FEMAIL reveals the best methods to beat the heat this summer – including a jacket that can keep you cool…yes, really!
- Antonia Hoyle advises on how to keep cool throughout this year’s heatwave
- She suggests freezing water in a hot bottle to beat the heat when sleeping
- Gadgets including the Makita Fan Jacket, £101, can help to stay cool on the go
- Antonia also unveils the best solutions for caring for pets during hot weather
Has this week’s heatwave already left you dreading the sweltering weather still to come? Our bodies aren’t accustomed to intense periods of heat, and neither our homes nor offices are equipped to cope either.
Yet with the thermometer expected to reach an astonishing 40c (104f) today we need to be prepared. From frozen slippers to jackets with fans, ANTONIA HOYLE shows how to beat the heat…
ICE SLIPPERS FOR HAPPY FEET
In hot temperatures blood vessels in the feet expand to allow heat to escape through the skin, with one study finding feet can swell by as much as half a size.
Antonia Hoyle advises on how to keep cool throughout summer, the Makita Fan Jacket (pictured) blows air around on the inside to keep body temperature cool
Mahabis Summer Slippers (£67, mahabis.com) are designed to be worn inside and out. The woven, glue-free upper gives feet unobstructed airflow to battle sweaty summer feet.
Or try Rapid Relief Reusable Cold Slippers (£14.75, amazon.co.uk) straight from the freezer. ‘Contour-gel’ technology means they stay flexible even when frozen and they’re getting rave reviews online.
COOL GADGETS FOR THOSE ON THE GO
There’s no end to high-tech heat-busting devices, not least the Techniche KewlShirt Evaporative Cooling Tank Top (£58.99, healthand care.co.uk). Place in a bowl of water before wearing.
The waterproof inside keeps you dry while the outside air makes the water slowly evaporate, giving a cooling effect.
The battery-powered Makita Fan Jacket (from £101, amazon.co.uk, contains a twin-fan pack which blows air around the jacket — presumably compensating for the rise in body temperature from wearing the thing in the first place.
BEAT THE HEAT FOR A GREAT SLEEP
A hot water bottle really can help — fill it up, then freeze it. Herbal remedy company Kalms Night suggests putting your sheets in bags to chill in the fridge before bed. Sleeping alone is preferable, says Neil Robinson, chief sleep officer of bed company Sealy UK: ‘Not only are partners more likely to disturb you, the extra body heat can make it even harder to sleep.’
He advises using a cotton sheet rather than a duvet to allow more circulation, and leaving your feet out.
Experts believe hot drinks can keep you cool by stimulating the brain to produce more sweat (file image)
AIR CON SALES ARE WARMING UP
The UK is finally catching on to air conditioning. Sales of A/C units rose 11 per cent between 2017 and 2018.
Smart home company BOXT is offering a next day air conditioning delivery and installation service, from £1,595. For lesser budgets, Dyson sells a fan that claims to multiply air flow by 15 times for £249.
CAN A HOT CUPPA KEEP YOU COOL?
hot drinks can cool you down. Experts believe nerves in the mouth respond to the heat of a hot drink, stimulating the brain to produce more sweat, which causes some body heat to evaporate.
…AND WHAT ABOUT YOUR HOT DOGS?
dogs with light skin pigment or short hair should be covered in suncream, says Stuart Simons of pet grooming company FURminator. ‘Pay special attention to the tips of their ears and top of their nose,’ he says.
Animal charity Blue Cross warns that hot temperatures can leave cats at risk of fatal heatstroke and advises freezing tuna brine or low-salt chicken stock to make feline lollies.
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