How to beat the heatwave with particular ideas as temperatures are despatched hovering once more
The heat is on again! Or at least, it soon will be. Get ready with some top tips from the experts to help you stay cool when it’s sweltering outside
Sunbathers try to keep cool in the sea
Phew! Temperatures are set to soar this week as yet another summer heatwave spreads across the UK. According to forecasters the mercury could hit the high 30s this week.
But how can you beat the heat without air conditioning? Here James Moore comes up with some canny hacks to help you keep your cool…
Splashing idea: Scientists at the University of Reading say having a lukewarm shower might actually cool you down faster than a cold one. Cold water can shock the body and causes blood vessels to shrink, trapping heat. Lukewarm water will help them move heat to the skin’s surface, without heating you up too much. Try it just before bed.
A cold shower might only make things worse(Image: Getty Images)
Brew…it’s a scorcher!
Having a cuppa could help. When you drink a cup of hot tea in the warm weather boffins say it helps you sweat faster and as this evaporates on your body it helps cool you down. A 2012 study, from the University of Ottawa, found that the cooling from sweating is greater than the warming from the drink.
A cup of tea will probably work better outside of direct sunlight(Image: Getty Images)
Ice idea
Fans are useful of course, but often they just move warm air around rather than properly cooling you down. Put some ice in a bowl in front of the fan and angle it so that it’s blowing on to the surface. It will blow colder air around the room.
Floor show
Hot air rises, so if you are having trouble sleeping it might be worth moving your mattress on to the floor where temperatures will be a tad cooler.
Spice one
Eating a spicy curry might seem an odd thing to do on a sweltering day, but chillies contain a chemical called capsaicin which sends messages to the brain that you are too hot. You begin to sweat in response, helping to cool you in the way drinking tea does.
A spicy curry could be surprisingly cooling(Image: Getty Images)
Hot spots
Putting your wrists under some cold running water for a few minutes reduces the temperature of the blood running through the veins and will help cool you down. It works on any point where the vessels are close to the skin, like your neck.
Window wonder
Close your windows and curtains during the day to keep the heat from the sun out, then open them in the evening to let cooler air in. Go for windows on opposite sides of your home, which will help create airflow through the building.
Meaty tip
Cut down on the burgers . Studies have also shown that eating lots of protein from meat can increase the amount of heat in your body as it works harder to digest the stuff.
Minty magic
Eating minty things can help. The menthol in it triggers the same nerve endings as cold weather, tricking your brain into thinking you are actually chilly.
