A British heat wave is a momentous occasion for your agenda: equally desired, loved, and lamented, and usually short-lived.
With temperatures soaring above 30 degrees this week, you may be wondering how to keep a cool head. Whether you’re at home, in the office or on the go, there are a few: tips and tricks to help you cool down in hot weather.
There’s no shortage of weird and wonderful heatwave hacks out there, but which ones really work? It’s worth trying even the ones you think sound far-fetched as they could very well be your ticket to a good, cool night’s sleep and general coping method so you can enjoy the heat this summer.
We asked experts to find out the best ways to stay cool in hot weather — consider this your heatwave cheat sheet.
The claim: keep all your windows and curtains closed
“It’s normal to keep all your windows and doors open on a hot day,” says Dr Alannah Hare, NHS and private sleep consultant at Royal Brompton. “But it’s best to keep your windows closed and your curtains closed all day. It’s all because of temperature differences. Opening your windows in the morning makes it feel cool and wonderful, but when the sun rises throughout the day, it warms the inside of your home.
“However, if you keep your windows and curtains closed until dusk, your house will feel very cool when you go to bed. When the sun goes down, open your curtains and windows and feel a lovely breeze come through your house, which will help you sleep.”
Verdict: true
The claim: drink hot tea to cool down
It has long been known that staying hydrated during a heat wave is essential. But whether or not you should cook a concoction in the heat has been the subject of intense scientific debate.
In 2012, a landmark study by Ollie Jay of the University of Ottawa found that when thermosensors in the mouth and throat detect heat, the brain triggers a sweat response. The sweat then absorbs body heat and evaporates it into the air. As a result, the team concluded that drinking hot drinks can cool you down in certain environments.
Drinking a hot latte with long sleeves and pants won’t work, though, because sweat has to evaporate and the temperature drop from sweating must be greater than the temperature rise caused by drinking a hot beverage. But drinking tea in a summer dress or short-sleeved shirt can help you cool down a bit.
Verdict: true
The claim: Eat a hot curry
Gazpacho, ice cream, cold fruit salad – and curry? Several foods can have a cooling effect, and it seems that one of them is chili. It may seem counterintuitive — anyone who’s had an extra hot curry knows why — but it makes sense, given that many of the world’s spiciest cuisines are found in warm climates.
The theory is simple: fight fire with fire. Hot, spicy foods, which usually contain chili, contain a chemical called capsaicin. When eaten, it warms the body and makes you sweat. The evaporation of this sweat removes heat from the body. Presumably, cold foods will only cool you down for a short period of time, while hot, spicy foods will keep you cool for longer.
Several other ingredients commonly found in curries are thought to have cooling properties, such as turmeric. However, it’s worth noting that in order to sweat, you need to stay hydrated, so drink plenty of water.
Verdict: True (But It May Not Feel That Way)
The claim: stay out of the sun
Dietitian Helen Bond says: “It is wise to exercise caution in the sun, and I certainly wouldn’t advise sitting in a beer garden or park in the lunchtime sun for a few hours. But a 15-minute walk exposing your hands, face and arms to the sun will give you a fantastic amount of vitamin D to keep your levels up for the rest of the year.”
Verdict: not true
The claim: Have a cool beer tonight
“British people often get very excited about a sunny spell,” says Bond. “Drinking too much alcohol during a heat wave is just about the worst thing you can do. On a cold day, alcohol is dehydrating, but on a hot day, the effects are tenfold, and drinking during the day and outdoors makes you more likely to because the pleasure of drinking keeps people in the spot. A couple of beers is fine, but no more than that, and drink a glass of water before, in between and after each beer.”
“People tend to drink more Pimms and beer during a heat wave and then get a double whammy from a poor night’s sleep, due to the effects of the alcohol and the heat,” Hare added. “So drink in moderation.”
Verdict: not true
The claim: Take a cold shower before bed
“This is something people always tell me they do when it’s hot, but it doesn’t work,” Hare says. “After a long, hot day at the office, it’s tempting to blow yourself under a cold shower right before bed. But the problem is, the body then raises its core temperature to compensate for the cold water, making you feel warmer when you’re in bed and making sleep more uncomfortable. It’s much better to take a lukewarm bath or shower so that your body doesn’t try to warm itself up.”
Verdict: not true
The claim: Put your pillow in the freezer
We’ve all heard this, but does it really work? “Yeah, that’s right, but don’t put your whole pillow in it, just the pillowcase,” says Hare. “About an hour before you go to bed, put your pillowcase in a plastic bag and put it in the freezer for about 40 minutes. Then apply it just before going to bed and it will feel wonderfully cool on your skin. You know that feeling you get on a warm night when you turn your pillow over so you can feel the cool side? That’s how it feels, but 100 times better.”
Verdict: true
The claim: Sleep naked
“People always ask me about this,” Hare says. “When you wear natural fibers like cotton, you feel cooler at night than when you’re naked, because the cotton wicks sweat away from your skin. However, anything man-made or synthetic will keep the heat next to your skin. And the same goes for bedding. So if I had the choice between cotton and nudity, I would choose cotton. But if you have to choose between man-made fibers and nudity, go naked.”
Verdict: not convincing
The claim: no sports
Exercising can become a sweaty pursuit – although some hardened souls will carry on anyway. Exercising in extreme heat puts extra strain on the body and can be dangerous, leading to a range of heat-related illnesses, from heat cramps to heat stroke.
That doesn’t mean you should avoid it altogether, but you should understand how to spot symptoms and know your limits. According to the Mayo Clinic, there are many warning signs, including cramps, nausea, excessive sweating, dizziness, increased heart rate and visual problems. “By taking some basic precautions, your exercise routine doesn’t have to be sidelined when it’s hot.”
Here are some top tips from the Mayo Clinic:
- Know how fit you are. If exercising is new, take extra care. Opt for something less intense and stay hydrated.
- Hydration is key. Drink regularly and don’t wait until you’re thirsty. If you perspire heavily, consider an isotonic sports drink, which will replace the minerals and nutrients lost during sweating, such as sodium, chloride and potassium.
- Wear the right gear. Keep it light and loose and choose a material that promotes evaporation. Dark colors, which absorb heat, are best avoided.
- Cover with a hat and wear plenty of sunscreen. Sunburn hinders your body’s ability to cool down.
- Exercise early in the morning to avoid the worst heat
Verdict: False-ish
The claim: Read heat wave advice features (like this one)
“British people like to talk about two things: the weather and their sleep,” says Hare. “During a heat wave, people start to panic about their sleep, which is exactly what will stop them from sleeping. So try not to worry too much about it. Your sleep may be a little disturbed, but that’s fine. You manage to get enough sleep to get by. And just think; in a few months it will be cold again, and instead we are going to worry about that again.”
Verdict: not convincing
Telegraph readers share their heatwave sleep advice
Here’s a selection of the comments you’ve left on our heat wave stories. Keep sharing your advice with us in the section below this article.
Jasmine Maddock: I put an ice pack in the bed for a while to cool the bed, and I find a cup of tea helps because paradoxically the heat cools your body.
Mikel Crawley: We put a duvet on the floor near an open door for air to flow through, and we sleep on top of the duvet cover.
Linden Airey: If you wear clothes to bed, dampen the clothes slightly. With this kind of heat, moisture can be your friend! If you can’t sleep at night, use a wet washcloth to cool your skin.
Anonymous reader:
Place a large bath towel on your bed. Take a cool or barely warm shower, then lie on your towel, still wet – preferably naked. Ideally, you should also have a fan that blows towards the bed on a low setting – the water will evaporate on your body and lower your temperature. The towel stays slightly damp and cools you down while the water that evaporates in it also evaporates.
This article has been updated with the latest information for the summer.