Your heatwave tips on how to cope in extreme temperatures
From what to wear to getting a restful night's sleep, you share your tips for beating the heat.
As the UK battles its fifth heatwave of the year, BBC News has collected tips from residents on managing extreme temperatures. Bethan Earley from Rugby keeps her home cool by attaching foil blankets to her windows before closing them, while Emma Kent in Hitchin painted yoghurt on her windows, inspired by a Loughborough University experiment.
John Turbefield in Chichester used white bed sheets on the outside of his windows, and installed survival blankets on the rest. John also kept his freezer stocked with plastic bottles of water to place near his fans. The UK Health Security Agency advises only opening windows when the outside air feels cooler than inside, and to turn off non-essential electronics.
Some councils have listed cool spaces like churches and libraries for refuge. Alice Jenner in the south coast asked staff at her local M&S to let her rest in their air-conditioned store. Stephanie Reed in Chorley wet a hand towel and placed it on the end of her bed to regulate her body temperature. Gordon Cooper from High Wycombe hung a wet bath towel in his bedroom and used a fan.
Jacqueline Pearce from Lancashire filled her hot water bottle with cold water from the fridge. Some people changed their sleeping locations, like Anabelle Holschuh who slept on the floor in her hallway, and Tahlia David who camped in her campervan. Teresa Curran from Warwickshire used her bath for cold relief, and Aimie Ludgate avoided the oven entirely, using her air fryer and freezing a water bottle for her workplace.
Dietitian Kate Hilton recommended hydrating foods like cucumber, tomatoes, melon, and frozen smoothies, as well as limiting caffeine and alcohol.
Written by urgent.news from BBC News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
