Summer has finally arrived, with daily temperatures expected to exceed 30C in large parts of central and southern England on Friday.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a Level 3 Thermal Health Warning for London as well as East and South East England in response, which means action is needed to protect older people, those with chronic health problems. diseases, young children and babies.
Health teams in the Midlands and South West of England are also on alert level 2, which means there is an 80% chance that temperatures will exceed 30C.
So, what are the best strategies to stay cool when temperatures rise?
Wear loose clothing with long sleeves
Direct sunlight warms the blood vessels in your skin, sends heat inward to your heart and raises your body temperature. Babies are especially vulnerable because they have a large skin surface area relative to their volume. Wearing loose clothing with long sleeves can help avoid this. It also protects against sunburn (see below).
Cool hands, face and feet
The so-called bare skin on the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet and the upper parts of the face contains a special network of blood vessels designed to quickly control the temperature. Applying cold water or an ice pack to these areas speeds up the body’s cooling. Wetting the skin, for example with a cold flannel, also helps to remove body heat by evaporation, which is the same reason we sweat.
Avoid cold showers
As illogical as it may seem, a cold shower can help maintain body heat by causing blood vessels in the skin to constrict. This undermines one of the body’s key heat loss strategies: bringing blood closer to the skin’s surface so that heat can be radiated (hence why we look red when we’re hot). Prolonged immersion in cold water, such as swimming in a lake, will gradually cool the body – but cold showers are usually quick things. A shower with lukewarm water is better because it will increase blood flow to the skin, increasing heat loss.
Stay hydrated
An important reason why hot flashes are so deadly is dehydration. When people lose too much fluid through sweating, the blood thickens, increasing the risk of clots and forcing the heart to work harder. Heavy sweating also changes the balance of sodium and potassium in body fluids. This can affect nerve and muscle cells, putting extra strain on the heart. Their main thing is to drink regularly during the day, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, which can make you urinate more often. Do not rely on thirst, which can be an unreliable indicator of hydration.
Keep curtains and windows closed during the day
This is especially important for south-facing rooms, where the sun passing through your windows will turn your surroundings into a greenhouse. As a general rule, windows should be kept closed when it is cooler outdoors than outside, usually when the day is hottest, but open when daytime temperatures drop in the evening and at night.
Look for green areas
People are looking for shade in Brockwell Park, London. Photo: Dan Kitwood / Getty Images
Trees and plants absorb water through their roots and radiate it through their leaves through a process called transpiration. This cools their immediate environment, as the heat from the surrounding air causes this water to evaporate. Studies show that suburban areas with mature trees are 2-3C cooler than suburbs without trees. Trees also provide much-needed shade.
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Avoid sunburn
No one wants swollen skin with blisters, but sunscreen should be your last line of sun protection, not your first. Instead, use a shade when the UV index is highest – usually between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. – cover your skin with clothing and protect your head, neck and face with sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat. If sun exposure is unavoidable, choose a sunscreen with broad protection against UVA and UVB rays. Sunscreen (SPF) only applies to UVB protection.
“We recommend a sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30 and good UVA protection,” said Dr Tanya Blaker, president of the British Dermatologists Association. “Sunscreen should be applied liberally and re-applied every two hours, after swimming, exercise or other activity that can rub or wash it away.
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