Tips to Stay Cool This Summer with Right at Home Solent!

How You Can Stay Cool!

In the UK at the moment, we are seeing the hottest Summer that we have seen for years, potentially ever! In the UK, warm weather is usually welcomed but we often struggle in extreme heat conditions which, in some cases, can pose several health risks. We have seen the Met Office issue a 'Red' heat warning. Each year, thousands of people are admitted to hospital as a result of heat-related ailments, such as severe sunburn, heat exhaustion or heatstroke. With temperatures set to rise in the Solent area (Fareham, Gosport, Southampton & New Forest East) during the coming weeks and the Met Office’s announcement of a heatwave, we share our top tips for keeping safe and cool during the hot weather.

Can Hot Weather be Dangerous?

An extreme Heatwave, as we are experiencing now in the UK, can pose a number of health risks, particularly for those who are vulnerable. Those who are classed as being vulnerable in the heat are: babies, young children, older people as well as those with underlying health conditions or long term illness' such as diabetes or Parkinson’s Disease. In regard to older people being vulnerable, did you know that as we age, we are less able to control our body temperature? Many people don't know this, but ageing decreases our ability to sweat, making it harder for the elderly to feel comfortable in the warm weather, so it is important that they are staying safe in the sun!

Risks of Sun Exposure (From the NHS) 

- Dehydration (not drinking enough water - remember to stay hydrated!) 

- Overheating (particularly common with those who are vulnerable, as it is harder for them to regular their body temperature) 

- Heat Exhaustion/Heatstroke. Symptoms of as follows: Headache/Dizziness, Loss of Appetite, Feeling Sick, Excessive Sweating/Pale Skin, a High Temperature, Being Thirsty & Fast Breathing/Pulse.

If you are experience these symptoms after being out in the sun, it is likely that you have Heatstroke. In this case, cool your body down as quickly as you can, re-hydrated your body (drink lots of water), move out of the sun/heat and move somewhere cool. 

How to Keep Yourself Cool 

Here are some ways that YOU can keep cool in this UK Heatwave.

- Avoid exercising during the hottest part of the day, which is
between 11.00am – 3.00pm. Try and keep inside during these hours so that you're not in direct sunlight (during the warmest part of the day). This will also reduce your chance of getting sunstroke. 
- During this time, if you are outdoors, try to keep out of the sun and sit or walk in the shade instead.
- Also if you are outside, remember to wear sunscreen and a wide brimmed hat, to prevent later suffering from heatstroke. 
- Take a cool shower can help, as well as regularly sprinkling water over the skin or clothing, or applying a damp cloth on the back of your neck; to help get your body temperature down and to cool down. 
- Drink plenty of fluids to ensure you stay hydrated and avoid excess alcohol (as this will de-hydrate you). 

How to Keep Your House Cool 

Keeping your house cool can help stop you from becoming overheated.

- For rooms that face the sun, close the curtains to help keep rooms cooler.
- Although it can be tempting to open the windows during the day, in order to keep your house cool, keep the hot air out. Then at night, once the temperature has dropped outside, you can open
the windows to allow fresh air to circulate round the house and cool it.

If you would like some more advice on how to keep safe during the summer, and this Heatwave we're currently experiencing in the UK, go to the NHS website here - https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/heatwave-how-to-cope-in-hot-weather/