Dealing with the heat in the U.K.

By Cody

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​As Brits, we are NOT accustomed to heat. Generally, the weather in the U.K. is cloudy or rainy. It sits between 9 and 18 degrees Celsius on average (around 57 Fahrenheit), which can change from hot one day to rainy the next. But why does it seem SO hot compared to the heat when you go on holiday? 

The temperature in the U.K. recently has been hitting highs of 34 degrees Celsius. Compared to other countries that have had 47 degrees Celsius PLUS (such as Northern Africa), 34 does not sound that bad. But I have been to Dubai in 45-degree heat, and it was nowhere near as bad as 34-degree heat here in southern England, in terms of humidity.

Unlike the USA, unless you're fortunate or wealthy enough to have an air conditioner unit, MOST people in the U.K. do not have an A/C unit. So, we have to be proactive in how to cool down.

So, how do you cool down in this heat?

To keep your home cooler, get yourself some blackout blinds or dark coloured curtains; this will make a big difference to the temperature of your room. It's simple, but effective. Even though it's controversial, buy a fan. I swear by using a fan, even though it doesn't directly blow cold air on you, the feeling of the air blowing makes you FEEL cooler.

Keep your windows closed until the heat has cooled down at night. This sounds counterproductive; however, it prevents the heat from outside from coming in. Once it IS cool enough to open the windows, try to make a draft by opening doors and windows between rooms in the house. A draft will allow the heat to escape the building faster. An additional way to spread out the heat is to open up the attic. Heat rises, so this will help you cool down the rooms at the top of your house.

Keeping yourself cool can be difficult. Wearing loose clothing outside and AVOIDING going outside in the heat during intense heat will help massively (midday is usually the hottest time of the day). A quick and effective way to keep cool on the go is to run your wrists under cold water. Cold water helps because the veins on your wrist are close to your skin. AVOID going outside in the heat during intense heat (midday is usually the hottest time of the day). Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. The heat will dehydrate you, so it's important to stay hydrated so you are less likely to get heat stroke.

It's important to keep cool so you do not get heat exhaustion or sunstroke, as sunstroke is classed as a medical emergency. Key signs of sunstroke are*:

• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Feeling thirsty
• Cramps
• Throwing up or the feeling of being sick
• Fast heart rate
• Having heat rashes
• Feeling irritable

If you DO feel these symptoms, you should contact 111 or 999 OR your local emergency number. Move yourself to a cool place and wet your skin as well as drink small sips of water at a time.

These are guidelines and information from the NHS website. You can read more about heat exhaustion and heat stroke here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heat-exhaustion-heatstroke/