Amber and yellow heat-health alerts are in force across England as temperatures are expected to reach a high this week, potentially hitting 34C or higher in southern parts of England by Monday. The predicted heat means that there could be some uncomfortable nights in store for many. While the Met Office is forecasting spells of rain across Northern and Western areas, the South and East is expected to reach heatwave thresholds this week and a series of heat health alerts are currently in force until 8pm on Tuesday, June 23. An amber alert covers Southern and Eastern England, while a yellow alert has been issued for the Midlands, meaning temperatures could impact on health and wellbeing.
Additionally, the Met Office has issued an amber warning for extreme heat on Monday and Tuesday for the East of England, London and South East England, South West England and Wales, with people urged to stay out of the sun between the peak heat of the day, between 11am and 3pm.
Households urged to close windows and doors until 8pm
The warmth and high humidity is also likely to make getting a restful night’s sleep more difficult over the coming days, as the majority of homes in the UK are designed to lock in warmth. As such, cooling rooms down in bouts of hot weather can be a tricky task, but there is a very simple way to help bring temperatures down - and it simply requires removing winter bedding.
By now, most households will have already switched to a summer duvet, but if you stored away your winter bedding in your bedroom, this could actually be causing your room to trap more heat and preventing airflow.
Expert advice on storing winter bedding
Max Wilson, storage expert and Pocket Storage co-founder, explains: “One of the biggest mistakes people make is leaving winter duvets, spare blankets and bulky bedding in the bedroom long after temperatures start rising. These materials tend to retain heat, which can make a room feel warmer even when they’re not in use.”
Instead of storing winter duvets and blankets in your bedroom, it is best to remove these during the warmer months and store them elsewhere in your home. Max added: “Vacuum-packing or storing items in a cool, dry space helps keep bedrooms feeling lighter and more comfortable in hot weather. Keeping a bedroom comfortable during a heatwave isn’t just about cooling it down, it’s about preventing heat from building up in the first place. Improving airflow, reducing clutter and removing heat-retaining materials can all make a noticeable difference.”
“With amber heat-health alerts in place and temperatures set to remain high this weekend, small changes in the bedroom could make the difference between a restless night and a far more comfortable sleep.”
