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.

I used to struggle but then I was wearing polyester and eating food suited to cooler weather.
I got a better wardrobe, prescription sunglasses, comfortable sandals in 2 neutral colours, simple no heat hairstyle, and air con unit, lighter duvet and bamboo bedding, good blackout curtains, got to wearing hats when I'm out which is amazing it gives me privacy and a shelter from the brightness, downside is the flat hair later though! At least 2 showers a day, cut out triggering food like onion and garlic, too much carbs or dairy try to eat cooling food and go light on spices, ironically drink tea or coffee hot. I try to prep food in the morning so im not long in a hot kitchen and avoid long recipes or those needing an oven. You need a wardrobe and lifestyle and diet haul on hot days.

Move north. I'm in NW England and we rarely get the kind of hot weather people complain about down south.

And just think it wont last, get your vit d for the year! Sunglasses and a hat with cotton clothes.

Yep no such thing as wrong weather just wrong clothes

I don’t love heat (I get irritable and snappy) but I’m certainly not as affected as you. Have you got one of those cold towels?

I can't tolerate hot weather especially when it goes with high humidity and pollution. Makes me feel too ill to go out. We are in for a touch time with global warming, sadly.

Nonsense, I’m in Yorkshire and work in Manchester, we definitely do! It’s muggy as hell today.

UK heat, unless by the sea or on a windy hillside is always unpleasantly humid. Global warming or whatever had made this worse. In the past there were notorious heatwave/drought years - 1976, was one I think. Otherwise anything over 22 degrees was rare. Now we get these sudden temp spikes/heatwaves. Not many people like it or feel better health wise at these times. Some do, I personally don't. I like not especially wet winter/autumn weather. I like the clothes better too.

In Ireland and it’s the humidity (as Monica would say😅😅😅)

I did the 2003 heatwave heavily pregnant in the dirty muggy SE town we lived in. Blinds and curtains shut feet in a bowl of iced water, cold bath before bed and wet hair.

Much happier now in the NW despite the rain!

Spot on!

Im going to Crete next week. Probably similar temperature to here. Mid 20s but I cope much better with the heat abroad than here. I think it's because I'm in holiday mode. I actually hate when it gets into the mid 20s in Edinburgh.

And yet so many millions (?) of UK folk can't wait to go and fry in the Med region during July and August! I would not be able to cope with that at all. I often think that in the middle of such heat, there's not much you are able to do without falling ill with heatstroke, so it's bed, pool, under a brolly, siesta, dinner, bed. Early October and mid May are my favourite times to go to these places.

Anyway, last year I was getting some electrical work done and while I was at it, I got a ceiling fan with light installed in my bedroom. OMG I cannot tell you how wonderful it is in very hot weather. Various speeds, timer and so on, and it's just there, no fishing out fans and finding a place to put them either! As you can guess, I live in my bedroom in extreme heat!

I'm rubbish in high temperatures too. I've never been so glad of moving to Scotland 30 years ago. DH and I had to stay back at my parents' house for a fortnight in the heatwave of summer '22. They live in NW England where temperatures reached 34 degrees. 🔥

I coped by sitting in a room with the curtains closed, a fan running and a bath towel, that had been dunked in cold water then loosely wrung out, draped around my shoulders. Plus the running cold water over the inside of my wrists trick. I was so glad to get out into the garden later in the evening, once it had cooled down a bit. Temperatures back home were around 24°C which is much more manageable.

When’s your Birthday OP? My Gran had a theory that you like the weather you were born into. I was born in a heatwave, so this weekend is fab for me!

That’s interesting. I’m a December baby and love winter whereas my July baby is a hothouse flower!

Thanks. What a lot of hysteria for a few days of actual summer weather!

My go-to for hot sticky weather is a wet cotton bandana styled a la Hilda Ogden minus the curlers. It works better than anything.
A fan on the floor pointing upwards drags the cooler air up and makes a real difference, it can be 5 degrees warmer at head height than on the floor.

Same sensations for me & I find the elevated heartrate, feeling sick and lightheaded really hard when a heatwave hits as most people I know want to go out and enjoy it.

It's meant to have a real feel of 33c - 35c next week garghhhh. I feel really jittery and anxious when this hot and like you have been like this all my life but no idea why. I'll try the electrolytes & I agree the skinny towels you run under the tap are amazing for a bit of relief indoors. Our house was built in the 1980's and is always in the low 30's so no respite.

Ceiling fans help sleep at night but I have to crank it up to full power at times like these and they are noisy. Can't afford air con at the moment but hopefully one day.

If you are off to the doctors, have a read up POTS and see whether that rings any bells. https://www.potsuk.org/managingpots/temperature-regulation-2/

I too have a narrow range of temperature when I can actually function and it is linked with POTS.

Today I have dug out the pet cooling pad, cold blanket and fans.

The first hot day we get the moaning starts 🙄

i loathe the heat. Can’t sleep. Can’t focus. Makes me lethargic. It’s awful.

Give 18 degree days and I’m very happy. I much prefer autumn and winter.

Move to Scotland, OP. Ne’er a heatwave to be found!

I'm in North Wales in a very old and very thick walled slate cottage. My heating came on this morning (thermostat set at 18oC). I am very comfortable indoors at around 19oC now. If the weather gets hotter I'd close my doors and windows and shut a few curtains and it stays cool in here. I like the warm but husband hates it (he sweats and it makes him very uncomfortable). Before we moved into this house he suffered dreadfully and had fans on all night, potable AC etc.. but you don't need it an old place like this - it just doesn't get hot indoors. Perhaps if it is that bad you may consider moving and buying something that would keep the temperature bearable for you?

I'm in Cumbria and it's rarely as hot here as in the south east. I'm not suggesting it's never warm. I'm currently in jeans and a jumper!