to ask how everyone is dealing with this heat?

[PinkStarAtNight]

I'm dying with this heat. I work from home. I have my fan on full and lots of cold water but I'm really struggling. I feel ill. Any tips on how to cool down? I can't concentrate on my work and honestly feel like I might pass out!

It's cloudy, breezy and 18 degrees here (West coast of Scotland). I'm longing to see the sun and feel the heat!

Hold the inside of your wrists under cold running water for a couple of minutes every so often - it really works. I think it's because blood vessels at pulse points are closer to the skin's surface, so the blood is cooled then reduces your temp as it circulates your body or something

Really obvious but drink plenty of cool fluids - water is best but anything to keep you hydrated. You lose a deceptive amount of water from your body in the heat even if you're not exercising or being particularly active. I'm generally rubbish at this but I do find I feel better if I drink 2 litres of water a day

Also yes to PP suggestions such as blinds & curtains kept closed / cool shower then leave hair to dry naturally etc

Because everyone has a spare two or three hundred quid. And yes a good one is that, we bought a £100 one and it's a glorified fan that actually makes the room warmer on days like this.

Moaning and sleeping. My 2 year old gave up and napped between 12 and 2.30 so I joined her.

Because not everyone

Just rearrange your day - if you can (I appreciate most people working probably can't) to do more at the start and end of the day when it's not so hot. Instead of one long hot midday walk with the dog I go early for a short walk and go for another later on - I'm not going to work in the garden while it is boiling hot - I'm sitting outside in the shade reading, listening to the radio and some podcasts and I'm making some ice cream with the ice cream maker in a minute. I've put some ice cubes in the freezer to plop in some G&T later. All sounds so horribly middle class. I am going to use the damn carpet cleaner for once as the carpets will dry out pretty quickly in this heat. In truth we don't really get that much hot weather do we? I don't mind it anyway. I've got some cold pasta with mixed fried veg in it that I'll eat with salad later. My house is insulated quite well so it's cooler in than out and I keep my windows, doors, blinds and curtains shut to keep the heat out.

My solution depends on what your work is, whether you can work from a laptop and if you have a garden (with a gazebo or some shade)...

Buy a kid's paddling pool and sit in it in a shady spot in the garden. Put laptop on a chair next to it and work from the paddling-pool. I wrote up two course projects and drafted a presentation this way in the heatwave 2 years ago.

Obviously doesn't work for customer-facing roles 😁. Though sticking your feet in an icy basin of water under the table (put towels underneath, obviously) is surprisingly effective!

Have a really hot shower. As hot as you can stand. When you get out the air will feel cool, no matter how hot it is outside. Then use ice , fans to maintain that feeling . Works for me but you have to be able to stand the hot shower for 3-5 mins at least

Currently in Marrakech where the temp has been 42 today!! I’m drained and in my room atm where at least there’s air con.

Easily we have coped with hot weather for years, this isnt the first time its been hot.

Loving it because i know it will be soon be gone. Summer is short!!

But the best advice is about rearranging your day if at all possible. I am enjoying the weather but I am on holiday ( in a city not by the coast) and am doing all sightseeing etc between 9m - 12pm. Then lunch inside somewhere cool followed by time inside a cool building if we still have stuff we want the do . . Then home to spend every afternoon between 3-6pm lying down with a book and a fan for a nap or sitting in the shade with a cold drink and a book Then we do a BBQ or eat later at around 7-8pm

Be careful walking dogs in this heat. Saw loads looking very uncomfortable in the park yesterday afternoon :-( hope none of them got heat stroke :-(

Sitting in the garden sunbathing in my underwear (not at work today).

Just getting on with it, sure it's hot and a bit uncomfortable but not unbearable by any means

I shut all the curtains today and closed the patio doors that lead to our roasting hot conservatory. This has meant our lounge is cool at the moment.
I also wet some clean tea towels and put in zip lock plastic bags and froze them. They make nice cool bags to hold against you when too hot.
Tepid shower before bed, apply talc, then I can get off to sleep with my top sheet (which is also cooled in a bag for an hour before bed).

Ice cold water in bowl to put your feet in, cold wey flannel on neck.

In the office. Air con on full blast. Bloody cold, had to put my jacket on 🤣 felt like I was getting off a plane into Foreign lands when I walked out the door at home time !

If you have a light sarong type scarf, run it under cold water, wring it so it's damp but not dripping and wrap it round you. If it's big enough you can sleep under it too. Learned that tip on here and it changed my life!

Between setting new world records for most ice lollies eaten in a day, filling 'hot' water bottles with icy water to keep close especially at night

@SlashBeef my 3yo zonked out earlier and had a massive nap too. Actually a bit worried she’s got heat stroke as seems to have got a fever but she’s not Ill at all. we’re all stuck in the house in the dark with the curtains drawn.

Hot weather when you are not working is fine.

Put ice (preferably in a steel bowl) in front of your fan.

Very cheap air con machine.

It works.

I used to work in an office like that! They had air con blasting out cold air in summer and blasting out hot air in winter. I was one of the few people who took the bus to work and had to dress for the weather.

I struggle to understand why in this day and age there are people who don't at least have portable air conditioners to use in this heat

How are the running costs whilst energy units are so high? Not everyone can afford the outlay or ongoing costs I'd imagine.

I really recommend this blanket, kept me cool all last night and I slept properly

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B083TN437H?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title