Staying Well in a Heatwave

We all know the hot weather will be back sooner rather than later. Here are a few tips to help you, or someone you care for, stay cool, safe and well in a heatwave.

Keeping your cool during a very hot spell can be difficult, especially if you have mobility or health issues to manage too. We’ve already had our first taste of very hot weather this year, but with more forecast, we thought we’d look at some of the things you can do to stay well in a heatwave.

1. Stay out of the sun: sounds fairly obvious really, but us Brits do tend to rush outside as soon as the sun comes out. A bit of sun is great for boosting your Vitamin D levels but the trick is not to over-do it. Just be mindful of how much time you spend in the sunshine, especially during the middle of the day, and take regular breaks in the shade. Always wear sunscreen on exposed skin (and top it up regularly) or cover up if your skin is prone to burning easily. It’s also a good idea to make sure you can spot the signs of heatstroke in yourself or others. Heat stroke is a serious condition – it's obviously best avoided in the first place but being able to identify the symptoms and seek treatment quickly could help in a medical emergency.
2. Stay hydrated: you lose more water than normal through sweating on a very hot day, so you need to make sure you increase your fluid intake to compensate. Most liquids are fine (although you might not want to drink too much alcohol or caffeinated drinks) and fruits like watermelon and oranges contain a fair amount of fluid too. If you’re caring for someone, making sure they take regular drinks and have easy access to fluids is really important. It’s also very useful to be able to spot the symptoms of dehydration.
3. Wear natural fabrics: dressing for the weather can really help. Cotton and other natural fibre fabrics help keep your body cool and baggier clothes can help the air circulate too.
4. Get ready for the summer: heatwaves will probably become more regular in the future, so make sure your home is prepared for the hot weather. If you can buy cooling fans, that will help keep the temperature down in the house. If home deliveries aren’t an option, make sure you have all the medications you need and plenty of food and drink (and don’t forget the ice lollies) in the house in case it’s too hot to make a trip to the shops for a while.
5. Keep the sun out: not many British homes have air conditioning, so if you don’t have cooling fans in your home, opening the windows (if it’s safe) and closing the curtains at the times of the day when the sun streams in can help keep the temperature down.
6. Check your fridge: when it’s really warm, food can spoil very quickly, so it’s especially important to make sure you’re storing things properly. Heatwaves can make some appliances struggle to stay cool enough so check your temperatures to make sure they’re safe enough. You’ll find fridge temperature and food chilling guidelines on the Food Standards Agency website.
7. Don’t forget to eat: hot weather can make most of us lose our appetites. Eating little and often can help ensure you’re getting the right nutrition without overloading your stomach. It can also be a useful way of helping someone you care for eat well when it’s very warm.
8. Have a splash about – if you can get to a pool or the seaside for a cooling dip, all the better. But if you’re stuck at home on a hot day, having a cool shower, leaving your hair wet, giving your skin a wipe over with a cold flannel or sitting with your feet in a cold foot bath can all help lower your body temperature.

If you’re ready for the hot weather when it inevitably returns, hopefully you’ll be more able to get through it all safely and comfortably.

And if you, or know someone you know, needs more help to live comfortably at home, we can provide professional care and support. Call our Bluebird Care Bromley homecare team on 020 8315 0236, email bromley@bluebirdcare.co.uk or fill out our online contact form and we’ll get back to you.