Help me survive this week’s heatwave

[CatesandAle]

Not really an AIBU, posting for traffic. In brief: I usually work (in home office) and sleep on the third floor of my house (kids are on second floor), but the third floor becomes unbearable above about 27 degrees, which of course is becoming an issue with increasingly hot summers. We’re also unfortunately near a busy road which makes opening the window unpleasant (didn’t used to be like this but has become busier over time).

I’m looking into permanent air con, but I have a work deadline this week and need to be able to sleep and work. May be able to work in the local public library which has air con, but I need to be able to sleep!! Hit me with your best recs for portable air con units and/or light roll up mattresses that I can use to sleep temporarily on the ground floor and/or anything else? Am I right to think portable air con units will all have a hose that needs to go out an open window? In which case, unfortunately, it’s not a great solution for my house due to traffic noise. Very open and grateful for any proposed short-term solutions…

Freeze a hot water bottle & put it in your bed around an hour before you get in

A damp cold tea towel around your neck may work. The cold water bottle in bed is a good idea too.
Some air con units need the pipe to be out the window I think. I’ve been putting the loft hatch down and it’s a slight difference and lots of fans on the go.
I can sympathize as it’s so hot just now and I hate it too.

Get the air con unit. Cool your room down atleast an hour before you go to bed. Shut the window when you go to bed and the room should be cool enough for you to fall asleep. If you wake up hot in the night again, put the air con unit back on (they’re not that quiet but is fine to sleep with). Hopefully the traffic noise is quieter at 3am so you can have the hose out the window!

Cooling blanket- search arc chill blanket on Amazon, much cooler than a regualr sheet. Also cool towels you wet them and they stay cool
for ages. I slept with just one of those over me last heatwave!
I was also researching those small round cool packs you get for kids bumps, thinking I could strap them to my inner wrists to cool down?

If it's hotter outside keep the windows closed anyway - if you're up early when it's cooler it might be worth getting some cooler air.
Keep curtains and windows shut on the "sunny" side of your home.
Put ice cubes in a dish in front of a fan - it's supposed to cool you down (?)

I hate the heat - but my DH has a heart condition so air con for me would mean him rolled up in a duvet!🥵

We take soggy tea towels and stick them in the freezer. They are great on the back of your neck to cool you down quickly.

The portable air con unit will act as white noise to drown out the traffic. They are not quiet but will just become background white noise as if you are on an aeroplane or something.

If you plan to use it for a short while before bed then close the window as PP suggested, don’t underestimate how long it will take to get the room nice and cool.

They are a life saver. Helping me survive breastfeeding in this heat.

I live in southern spain. In a pinch icepacks/ frozen bottles of water in front ofa good fan can cool a room down a few degrees.
Windows open very early morning to let cool air in, as soon as the air coming in is hotter than the air in the room close the window.
Freeze a filled hot water bottle.
Cool- not cold, shower before bed.
If possible get a ceiling fan fitted. Its been 35 here today and weve not needed the aircon on yet.

You need to shut them all. If the heat outside is high the hot hair will flood into house via windows sunny side or not !

Close all curtains and shades upstairs after 9am and close windows. Same downstairs in any rooms as much as possible.

sleep in kids room or on sofa if loft room too hot

We bought a portable air con unit last heatwaves- got it from screwfix. You do have to put the hose out the window but we don’t sleep with it on, put it on for an hour or so before going to bed and it cools the room down enough to sleep with a lightweight duvet. It really takes the stress out of heatwaves- our terraced house is south facing and gets extremely hot

I work from home Monday and Tuesday, dreading it as last heatwave the room got to over 30 despite fan and curtains drawn. It’s tough not being able to sleep properly and trying to work

I bought a Meaco Sefte fan, was £100 but worth it. I’m too cold in bed with it now, need to turn it down!

It sounds effective then. Does it cool the air well?

Have you got a hot water bottle you can add some water too and freeze. I sometims just get an ice pack out the freezer and have it in the bed.

I have a meaco fan in most rooms also a good circulator one - John Lewis own make.

Have a cool shower before bed too.

I would also love a portable air con and seriously considering it.

Stick your feet in a bowl of cool water. Cool shower near bedtime. Windows open at night and stick some earplugs in. Air-con unit with the hose out the window is the best purchase you can make.

Cold shower then sit in front of a fan. Repeat throughout the day.

Let your hair get your PJs a bit damp when you sleep. Blast the fan. I never get warm because of this.

Neck fan from Amazon, or wherever else..
I got one recently and don't know how I coped without it. Great for using while doing so many things.. cooking, walking etc in addition to another fan for extra coolness, but so effective on its own.
I even sleep with mine around my neck and it is so comfortable, I can barely feel its there (im a back sleeper)
I feel far less panicky since I have got it, as it really helps be breathe better which I struggle with when its humid.
It lasts for around 5 hrs easily, when charged up and has 4 settings.

Can't edit my post. Meant to say, can be ofc used in addition to another fan indoors, but they are very effective on their own too.

Which neck fan from Amazon please, I want to get one but not sure which is best,thanks.

Another recommendation for a meaco fan - I got one during the previous heat wave and it definitely helped. It doesn't just seem to move hot air around like a lot of fans and if I trained it over the bed, it cooled my skin enough to sleep

I'm just here to follow! Literally having the worst anxiety over this heatwave. It hits here tomorrow and looks like it's here for 5 days! I'll be miserable until we fall back into a nice comfortable 22 degrees! Even colder would be better.

Thanks to all for the suggestions for far x

For sleeping definitely a cool shower half hour before bed. It works.

Daytime, the cooling towel, teatowels, cool mist spray are all good. Stay hydrated obviously. At least if ypu are working from home ypu can wear the lightest, most comfortable clothes and a supply of iced drinks.

I sleep on the sofa downstairs when its really hot. Its much cooler and keep all the curtains closed.

I was stressing so much I decided to rent a heavy duty air conditioner unit - £55 per week plus Vat. I’m going to have it for two weeks. They delivered it the same day I ordered it and also collect at the end of the rental. Delivery was £30. It’s brilliant and has made me feel much better about the coming week! It is heavy (35kg) though and a cumbersome shape so it required two strong men to get it up the stairs.

Expensive I know but I feel so much better and will hopefully be able to sleep this week.