How to Stay Cool When the UK Decides to Pretend It’s Abroad

But let’s be honest: hot weather in the UK hits a little differently.

Because most of us are not lying by a pool, sipping a cocktail, with nothing more urgent to do than turn the page of a book. We’re still working, commuting, doing the school run, answering emails, sleeping in houses with no air con and trying not to melt while making dinner.

The holiday heat and the “I have to function like a normal person” heat are two very different things.

And while we all love a bit of sunshine, the heat doesn’t feel the same for everyone. For some people, it’s just a bit sweaty and uncomfortable. For others, it can feel really draining, overwhelming or harder to manage day to day. Older people, babies and young children, people with long-term health conditions and people taking certain medications can be more affected by hot weather,

For women in perimenopause or menopause, hot weather can feel like a personal attack. If you’re already dealing with hot flushes, night sweats or broken sleep, adding a heatwave into the mix can make everything feel even more intense. There is nothing quite like trying to sleep when it’s 26°C outside, and your hormones have decided to bring their own central heating.

Neurodivergent people, including autistic people and people with ADHD, may also find heat harder to cope with. Sticky clothes, sweating, bright sunlight, disrupted routines, and poor sleep can all add to sensory overload, irritability or exhaustion.

Some medications can also make hot weather harder to manage. Medicines, including some antidepressants, antipsychotics, stimulants, diuretics, beta-blockers and some blood pressure medicines, can make it harder for the body to cope with heat, and it is advised to stay cool and drink more water if you take things like diuretics or blood pressure medication.

Pregnant women, people with disabilities or mobility issues, people with anxiety, outdoor workers, carers, chefs, delivery drivers and anyone working in a hot indoor environment can also feel the heat more than others.

Basically, if you’re struggling, you are not being dramatic. Heat can be a lot.

Practical ways to stay cool

So, how do we survive the Great British heatwave when the house feels like a greenhouse and the fan is just moving warm air around the room?

The NHS advises staying out of the heat where possible, especially between 11am and 3pm.

Try closing curtains in sunny rooms during the day, then open windows in the evening or early morning when it’s cooler. Wear loose, breathable clothes, keep a cold drink nearby and use a cool cloth on your neck or wrists when you need it.

If you’re working from home: fan on, light snack, and no sitting in direct sun pretending you’re fine. You are not a houseplant. At night, keep bedding light, have water by your bed and try a cool shower, flannel or cooling mist before sleep.

A few things we keep in our heatwave survival kit:

A proper cold drink

Keep a cold drink nearby and sip regularly. It sounds obvious, but when you’re busy it’s very easy to forget until you suddenly feel tired, headachy and a bit useless. A metal tumbler can keep your drink cold for hours. If the budget doesn’t stretch to a Stanley Cup (like us), we found this alternative metal tumbler from Asda for £5.

A mini handheld fan


Great for your desk, your bag, the train, the school run, or those moments where you just need some air immediately. The John Lewis handheld foldable desk fan is a handy one because it can be used in your hand or stood up on a desk, and it’s rechargeable too.

A cooling towel, mist spray or ice roller


Perfect for keeping in the fridge and reaching for when the heat suddenly feels like too much. A cool cloth on your neck, wrists or face can make a big difference when you need a quick reset. Lisa, our partnership manager, swears by the cooling mist spray from Amazon

A hair clip or scrunchie


Absolutely essential with long hair in the heat!! If your hair touching your neck in the heat makes you want to scream, you’ll understand.

Light snacks that don’t involve the oven


This is your sign to head to M&S for picky bits! anything that doesn’t require standing over a hot hob pretending you’re fine. Think fruit, yoghurt, salads, smoothies, ice lollies. If you've got kids, try making ice lollies at home to keep them cool. Brand manager Rosie loves using these lolly moulds from Lakelands.

Something cold by the bed


A glass of water, a cooling mist, a flannel from the fridge, or a fan on the bedside table. Especially helpful if hot nights, night sweats or hormonal heat are ruining your sleep. Our social media manager, Lizzy, swears by her frozen hot water bottle that she pops in her bed and gives it a little cuddle when she’s hot in bed. Just don’t use it for hot water once frozen.

Basically, heatwave survival mode doesn’t have to be fancy. It’s about making your day feel a little less sweaty and a little less chaotic.

The NHS advises staying out of the heat where possible, especially between 11am and 3pm.

Keep the curtains closed in sunny rooms during the day, then open windows in the evening or early morning when it’s cooler. Wear loose, breathable clothes, keep a cold drink nearby and use a cool cloth on your neck or wrists when you need it.

If you’re working from home: fan on, light snack, and no sitting in direct sun pretending you’re fine. You are not a houseplant.

At night, keep bedding light, have water by your bed and try a cool shower, flannel or cooling mist before sleep.

When to take heat seriously

Most of the time, feeling hot is just uncomfortable. But overheating can become more serious.

The NHS says signs of heat exhaustion can include tiredness, dizziness, headache, feeling sick, excessive sweating, cramps and feeling very thirsty. If someone has heat exhaustion, move them somewhere cool, remove unnecessary clothing, give them cool water or a rehydration drink, and cool their skin with water, a fan or cold packs.

And please check in on people who might struggle more. Older relatives, pregnant friends, neighbours who live alone, anyone with long-term health conditions, and anyone you know who is having a hard time with the heat.

If you have any concerns about managing the heat, you can get more info on the NHS website below.

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/heatwave-how-to-cope-in-hot-weather/