Heatwaves used to be marked by years, recalled misty-eyed by those who remembered them with fondness, like the heatwave of ‘76. Now, in the era of global heating, heatwaves are a warning sign, not a pleasure – and as we enter a UK summer, it’s a case of when, not if, the temperature will become unbearable.
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Always take care when it heats up – the NHS recommends staying in the shade, especially between 11am and 3pm, wearing sunscreen and hats, and avoiding exercise. It also advises taking showers, eating cold food and drinks, and avoiding alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks.
And there are other things that can help. As temperatures soar, we’ve asked experts in hotspots around the world – from Australia to Dubai – about how to cope with the heat. Here’s their advice for everything from waking and dressing to sleeping (yes, it is possible in this heat, we promise).
How to keep cool in a heatwave
Keep hydrated
Recycled stainless steel water bottle
£35 at Ryman
£35 at Ocean Bottle
Insulated leak-proof water bottle
From £30 at John Lewis
£32 at Chilly’s
Glass coffee cup and straw
£27 at Anthropologie
£26.95 at Amazon
The NHS recommends drinking six to eight glasses of water a day – the aim being that your pee remains a light straw colour. In a heatwave, you’ll likely need more water, and ideally it’ll be cold to help cool you down.
Ocean Bottles are double-wall insulated, made from 65% recycled materials, and the brand collects 11.4kg of plastic from oceans with the sale of each bottle.
Chilly’s water bottles claim to keep drinks cold for up to 24 hours – and everyone in your co-working space will thank you for the rubber base that doesn’t “CLANG” every time you take a sip.
The NHS technically advises against caffeine in extreme heat, but if it does feel necessary, you can at least go iced with this clear Keep Cup.
… and ice up your life
Lékué ice cube tray
£15.75 at John Lewis
£19.99 at Lakeland
Monster ice lolly mould
£12.99 at John Lewis
£12.99 at Lakeland
What better way to keep cool than with frozen water? A dedicated ice box lets you build up a stockpile for hot days – no more wasteful plastic bags of ice from the supermarket. Get the kids involved too with this ice lolly mould, letting them create some inventive flavours and reap the rewards after a few hours in the freezer.
Seek out some shade
Wind-up tilt parasol
£53.99 at Robert Dyas
£84.99 at John Lewis
Recycled polyester cream carousel parasol
£70 at Dunelm
Portable beach tent
£95.20 at Holloways of Ludlow
£119 at Amazon
Whether you’ve got an unforgiving, shadeless south-facing patio or are planning a day in the park or at the beach, you’ll need shade in a heatwave. From a cheerful, adjustable yellow parasol and an all-singing, tilting garden shade to a portable beach canopy, this lot has you covered.
Dress to keep cool
Reiss linen midi dress
£198 at John Lewis
£198 at Reiss
Airism dress
£24.90 at Uniqlo
Men’s pure linen shirt
£45 at M&S
Men’s Airism white T-shirt
£14.90 at Uniqlo
Round mini shoulder bag
£14.90 at Uniqlo
Plan International Denmark tote bag
£5.24 at Søstrene Grene
As recommended in our Mother’s Day gift guide. A percentage of the sale of this floral tote goes to Plan International, which helps support girls’ and young women’s rights.
Working in an office in the heat and looking even remotely professional can feel impossible – something Elle Australia editor Jessica Bailey knows all too well. Opt for linen, she says. A sleeveless linen dress or a loose-fitting shirt will be your saviour: the lightweight material is known for its breathable properties – the baggier the better for circulation and non-clinginess.
Darker colours will help disguise sweat marks – if you’re particularly worried about this, go for polyester or nylon over cotton. Or try a sweat-wicking fabric, such as Uniqlo’s Airism.
If you carry a heavy leather handbag, it’s worth swapping for a lightweight cross-body bag or cotton tote. These have longer handles, allowing air to circulate rather than being stickily clamped to your side.
Underwear-as-outerwear
Lace trim cami top
£20 at Next
Mini slip dress
£78 at Free People
Seersucker stripe boxers
£28 for three at John Lewis
“The Australian summer can be humid and unforgiving – as such, we learn how to dress for the heat from a young age,” says Elle Australia’s fashion editor, Jordan Boorman. “I lean into vintage-style lingerie silhouettes, wispy camisoles, lace slip dresses and skirts.” Men: feeling brave? Make like Paul Mescal and wear boxers as shorts, as recommended by Peter Bevan in his men’s summer wardrobe updates. Just don’t forget to wear your underwear beneath to avoid any embarrassing mishaps.
Embrace sandals
Women’s ONA Streetworks go-to flat
£63 at Sorel
From £53.60 at Amazon
As recommended in our roundup of stylish summer sandals
Women’s cut-out strap sandals
£28 at River Island
Jess Cartner-Morley calls these the perfect holiday dinner sandals in her June style essentials
Men’s Summit leather sandals
£31.99 at Schuh
£45 at Next
As recommended by menswear expert Peter Bevan in his men’s summer wardrobe updates
Men’s Fracap leather sandals
£175 at Toast
First up: you need a pair of sandals that you can walk in comfortably. Hot, sweaty feet equals rubbing and blisters and, as Chloe Mac Donnell wrote in her guide to sandals, no one wants carry a pair of trainers to swap into when they need to walk anywhere farther than the office tea point.
This year, as last, sandals are fusing function and comfort with fashion. And for men, slip-on gladiator-style designs with thicker leather straps are everywhere.
Use a face mist and SPF
Vichy spa water
£9.50 at Look Fantastic
£9.50 at Amazon
Vichy SPF spray
£16.13 at Look Fantastic
£13.70 at Amazon
A face mist can give instant relief in the heat. Dr Raj Arora is a GP and founder of aesthetics clinic The Face Bible, and she recommends Vichy face mist. “I have used this myself when on holiday or during a heatwave,” she says. “Not only does it cool the skin down but it’s also infused with minerals and antioxidants to soothe the skin and protect the skin’s barrier during hot weather.”
Of course, the main thing you need on your skin in a heatwave is a good SPF – Sali Hughes’s roundup of the best sunscreens has something for everyone. For lightness in the heat, consider Vichy’s Capital Soleil SPF 50 spray with hyaluronic acid from her list.
Bring out your fan
Dreo Cruiser tower fan
£109.99 with wifi voice control at B&Q
£89.99 at Amazon
Morphy Richards portable USB fan
£39.99 at B&Q
£39.99 at Morphy Richards
As recommended in our roundup of the best fans to keep you cool
Jisulife handheld mini fan
£18.99 at Amazon
Scalloped-edge fan
£6.99 at H&M
An electric fan – either for your desk or room – can help with hot and bothered home working and sweaty, sleepless nights. There are even electric/battery hybrids for when you’re on the go, all put to the test in our guide to the best fans.
And while heatwaves may hit once or twice a year, but women dealing with menopause can be left battling hot flushes for years. After trying many handheld fans, Tracey McAlpine, founder of Fighting Fifty, recommends the Jisulife mini fan above. And if you fancy a flutter, try H&M’s elegant scalloped-edged fan.
Keep chafing at bay
Women’s anti-chafing shorts
£18 for two at M&S
Women’s black high-waisted shorts
£25 at End
£48 at Skims
Men’s green shorts with built-in cycling shorts
£75 at Vuori
As recommended in our roundup of the best shorts for summer
Megababe anti-chafe stick
£9.60 at Boots
£8 at Cult Beauty
Baby powder
£1.75 at Boots
£1.75 at Superdrug
Heatwaves are uncomfortable enough before you add chafing into the mix. Not only is it painful, but the irritation makes the skin hot too – not what you need. There are several ways to combat this, and many women fall back on wearing shorts under skirts and dresses: try these M&S slimming shorts, which stay up all day and are so thin and cool that you forget they’re there.
For other parts of the body, or if shorts don’t work for you, body image speaker and writer Laura Adlington recommends Megababe Thigh Rescue. “It glides on like a balm and keeps your thighs happy all day. Otherwise, try good old-fashioned baby powder – it’s cheap as chips and does the trick.”
Wear a sun hat
Women’s zebra-print bucket hat
£19.99 at Mango
Women’s wide-brim sun hat
£45 at John Lewis
Women’s oversized summer hat
£37 at Asos
£37 at & Other Stories
Men’s broad-brim hat
£25 at M&S
Unisex Original Pirate Material cap
£45 at Scrt
This pop culture cap gets Peter Bevan’s seal of approval in his men’s summer wardrobe updates
A good hat is your ally in keeping a cool head. We asked the team at the oldest hat shop in the world, London’s Lock & Co Hatters, for their advice. Look for breathable materials such as straw, they said, and wide brims that protect your face and neck from the sun.
This M&S packable broad-rim hat is another great option for men looking for something to take on holiday (or not brave enough to wear it on the commute), as it folds down easily. And don’t forget caps.
Wide brims are everywhere on the high street this year – the John Lewis hat above has a simple silhouette that will pair with anything, and the black canvas offering from & Other Stories is a much chicer take on last year’s bucket hat trend.
Summer running
Unisex hydration bag with 1L pouch
£24.99 at Decathlon
The North Face Summit Run 5L vest
£134.99 at SportsShoes
£135 at the North Face
As recommended by Kieran Alger in his guide to trail running essentials
If a heatwave persists unbroken but you want to continue your exercise streak, Esther Newman, editor of Women’s Running magazine and co-host of the Women’s Running Podcast, says it is possible, with some adjustment.
“If you’re running for longer than 30 minutes, carry water with you – usually twice as much as you would do in the winter,” she says. “Decathlon’s hydration packs do the job for a good price, and enable you to run hands-free.”
Lululemon Wundermost Nulu high-waist thong
£25 at Lululemon
Uniqlo Airism boxer briefs
£12.90 at Uniqlo
When you’re hot and sweaty, moisture-wicking base layers can really help. Fitness trainer Rosie Stockley recommended this high-waist thong in our guide to the best moisture-wicking underwear, socks and base layers; while personal trainer Michael Baah picked these briefs, which are made from moisture-wicking polyester.
Body Glide anti-chafe balm
£11.99 at Runners Need
£13.99 at Amazon
Silicone lubricant
£14.99 at Love Honey
£8.99 at Amazon
Make sure you lube yourself up, says Newman: common annoying areas are underneath your the band of your running bra, between thighs and toes, around the neck, under your arms and between your butt cheeks. “Experiment with Body Glide, which works like a stick deodorant, or try the less expensive secret weapon: silicone lube – with the latter, always go for silicone rather than water-based, which you’ll just sweat off.”
Try a cooling skin routine
Moisture bomb sheet mask
£3.49 at Superdrug
£3.49 at Boots
Stainless steel face roller
£11.99 at Look Fantastic
£11.87 at Amazon
Sometimes you need a moment of reset to try to take your body temperature down when you return home. Aimee Jakes is digital editor at Time Out Dubai and is coping with the heat thanks to one hack: “I swear by a fridge-chilled sheet mask. Garnier’s Moisture Bomb sheet masks are juicy, cooling and add glugs of hydration into my sun-weathered pores. Pro tip: after the sheet mask ‘juice’ has been absorbed into the skin, finish off with some icy face roller action.”
Choose breathable bedding
Mattress cooling system
£390 at Sleepa
Find your perfect mattress with our expert’s pick of the best mattresses
Bamboo bedding set
From £110 at Panda
For more breathable bedding, check out our guide to buying bedding
Women’s modal short pyjama set
£85 at Stripe & Stare
£85 at The Dressing Room
Men’s modal short pyjama set
£100 at David Gandy Wellwear
It’s one thing to cope with the heat in the day, but when the mercury doesn’t drop at night-time, it can feel unbearable and cause sleepless nights. Sleep expert James Wilson (AKA The Sleep Geek) says there are things that can help. “I have clients who swear by the Chilipad topper – it allows you to set the temperature on your side of the bed,” he says. When it comes to fabrics, he says bamboo bedding will help; and for pyjamas, try modal. “Steer clear of all foams – it’s an insulator so will make you feel hotter, even if it claims to keep you cool all night – as well as down and feather, as they’ll make you really hot.”
Sleep like a baby
Digital room thermometer
£21.99 at John Lewis
£25 at Argos
Organic cotton sleeping bag
£34.50 at Natural Baby Shower
£24.99 at Amazon
Portable blackout blinds
£22.45 at John Lewis
From £24.99 at Tommee Tippee
If the baby’s not sleeping, then no one else is. Hot babies struggle to sleep, but high temperatures are also a health hazard for young children. “Keeping babies cool during a heatwave can feel like an uphill battle, especially when their sleep environment heats up,” says Rosey Davidson, sleep consultant and founder and CEO of Just Chill Baby Sleep. “My top tips are to keep blinds or curtains closed during the day to block out direct sunlight, and dress babies in just a nappy or a super-light layer. The NHS recommends your child’s room be between 16 and 20C – and offers lots of tips on keeping children cool throughout the day.
“The GroEgg room thermometer glows different colours to show temperature ranges – ideal for making quick, safe sleepwear decisions at bedtime. A cool muslin sleeping bag is lightweight and breathable, helping babies to sleep safely without the risk of overheating – Aden + Anais does a 1 tog range. And blackout blinds with suction cups, like this Tommee Tippee version, keep nurseries dark and cool by blocking out sunlight – they’re especially helpful for early bedtime routines.”
Rhiannon Evans is a journalist and editor who’s covered everything from news and entertainment to lifestyle and parenting for some of the UK’s best titles (and some others too). She’s rarely out of leopard print, and can usually be found attempting to wrangle her kids, garden or copy into some kind of order