Tips for coping with heat

First day of a sensible temperature at 24c here is south east. I shall enjoy the entire day without the need to retreat into the a/c living room - hooray.

Might even go for a stroll by the river if I can find time.

Pots to plant - gardening to catch up on etc.

Bamboo bed mats.

My wife is Chinese and she educated me about these wonderful things.

You will not regret it.

I’ve been using freezer blocks that I bought for our picnic box. I keep them in the freezer and just rotate them. However, I’ve also bought an amazing little fan from John Lewis, recommended by my daughter, which was £12 and does a wonderful job of keeping me cool. You can hold it or it has a little folding stand. I saw several celebs had them in the royal box at Wimbledon, even Queen Camilla!

I place it on the sofa beside me and it keeps my upper body cool. You recharge it like an iPhone.

We are south facing and live with the rear blinds shut.

Our house has a south-facing garden with bathroom and kitchen at the back, so we live and sleep at the front, which is cooler. The blinds in those two rooms are closed to stop the sun shining in, but not fully. There's a slight gap between the slats for the breeze to enter the rooms as those rooms' windows are open. It seems to work unless the outside temperature is too high, in which case we shut the windows.

I also have a face towel soaked in water and wrung out. I either place it across my body (no shirt on in the house) or I place it on my head. I probably look a daft but I don't care - it works very well. In fact, a wet towel on your body / head would be my top suggestion if you don't mind being a bit damp (I don't). I used to do it in my truck when I had to sleep in this (during the day mostly!). I actually kept it in the truck's fridge with the milk 😁

CAROLINEANNE1

Everybody is advocating water. We have very hard water, so I depend on bottled water. Problem is all the supermarkets have run out.

Hard water contributes to your daily intake of calcium and magnesium- good for teeth and bones. Water in plastic bottles may leach out microplastics.

Everybody is advocating water. We have very hard water, so I depend on bottled water. Problem is all the supermarkets have run out.

I do feel sorry for those who have to go to work in this heat. About time, that all work places had a legal 'high' above which workers had to be sent home.

I am so much more relaxed in these summer months than I am during the cold, dark winter months - even though I can keep my flat quite warm and cosy - just hate that darkness.

I find I can keep my flat at a reasonable level of heat, by obeying all the usual advice - windows open at night, curtains drawn at time sun is on those windows, fans in my living room and bedroom, etc.

As I use a CPAP machine at night, it is very important to keep the temperature in that room reasonable - I cannot sleep in a warm room at any time. So, have a fan playing on my bed, and note the advice that if you can keep your feet cool, it helps to keep the rest of your body cool. Just use a single sheet at night, with my feet outside of it. Have managed to continue use of my cpap mask throughout the heatwaves.

I'm sure the body must get used to it.

We endured temperatures of over 40° for a week last month in the hottest part of France. One day it was 43° outside and high 30°s inside. No aircon, one piffly fan.

This week back in UK is a doddle because we've had far worse and our bodies are quite comfortable!

Greciangirl

Bags.

What exactly is costochondritis.? Hope I’ve spelt that correctly.

I have scoliosis as well, but never heard of the above word.

Costochondritis is an inflammation of the cartilage that connects your ribs to your breastbone. It causes localized, reproducible tenderness and sharp, aching chest pain that worsens with deep breathing, coughing, or physical movement. While often linked to physical strain or coughing, the condition is generally benign and usually improves on its own within a few weeks or months.

Sounds perfect management 😂🥵

Oops posted too soon.

I prefer summer and warmth/heat for the few days/weeks we get than the wet, grey and cold winters that seemingly never end.

Just checked it is currently 30° here in the S E.

Just had to dry my hair ready to go out to eat with my bestie that was rather uncomfortable

In the summertime when the weather is high, i can reach right up and touch the sky, da da dum dum dum , in the summertime

26 would be heaven MissChateline. It’s more like 36 down south.

27/8 degrees already in the bedrooms and only 4pm, windows closed and blinds down since first thing. 37C outside, living in twilight zone here and due to get even hotter for next 2 days before continuing into next week. Had to 'sleep' downstairs during last heat wave as too hot upstairs. Dreading more of this no energy to do anything except watch the garden frazzle!

Put a bottle of water (3/4 filled) in the freezer, with no lid.
Once frozen, replace the lid and place it in front of a fan for instant a/c

When our children were young I put drinks for their packing up in the freezer (again only 3/4 full due to it expanding when it is frozen). Put lid back on, wrapped it in a thin tea towel (to absorb water as it thaws, and stops food becoming wet). When it was time to drink, the ice was partially melted and they got an ice cold drink with some left for later. And the tea towel was something nice for them to wipe over face, neck and hands/arms.

Loving every minute of this heat. It’s 26* here in West Yorkshire. I’m out on my decking in the full sun wearing shorts and a vest reading and snoozing in my hanging egg chair. All my windows are open to let in as much heat as possible.
I love the heat at night as well. My partner thinks I’m really a lizard !

Baggs

My tip 😘 is to live in Scotland! We haven't had any really hot days, even by west of Scotland standards, but some may yet come. It's rarely really roasting though.

There was a warm enough day a week or so ago for me to be persuaded to go for a dip in the loch with a friend who swims in it regularly, even in winter (brrrr!). Sadly, I've discovered in the last year or two that swimming exacerbates the costochondritis I suffer from (caused by scoliosis) so occasional mere dips it will have to be.

I seem to have digressed!

Hope everyone manages to keep cool 😎

I’ve been trying to persuade my youngest son that we should move to Scotland - two of his brothers live there and I always compare temperatures. He won’t budge though.

Bags.

What exactly is costochondritis.? Hope I’ve spelt that correctly.

I have scoliosis as well, but never heard of the above word.

.
It was my hubby's birthday at the weekend and as he's been really debilitated by the recent heat, I bought him a Rechargeable Neck Fan. (Amazon £3:00).

He's loving it.
.

31 outside and 23 inside. No air con but I have been experimenting with simple cheap diy measures. Everything I have done, including changes I made are on the thread
chat forum
unused rooms, heat storage and heat transfer

I am very comfortable and not sitting in a dark cave nor do I need a fan

Twenty four degrees here in the North and that’s too hot for me. Sitting in front of a fan.

LaCrepescule

I’m in the south east, I envy you!

South East here too. I detest this weather and at 78 and with 2 heart conditions I really should be indoors more but my youngest DD had knee surgery 3 weeks ago so I have had to collect her 2 daughters from different schools every afternoon.
I shall be relieved when the temperature drops and the rain starts.
I have only cold drinks and snacks little and often. Fan on in my sitting room and neck and held hand fans if I am out. Small cold blocks straight from the freezer and popped into a sock and held on the inside of my wrists helps a lot.

Get up really early and do everything that needs doing. I was gardening at 6am and it was lovely out. Nap in the afternoon.

For me, the thinking about it is worse than actually living through it. So I am just switching off weather forecasts.