To think there must be something wrong with me because I absolutely can not tolerate the UK heatwaves - anyone else?

I can only go on a lifetime of holidays in the Med, the heat definately feels different to me. England is stifling whereas we happily explored places well in excess of 30 degrees last Summer.

But I do think aswell alot is to do with how the country is geared up for it. AC, pools everywhere, tiles floors, things close in the hottest part of the day. It would be ridiculous to do that (at the moment in the uk) as July and August is rarely ever really hot here. If we had 3 months of this every year, we probably would invest in things to make Summer nicer. That’s why im understanding to those who cant handle it.

Further to the humidity thing I think acclimatisation is probably a much better explanation of why heat in the UK can be difficult to deal with as the temps here can be quite up and down.

The environment of holidaying is not a good comparison as hotel rooms and houses in general in say southern europe are designed to be more cooling/have air con.

Have you tried drinking the electrolytes/hydration drinks? I use effervescent ones. Although not a cure, I do find they help me out with feelings like being light headed and dizzy. This has been a shock as it went from being pretty cold to a heatwave.

I think it's just your perception. Poll after poll suggests that the majority of British people do not enjoy very hot weather. Fortunately, in the UK, we tend to get some respite after a few days.

I can only relate my own experience, if it helps. I have MS, asthma, eczema and hay fever. I do not cope well with very hot days. I find it helps to drink lots of water - sipping every few minutes rather than gulping it down when thirsty; loose, linen or cotton clothing; and trying to move as little as possible. Don't cook - especially don't put the oven on. The family can survive on salads, sandwiches and fruit for a few days. Lastly, try to avoid telling yourself that you're too hot. It really does make a difference.

There isn't really much difference.

A quick scan :

London 30C , 35-40%
Rome 30C 30%
Lisbon 28C 40%
Nice 28C 43%

Dubai has temperature at the moment of 33C and 61%
Hong Kong 30C and 90%
Orlando 39C and 70%
Cairo 31C and 30%.

So people going on about the "different kind of heat" are largely talking rubbish IMO.

The heat in places like Hong Kong and Dubai is a different kind of heat for sure, because it is accompanied by much higher humidity than we have here.

Of the major tourist destinations Vegas has a very low humidity, but most tourist areas are not miles from the coast.

I think since getting covid twice, I struggle with high humidity.

It’s my day in the office tomorrow. No idea how it’s going to be. It’s my first spring/summer there. Unsure what they do with air con when closed. Can open windows. Taking my portable desk fan. My car is air conditioned too

Yep Same here.

I’m the same OP, particularly at home rather than abroad where I think the heat feels different somehow. Doesn’t help that you also have jobs to do so you can’t just lay by the pool. I also find myself feeling lightheaded, tired and lacking in motivation to do anything. I’ve had my iron, b12, thyroid and heart checked. All normal.

Where are you in the UK? Our heating went off in March, shorts weather in the Easter holidays and ground is bone dry. South of England.

Same! Beach is stunning in autumn/winter. Give me a beautiful empty beach over bodies everywhere and noise. I always think the tourists are missing out in winter 😁

I do think there is a huge difference between heat abroad and here. I can easily be in 30 plus degrees abroad but that temp feels awful here. We are a very humid country and people with health conditions do suffer more.

If you can spend all day in the sea or a pool, then you’ll be fine this week but unless you’re currently on holiday in the UK, we’ve got to function in temps that other countries are much more geared up for (AC, closing businesses during hot periods, having a pool etc).

Good point. But i dont think anything will happen until people start dying. Its the way it is in the UK

And councils.

I wonder if care homes have AC? There's always been a lot of emphasis on keeping old people warm, but I bet too hot is almost as bad.

Agree and HAs need to be given those grants too.

I can't even imagine what that feels like.

My DF had to work in Saudi for a couple of weeks. He arrived late in the evening and went straight from air-conditioned car to air-conditioned hotel, and didn't realise how hot it was.

The following morning, the office rang to ask him what time he wanted the car to pick him up, and he said he'd walk, because it was only a short distance away. They asked if he was sure, as it was really very hot, but he insisted.

When the door from the hotel lobby to the outside world opened, he said there was a rush of heat "like a fucking furnace", so he sheepishly rang the office to say that he'd changed his mind about the car.

Probably coincidence, but everywhere he was sent after that was very north and probably chilly much of the year: Sweden, Nova Scotia and somewhere in Scotland, north of Aberdeen.

That must be really awful @Tshirtking .

I suppose that it must make travelling difficult, as crammed trains and buses get so hot.

seems like you need to chill out

According to my friend, it's 32 in the town centre. The centre is always hotter than the outskirts, it's an old town with narrow streets and all the buildings crammed close together act like a giant storage heater on hot sunny days.

I live on the edge of town, nearly 300 feet higher, and there's a fair bit of breeze up here. I have the windows open and curtains drawn, and it's a tolerable 26 in my living room.

Well if I want outside in this heat I would be sending at least the next 2 days in hospital due to my condition. So yes I will winge because it ruins my life

I do think for many houses - particularly new builds and flats in the SE. We need to start seeing air con as a necessity.

I agree with this.

For most of my life, there has been an emphasis on insulation and energy efficiency, I think that they should start giving grants for AC to be installed!

I used to love it when I was young, but I'm 70 and can't tolerate it like I used to. In the hot summer of 1976, I used to lie out and sunbathe on the flat roof at the back of our flat. The roof got so hot that when one of my flatmates saw me out there and came to join me, he burned the soles of his bare feet!

I first noticed that I was less heat-tolerant when I was 49, so probably peri-menopausal. Maybe the menopause reset my thermostat for ever...

Watching Loose Women and Olivia Attwood mentioned her flat is on the 30th floor and has air con
Banking this in case they have a discussion at a later date about how air con is bad for the environment and why ppl shouldnt have it like those of us in social housing

Agree about the weight not necessarily being the cause. In fact this myth probed quite dangerous in my late teens pushing me into anorexia as apparently “only large people struggle in the heat “😕