The weather in London is possibly the most unpredictable in the world. Though the months of June to August are practically summer, you never know when the heat wave will hit or when it will finish, but when it does, boy is it hot! Sometimes, it even feels as if the air got sucked out of the city, and that everyone took off to the parks, streets, pools, and puddles at the same time. It feels as if the population of London has doubled overnight, and many daily experiences such as taking the underground turn to a suffocating nightmare.
So, to maximise your precious time in the sun, here are 10 ways to keep you and your loved ones safe and cool this summer while you load up on vitamin D. We give you our top tips to stay safe and enjoy that London summer:
Check the forecast
Before making any plans, check the forecasted weather to see if there is an excessive heat wave coming, so you can prepare and buy what you need on time. Sometimes, the rain or even a thunderstorm would creep up on the middle of a perfect summer day, so check before your leave the house.
Drink water
Keep yourself, your kids, and your pets hydrated. Drink more fluids, regardless of how active you are. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. If you have one of these water bottles that helps you monitor how much you drunk each hour, then this is the time for it.
Find air conditioning
Most London houses and flats are not built for high temperature and do not come with air-cons. So, if your home does not have air conditioning, try to get a fan, preferably in advance, as the main department stores tend to run out of stock quickly when there is a heat wave. If you don’t want to get a fan, you can spend your time in a cool building such as shopping malls or public libraries. Even a few hours spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat. Keep in mind that while electric fans may provide comfort, when the temperature is higher than usual, they will not prevent heat-related illness.
Keep your house cool
You can keep your house cooler by insulating it and covering your windows with drapes or shades. In worst case, you can use window reflectors such as aluminium foil-covered cardboard to reflect the heat back outside. If you have windows on different sides of your house or flat, try to open them on the different sides to create a cooler air flow. If you have infants, try putting them in water pools often to cool them down.
Dress appropriately and wear sunscreen
Sunburn affects your body’s ability to cool down and can make you dehydrated. If you must go outdoors, protect yourself from the sun by wearing loose, lightweight, light-coloured clothes, open toed shoes such as sandals or flipflops, wide-brimmed hats, and protective sunglasses. Putt on a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher 30 minutes prior to going outside during the day. Sunscreen (also known as sunblock) wears off, so be sure to reapply it every two hours and after swimming, sweating, or towelling off. I use SPF 30 for myself and my kids.
Eat light
Hot and heavy meals add heat to your body. Try adding fresh fruits and vegetables to your meals and snacks as they are full of natural juices and will help keeping you hydrated.
Plan where to enjoy the sun
Identify the cool spots to enjoy your time under the sun, royal parks are a sanctuary during the summer, as there is plenty of shading for everyone, many cafeterias to fill up water from, and few provide pools, puddles, or even a beach such as Hyde Park that turned the Diana Fountain into a pool and park of the lake into a beach. This article has some great suggestions. Before you go to your destination, plan your commute, so your fun day doesn’t turn into a suffocating drag.
Avoid strenuous activities
High heat and outdoor activities don’t always mix well. Though tempting to spend the full day sucking up the sunshine given the few sunny hot days in London, try to limit your outdoor activity to when it’s coolest: morning and evening hours, avoiding going out between 11am and 4pm. Take frequent breaks in shady areas so your body has a chance to recover.
Check on your family and friends
Older adults, children and people with chronic medical conditions are at high risk from heat related injury and death. Also, keep your phone nearby, in case you need to get help from anyone. Overusing the phone in the heat tend to cause your device’s battery to overheat and can switch itself off, try to keep your devise away from the direct sun.
Never leave pets or people in a car
Did you know that when it is only 26 degrees, your car’s interior can reach 47 degrees Celsius in just 20 minutes?Leaving anyonein a parked car on warm days is dangerous. Infants and children are especially in danger of getting a heat stroke or dying.
And most of all, try to enjoy it while it lasts, we don’t get many of these days after all!
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