AFTER what feels like the longest, wettest and coldest winter and spring, finally the great British Summertime has arrived.
And almost instantly, it is too hot!
The mercury is expected to hit 33C in some areas this week, and many of us will be heading straight to our local parks and beaches to soak up some long-hoped-for rays.
But the Met Office and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have issued a yellow heat health alert for most of England for the next few days.
Officials say temperatures could reach a level which may impact vulnerable people, for example those over the age of 65 or people with chronic health conditions.
This may have knock-on effects in the health and social care sector.
Whatever the temperature outside – be it minus five or 35C – the body needs to stay in a very tightly controlled temperature range, between about 35C and 37.5C.
Think how unwell you feel when you have a fever, which is not much higher!
This thermoregulatory control is called homeostasis and the body has mechanisms to try to keep itself at the correct temperature.
We shiver when we are cold and when we are too hot we become thirsty, encouraging us to drink.
We also sweat to try to lose heat, and the blood vessels in the skin dilate and widen in order to radiate out heat.
But if the body's temperature control mechanisms become overwhelmed you may become more seriously unwell.
What are the health risks of a heatwave?
Officially, a heatwave is an extended period of hot weather relative to what you’d expect of the area at that time of year.
Thresholds vary by region. The maximum daily temperature in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, northern England and South West England needs to be 25C or over for at least three days running.
This rises to 26C and 27C into central and eastern England, and 28C for Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Greater London and Berkshire.
As temperatures creep up this week, it’s likely many areas will experience their first certified heatwave of 2025.
While very welcome by most of us, this does carry some health risks.
Heatstroke can be – and is – fatal
Dr Philippa Kaye
Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are two conditions related to the hot weather, but they don't just occur outside.
If your home is too hot they can occur inside as well.
They are more likely to happen in older adults, as well as babies, toddlers and those with chronic health conditions such as diabetes.
If you have a bowel condition which causes diarrhoea, such as Crohn's disease, you may be more vulnerable, or if you are someone who is very physically active in the heat.
And remember that babies or people who are more unwell may not even be able to tell you what they are feeling.
Heat exhaustion vs. heatstroke
In heat exhaustion, the body is working hard to cool down.
Your body temperature might rise to around 38C, and symptoms include feeling very sweaty, thirsty, tired or dizzy.
You may notice that you don't feel hungry, or feel nauseous, and you have abdominal pain, diarrhoea or even cramping in your limbs.
If you go to the toilet, your urine may be dark and concentrated, and you might not be producing very much.
Signs of heat exhaustion
HEAT exhaustion does not usually need emergency medical help if you can cool down within 30 minutes.
The signs include:
- Tiredness
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Feeling sick or being sick
- Excessive sweating and skin becoming pale and clammy or getting a heat rash, but a change in skin colour can be harder to see on brown and black skin
- Cramps in the arms, legs and stomach
- Fast breathing or heartbeat
- A high temperature
- Being very thirsty
- Weakness
- Diarrhoea
If you notice these symptoms in yourself or someone else, go inside, out of the sun, preferably into a cooler area.
You can use a fan to cool the room, take off clothes and drink cool fluids. If you feel sick drink a little at a time.
You can even use sponge down with a cool flannel.
Hopefully you will feel better quickly, generally within about half an hour.
But if there’s no improvement after 30 minutes or if you worsen, your heat exhaustion may have progressed into heatstroke, which is a medical emergency.
In heatstroke, the body's systems which it uses to try to keep you cool have become overwhelmed and stop working. Your temperature may rise to over 40C.
Symptoms include a headache, nausea and vomiting – which makes you lose even more fluid – and very rapid breathing and pulse rate.
In heat exhaustion, there is lots of sweating, but in heatstroke, sweating stops.
You may also notice confusion, irritability and agitation. If left untreated there can be seizures and loss of consciousness.
Heatstroke can be – and is – fatal.
How to treat heatstroke - and when to call 999
HEATSTROKE is a medical emergency, so get inside and call 999 for an ambulance.
Stay with the person, who may not be able to help themselves. Try to remove clothes if possible and lie the person down.
Use a cool flannel and sponge them down and use a fan to try and help them lose heat by evaporation.
If they are conscious and able, try to encourage them to drink. If they lose consciousness, put them into the recovery position while you wait for an ambulance.
Signs of heatstroke include:
- Still being unwell after 30 minutes of resting in a cool place, being cooled and drinking fluids
- A very high temperature
- Hot skin that’s not sweating and might look red (this can be harder to see on brown and black skin)
- A fast heartbeat
- Fast breathing or shortness of breath
- Confusion and lack of coordination
- A seizure or fit
- Loss of consciousness
How to avoid heatstroke and heat exhaustion
Heatstroke and heat exhaustion are more likely outside in the sun, but they can also happen outside of direct sunlight in a hot room.
Try to keep your home cool, but remember this doesn't necessarily mean opening the windows!
If it is hotter indoors than out, for example at night, open windows to let the cool air in.
But if it is hotter outdoors than in, keep them shut and close curtains to try to keep the heat out.
Wear loose clothing, preferably made of natural fibres, and a hat, and stay out of the sun when it is at its hottest, between 11am and 3pm.
Make sure that you are staying hydrated. Keep drinking, though preferably not alcohol!
Even though drinks like coffee and tea contain caffeine, which is a diuretic and can make you urinate more, the volume you drink is likely to compensate for this.
Cool drinks are often more palatable in the hotter weather, and don't forget that ice lollies and fruit like watermelon can help you keep up your fluid intake.
And while it won't stop you getting heatstroke, remember to apply sunscreen to protect your skin.
Look for a high SPF lotion, between 30 and 50, with a high star rating to protect against both UVA and UVB rays. Apply generously and reapply regularly.
What does the UVA star rating on sun cream mean?
THE star rating for sun cream bottles was developed to illustrate the balanced protection that a product offers against both UVA and UVB rays.
The index ranges from 0 to 5 stars. These indicate the percentage of UVA radiation absorbed by the sunscreen in comparison to UVB.
The higher number of stars means the more balanced that protection is.
You may also see the letters ‘UVA’ in a circle, which means the product has been approved by the EU.
It is another way of saying that the product provides good balanced protection against UVA and UVB.
Why should people care about choosing a sunscreen with high SPF and high UV protection?
Extended exposure to the sun can lead to skin damage, experts say.
There are four types of skin damage: skin ageing, hyperpigmentation, sunburns, and skin cancer.
“By protecting yourself from the sun, you reduce the likelihood of damaging your skin,” the British Association of Dermatologists says.
“Make use of the shade during the hours of high intensity (11am and 3pm in the UK typically), wear clothing that will shade your skin, and use sunscreen with at least SPF30 and either the UVA logo or 4 to 5 stars, making sure you're applying it well and re-applying it regularly.”
Source: British Association of Dermatologists
