We all know the heat wave is coming. Let us share ideas of ways to keep cool.

When we’re in Portugal, and temperatures are often in the high 30° or 40° we just stay out of the sun, go out early or late but not midday. Gîtes and villas often don’t have aircon, but shutters are closed against the sun and opened in the evening. I think the difference is we are never over there to work. I feel for the people who do. Teaching next week? I’m glad I’m in the computer suite all the time when there is Aircon and blinds for the windows.

Monica I live in Central Italy and we have been suffering from excessively high temperatures for several weeks now - on Tuesday humidity will set in as well.

I went on line and bought myself several full-length kaftans: not particularly expensive and they make me feel very "Lady Muck" as I wear them all the time and everywhere WITH NOTHING UNDERNEATH. Close to bliss!

Lying in a full, cold bath is ok, but we are being told to economise on water usage.

Hope the bath water is re-used on garden or similar.

I've looked at next week's forecast and the prediction here is that the temperature will fall to 30C by eight at night. Now that's excessive.

I'm thinking about making gazpacho. I think that the temperature needs to be 40c to contemplate cold soup?

I could close my eyes, breathe deeply and visualise a cool mountain stream to calm me down when I get irritable.

I dream of being able to get into, or more crucially, out of a bath!
I'll open windows in early morning but close them after a while. All blinds down on sunny side of the house. Wear a loose dress and bare feet. Dyson fan as required.
I'll avoid going outside until the sun moves round and leaves the north side of our building in shadow.

Plunging forearms into a sinkful of cold water is a refreshing quick fix.
Aloe vera gel soothes hot skin.

PollyDolly Why should I? I have a bath every day anyway and no one has ever worried about me being alone in the house when I have that. I would never start getting out of a bath, without starting to drain the water away firs anyway.

There is no sudden shock because I start with a shallow warm bath and let the cold water trickle in slowly, so I cool slowly and gently. I do not float in the bath, my body is resting on the bottom of the bath, so there is no water under me to slide under and the water is actually not that deep as I am not overweight so it takes very little water to cover me and my feet are up against the end of the bath.

Cool short showers for me I wear long loose thin summer dresses. Fresh fruit a lot of it especially watermelon and cooling salads. I drink carbonated spring water ice and lemon throughout the day.
White wine spritzer in the evening with frozen berries for ice cubes. A light weight summer quilt on the bed to keep cool at night.

M0nica's tepid bath is a good idea, but I would be inclined to take in the evening to cool down before trying to sleep.

Get in plenty of books.

However tempting iced drinks may be, Arabs in the desert drink their tea hot - perhaps they know something?
Anyway, tepid or cool is gentler on your system.

But an electric one is better- you need to cut down on your own activity and use of energy.
A bowl of ice cubes in front of an electric fan is an excellent air cooler.

We were in France during heatwave of 2003. Advice was to open windows at night only- close in early morning before temperatures rose. Also close curtains on sunny side of house.

A paper plate makes a good hand-operated fan.

That does seem rather excessive Monica. And I hope you are not alone in the house, what if you were to faint or lose consciousness and slide under the water?

Lots of good tips coming through for keeping cool - I must find that old washing up bowl FC.

I have cancelled all engagements for next week. I do not want to drive any distance in the heat, nor do I want any family or friends doing so to visit us.

Wrap a damp towel round your shoulders.

Open windows on every aspect of the house that has them to encourage a breeze

Keep curtains closed on windows facing the sun.

These hand held fans are amazing.
I have three of them!Mini Handheld Fan, VersionTECH. Foldable Personal Portable Desk Desktop Table Cooling Fan with USB Rechargeable Battery Operated Electric Fan for Office Room Outdoor Household Traveling(3 Speed, Blue) amzn.eu/d/h0sklcG

Loose cotton clothes , lots of water, no alcohol!!!! Cool showers , stay indoors , keep calm .

Feet in cold water in washing up bowl or paddling pool.

Take Rehydrating supplements to stop you from becoming dehydrated.

If it is 40C do not walk out in it. Go to a shopping centre if you don’t have aircon. Have plenty of cold drinks, preferably water and wear sunscreen!

Keep windows and blinds/curtains closed on sunny side of house open windows on other side , and remember to swop them as the sun moves