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

[Saywhatnowhey]

I am 53 and in perimenopause so that is not helping at all but I have always been like this.

As soon as summer hits and these heatwaves come out of nowhere I feel dreadful. I have never been able to tolerate either cold or hot weather at all, even when I was younger. As a child I preferred winter over summer so I could cover and layer up.

Where I live in the UK it is often the most hot and humid weather during the summer months and it makes me feel so physically unwell. I have some existing health issues but none that are related to temperature intolerance so no idea why I get like this. It's only 9.30am and I have already had to sit down with my neck fan on. Just hanging out a few loads of washing and tidying up the kitchen has left my heart racing, my stomach churning (I do have IBS which gets worse in the summer) and I feel so nauseous (I always feel so sick in the heat). Other than pace and fan myself there doesn't seem to be a lot I can do to dampen down the ill feeling I get.

No one else I know is like this, everyone adores this heat and really looks forward to it, some saying the hotter the better but I just want to lay on my bed and lay with the fan on all day, I feel so lightheaded and weird.

I have mentioned this numerous times to my GP but my blood levels return ok so they don't have any suggestions.

Is it normal to feel so unwell during the summer months? Does anyone else get this?

I freeze during the winter, like to the bone frozen but I would rather take that over the summer because at least I can carry my trusty hot water bottle around with me and layer up. The sticky, humid UK summers make me want to rip my skin off. It really annoys me because I love warmth and sunshine - I could happily reside in September and October for the rest of my days, I am at my most comfortable in Autumn.

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.

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

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).

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 😁

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.

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.

Yep Same here.

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

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

During the summer of 2022, the UK experienced five distinct heatwave periods ranging from 3 to 16 days in length, which culminated in a historic national temperature record of (40.3^{\circ }\text{C}). 1, 2]
According to the UK Health Security Agency, the five heatwave episodes included:
Episode 1: 4 days (June 16 to June 19)
Episode 2: 16 days (July 10 to July 25), which included the most intense 2-day period of Level 4 extreme heat (July 18 and July 19)
Episode 3: 7 days (July 30 to August 5)
Episode 4: 10 days (August 8 to August 17)
Episode 5: 3 days (August 23 to August 25)
The UK experienced four distinct, relatively short-lived heatwaves during the summer of 2025, each lasting between 5 to 6 days. While these events were brief, they occurred throughout the season and resulted in the warmest overall UK summer on record. 1, 2, 3]
Breakdown of the 2025 heatwave events:
Heatwave 1 (Third week of June): Officially declared in mid-June, lasting about five days in central and eastern England before breaking with thunderstorms.
Heatwave 2 (Late June - Early July): This event lasted about six days for parts of Yorkshire and the Humber and five days in the East. A longer, more intense spell of this heatwave affected London and southern areas, peaking at 34.7°C between June 23 and July 2.
Heatwave 3 & 4 (July and August): Additional, intermittent heatwaves occurred during these months, pushing the overall summer average for the UK to a record-breaking 16.1°C. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

I have been to Orlando as a kid/teen. Even back in the early 90s, 99.5% of buildings were air conditioned. Even the hire car had it.

They build things to incorporate the weather.

UK buildings, especially houses are built to keep heat in.

@JenniferBooth I had my second bout of Covid in the mid July heatwave. It was awful

I honestly think it’s the hypermobility- something like 80% of people with hypermobility syndrome/hEDS have autonomic nervous system dysfunction. It results in difficulty with temperature control, amongst loads of other things. I am being driven mad by the heat and like you I have always struggled and have hypermobility syndrome/hEDS