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

I think as well you need to consider what you’re doing on holiday vs when you’re at home. When you’re at home you’re working, running errands, doing chores etc, the heat can be a nuisance if not managed via AC etc. On holiday you may be lounging by a pool, strolling down the the street window shopping, even if you’re doing something more active like a theme park or site seeing you’re usually interspersing that with leisurely meals and basically doing something fun you’re choosing to do…I think it changes our tolerance levels.

I agree with the poster talking about a “different type of heat” that’s ridiculous, but how we manage it in this country in terms of our infrastructure and what we’re doing in it when living our daily lives is what differentiates how we experience the heat to elsewhere.

Oh i had my first lot of Covid during that July heatwave. It was hell.

I felt worse than the first time with Covid. That was just days before the first lockdown and i didn’t know I had it until July 2020. People forget that many places didn’t have test centres nearby. Then it was 85 miles round trip.

Back to July 22. When got a temperature in hot weather it feels like 6c more

You are not alone. I am really struggling with this heat. In West London where I live it is 34 degrees at the moment,a good 10 degrees more than what I'm comfortable with. I am 62 so can't blame it on being menopausal. I am having problems with my mobility at the moment due to severe osteoarthritis in one of my hips and the heat certainly isn't helping. Also not helped by nearly everyone else raving about it and enjoying it. I get made to feel embarrassed about not liking it. I really can't see what there is to enjoy about being sticky and sweaty. I've lost 7 stone in recent years and pre-weight loss I thought it was due to being overweight. But I still feel the heat. And I get sick of the media with their predictable headlines,always containing the words 'sizzling' 'basking' and 'enjoying'. To my mind, seeing those words in one sentence is not good news.
Oddly,since losing the weight,I've noticed I feel the cold much more in the winter. I thought at first this was a good sign and that I would be able to tolerate the heat better,but no. Absolutely no difference at all. I'm just hoping that this summer doesn't turn out like last summer with 4 two week heatwaves between the beginning of June and the middle of August.

I can't stand them. I love the brighter days and more light, but the heat kills me.

I have thyroid problems, asthma and two other autoimmune illnesses. Yesterday I went for a walk with my relatives in the park and then felt ill all night and today. I currently have the curtains closed.

I get heat stroke easily. I have needed to go A&E a couple times.

My neighbours are living it up in the garden. I just want it to stop and dusk to come!

Sadly that really doesn't help with me at all. My husband is sitting out in the garden, in the shade. I went to join him and within minutes I was feeling awful but I stuck it out, popped in my hypnotherapy download to relax and after 20 mins I felt so sick, pressure in my head, my skin was itching and and weirdly the heat exacerbates my functional dyspepsia so I've now got a nice bout of burning indigestion. Just 5 minutes on the sofa, in front of my fan and I feel so much better.

I really don't believe this is psychological, I've never been able to tolerate the heat when everyone around me seems to be able to happily adjust.

I can't stand hot weather like this. I'm uncomfortable, the dog's uncomfortable and I'm constantly panicked about keeping her cool. Last week the daily average was 14 degrees and now it's shot up to 32 degrees. There's no chance to acclimatise. There's always people who say "enjoy it while it lasts it'll be gone soon" but IMO there's nothing to enjoy about it being this hot. 24 degrees, I understand the sentiment, but above 30 is stifling.

My dog has really struggled today too, I have been encouraging him to lay on the kitchen tiles where it's a bit cooler but the silly sod keeps laying out in the full sun panting for dear life. It's getting a bit cooler so will walk him around 9pm.

I'm with you, there is very little to enjoy about this kind of hellish heat, apart from the laundry drying quickly, that is the only positive in my eyes because it makes me feel so unwell, if it didn't then maybe I could enjoy it.

It's forecast for 32 again tomorrow, not sure how I am going to get through that, today's heat has really set off my IBS and I have been so bloated and in pain. Wednesday is down to 21....I can not wait.

No, I absolutely wasn't suggesting you go out in it. Stay indoors and move as little as possible. Sorry if I misled you.