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

Not where I live. The lowest temperature forecast for where I live in Yorkshire is 19 degrees on Wednesday, then it is going up again to 25 on Thursday.
30 today and 28 on Tuesday, but I will be in an office with aircon and getting there and back in a car with aircon.

I'm pleased it will be cooler by next week. With GCSE and a levels my kids will appreciate the cooler weather to do their exams. It's a killer at the moment during half term when they are trying to revise in this heat.

Is it really going to drop back to 14 next week? FFS! This country! We went from 12 degrees to 32 degrees and back down to 14 in two weeks then? Not much in the middle.

It’s a very humid heat here too. If I was by the sea in a different county then I’m happy in anything up to about 35.

Here my preference is mid 20s with a warm evening to sit outside but then a cool night with a breeze - a rare occurrence.

I don’t think people realise the difference having air con everywhere (and pools and the sea) makes.

You are used to it, we are not. You have air containing, we do not,mostly. I'm used to cooler weather, to me 18 degrees is tshirt weather, it would be hat and coat weather to you. When you are used to 18 degrees or well below for the majority of the year 28 degrees for a few days is a killer for the elderly, very young and those with health conditions. You are set up for it as a country, and more importantly it is your norm, it's not for us. It's going to be 30 degrees near me today, that's my warning to stay in, stay hydrated and do as little as possible because if I don't I will be seriously ill due to my health conditions.

I do think for many houses - particularly new builds and flats in the SE. We need to start seeing air con as a necessity. We are about to
move house and will take the hit in installing in in the bedrooms so we can actually sleep.

I personally do like the warm weather but concur this country isn’t really designed for heat above 30.

Last night I did struggle to sleep and poor DS1 who is in the loft conversion had to go and sleep in the garage!

We just need to watch how they cope in hotter countries. Stay inside during the heat of the day (if at home) loose cotton clothing, lots of water and air con everywhere.

i just dont know what to do with myself
however i was persuaded to read a book and eventually found a spot of shade

That’s just not true anymore though is it. The year before we cracked and got AC our bedroom didn’t go below 30C for a month (new build). If OP’s boiler broke I’m sure she’d concede she’d have to replace or move whatever financial situation as it’s a necessity, I think AC is gradually becoming as necessary as a boiler. Especially in modern housing.

Love when it’s sunny but I absolutely hate the heat in the UK although I’m very heat tolerant in my home country, where it regularly stays in 40° during the summer.

I think a big part of it is that houses here are obviously designed to stay warm. I am actually dreading work this summer to the point I feel almost in tears just thinking about it (workplace refuses to install air conditioning) and praying they actually come out with a law regarding maximum temperatures at work. It needs to happen, it gets hotter by the year.

I wouldn’t suggest moving at the drop of the hat but OP is painting a picture of an all encompassing stress and inability to think of anything else. In those instances, I think considering moving is sensible. And if it’s not many days in fact, then the whole premise of the post is daft as surely the OP can cope?!

I do sympathise with you, but for me the hot weather is wonderful. I would live in a climate where it's 28c quite happily. I hate the cold, dark evenings are depressing and having to wear layers of clothing just awful.

Sorry to be a troll but the idea that 28 degrees is a heatwave is hilarious to me as an Australian. That's sometimes the daytime temp here in the middle of winter! Seriously though it's never that hot in England but not you are not being unreasonable because it is what you are used to. If I had to endure an English winter I might actually die.

I spent about fifteen minutes outside at 7pm lastnight filling some pots with compost and honestly I was so unwell overnight I contemplated ringing 111. It’s not super hot here in the NE but combination of kidney disease and POTS from suspected long Covid made it unbearable - today I’m going to have to stay indoors as forecast for much higher temps.

I love the way people suggest moving house like it's going out and buying a pint of milk.

There are loads of reasons why some people don't or can't move. Work, support networks, friends and not least it costs a lot of money to move. That's assuming you own rather than live in local authority housing or rent, which has its own set of restrictions and complications.

Plus you don't get really hot days very often.

Exactly this. South African friends who visit really struggle in our heatwaves. And they literally live in Africa on the Botswana border!

Ditto my colleagues from Joburg and also from Texas - they also struggle and say the heat in the UK is worse

No you are letting hot air into the house
Shades drawn and windows closed during the day
Open the windows and the cooler air rushes in at night
Just use a fan for breeze

I think your gran would've been more accurate if she'd said that those born May to September enjoy their birthday weather. I was born in February and I can guarantee you that I wish I'd been born in July 🤣.

I can empathise Saywhatnowhey as I have some kind of dysautonomia condition (still trying to find out what exactly) but heat over around 20 degrees makes me miserable.

Being out in the sun & the feeling of the heat on my skin makes me feel sick & because I can't regulate my body temperature properly I get shortness of breath, tachycardia, dizziness, & excessive sweating (hair literally wringing wet). Oh & my eyes are chronically dry during spring & summer & can't stand bright light.

Summer is hell for those of us with these conditions & I wish I could just hibernate between May & Sept. Others have given some good ideas for coping, & I would second cooling packs, staying hydrated, & there are some cooling pillows etc for sleep.

I have never been good in the heat.

I'm very pale skinned and burn easily no matter how often I re-apply sunscreen, so that doesn't help, but I think it's mainly a sensory thing for me.

I am Autistic and have high levels of sensory sensitivity so absolutely hate the feeling of being too hot. I used to think that the hot weather made me feel physically ill, but what I've realised over time is that because I hate the sensory feeling of being too hot it makes me feel panicked, and it's the anxiety that causes a horrible sick, dizzy feeling. Anxiety (on top of the heat) is also exhausting so I feel tired and like I can't concentrate on anything. It's not that the physical symptoms aren't real, they definitely are, but for me they're not caused by illness. I'm not saying that's also the case for you, but if you're someone who is sensitive to sensory stimuli anyway it could be.

Things that help me cope in heat-waves are

Carrying around a big water bottle, one of the ones that keeps ice water cold for hours. I'm not great at staying hydrated at the best of times and need to remind myself to drink more than my 'normal' intake in hot water.

A neck rechargeable neck fan. I was embarrassed to wear it in public initially but now I don't care if it looks daft, it's the best thing I've ever brought and the only comments I've ever had have been people saying "that's such a good idea, where did you get it?"

I got a Meaco fan for my bedroom (I think it was about £100) and it was such a game changer I ended up getting one for downstairs as well. One of the best things I've ever brought.

Fruity ice lollies for hydration and to help with nausea.

I have some of those cooling gel packs (like you would use for an injury) in the freezer and I take one to bed with me like a reverse hot water bottle.