The UK is bracing for another heatwave, with temperatures expected to reach 35 degrees Celsius in some areas this week. As people seek ways to stay cool, a scientist has weighed in on the debate over whether hot or cold drinks are more effective for cooling down.
Hot Drinks Can Cool You Down
Obomate Briggs of the NewScientist outlined six straightforward methods to prevent overheating, starting with a counterintuitive tip: drink hot drinks. "I know this sounds counterintuitive, but drinking hot drinks will make you sweat, and the heat lost by sweating is more than enough to compensate for the heat gained," she explained in a TikTok video.
Avoid Caffeine and Large Meals
Briggs advised staying away from caffeine, recommending herbal tea or weak black teas instead. "Caffeine increases metabolic heat and is a diuretic, so will make you pee more, which will dehydrate you," she said. She also suggested avoiding large meals high in protein and fats, as they take longer to digest, diverting blood to the intestines and away from the skin where it can lose heat.
Makeshift Air Conditioner and Ice Water
For those still struggling, Briggs shared a simple trick: place a tub of ice behind a fan. "In this extreme heat, a fan basically acts like a fan-assisted oven, just blowing hot air around. But if you put a tub of ice behind, it kind of forms a bit of a makeshift air conditioner," she said. This works because fans draw air from behind and push it forward; if the air is chilled by ice, it will be cooler when circulated.
She also recommended putting hands and feet in icy water, as they have many capillaries that act as radiators, cooling the blood and subsequently lowering body temperature.
Cold Shower Before Bed
Briggs noted that UK homes are not built to keep heat out, making sleep challenging. "We recommend taking a cold shower before bed. This will increase your body's capacity to take on a heat load during the night and help you sleep, which is important because the lack of sleep affects your thermoregulatory system," she advised.
Temperatures Across the UK
According to Netweather.tv, London and Kent are expected to experience the hottest conditions, with temperatures reaching 33 degrees. Other areas like West Sussex, East Sussex, Surrey, and Kent are also forecast to hit 33 degrees. Oxford and Gloucester may see 32 degrees, while Dorset, Somerset, Cambridge, and Leicester could reach 31 degrees. South Yorkshire is also predicted to reach 31 degrees. Scotland and Northern Ireland are expected to be cooler, with highs around the mid-20s.
The Met Office's outlook for Wednesday to Friday states: "Cloudy and rain start to clear across the north with some outbreaks across western Scotland. Fine and dry elsewhere with plenty of sunny spells and staying hot in the south."
