are a better option.

Target key areas of your body

A cool shower is delicious in hot weather, but you can’t just sit under the shower all day. Luckily, you don’t have to; applying cold water or ice to specific parts of your body will help you feel cooler all over. Target the areas that get warmest such as wrists, inner elbow creases, temples, and feet. You can do this by running cold water over them (where practical), applying a water-soaked cloth, or making yourself a ‘cold water bottle’ by filling a hot water bottle with cold water and ice.

Don’t just use a fan, maximise it

Fans are one of the most common things we use to stay cool but there are a few hacks you can employ to really get maximum performance from them. Fans don’t actually work by cooling the air, they just move it over your skin. This absorbs moisture and reduces heat energy. Increasing airflow will allow the fan to do this more effectively so position it close to an open door or window. One way to make it cool the air as well as move it is to place a bowl of ice or a frozen bottle of water in front of the fan (an air

 cooler works exactly in this way).

Avoid activity during the hottest parts of the day

There is a reason why people in hot countries take a siesta in the middle of the day! This is when the sun is at its highest and temperatures soar. If you possibly can, do as little during this time and plan your activities and commitments around it. With new hybrid working patterns where many people often work from home, hours can often be more flexible so you may be able to do this. You would never walk a dog during the hottest part of the day so if you have errands or tasks that require you to go out, do them early or late.