I have spent most of my life around heat. Australian summers do not ask permission, and you learn early that the sun is not your friend if you treat it carelessly. What always stuck with me is how seriously we take it back home, from the warnings on the radio to the slip, slop, slap drilled into every kid before they can spell it.
Right now the UK and much of Europe are going through something similar. The Met Office has issued rare red extreme heat warnings, June temperature records have fallen across England and Wales, the nights are barely cooling below twenty degrees, and hosepipe bans are coming into force. A lot of people are facing this kind of heat for the first time, so we have put together a quick guide to getting through the summer in one piece, whether you are at a festival, out in the city, or just trying to sleep.
One thing before we start. None of this is about ruining your summer. It is about making sure you get all of it. And the single most important line in the whole piece is this: it is always ok to ask for help, and you should keep an eye on each other at all times. Look after your mates, and let them look after you.
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New Trentemøller album is comingDrink water, and keep drinking it
Hydration is the whole game. Your body loses fluid fast in the heat, especially if you are moving or dancing, and you will be dehydrated before you feel thirsty. Carry a refillable bottle and sip steadily through the day rather than gulping it down in one go. Use the free refill points at events, and remember that water-rich foods like watermelon and cucumber help top you up too.
Stay out of the worst of the sun
The hours between roughly 11am and 3pm are when the sun does the most damage. Find shade, take breaks indoors or under cover, and do not feel you have to be out in it the whole time. At home, closing curtains and blinds on the sunny side of the house during the day keeps rooms noticeably cooler.
Cover up properly
Sunscreen is not optional. Use a high factor, apply it often, and do not skip it on overcast days. Add a hat, sunglasses with UV protection, and light, loose, breathable clothing in pale colours. This is the slip, slop, slap we grew up with in Australia, and it works because it is simple.
Adapt your day around the heat
Move the things that matter to the cooler parts of the day. Early mornings and evenings are for walking, exercise, and anything physical. Walking the dog at midday is a bad idea, and the simple test is that if the pavement is too hot for your hand, it is too hot for their paws.
Plan before you go
If you are heading to a festival or event, do your homework first. Know where the medical tents, welfare teams, water points, and exits are before you need them. Sort out how you are getting home while you are still thinking clearly. Knowing the layout means you can act quickly if something goes wrong.
Use the buddy system
Stick with your friends and check in on each other regularly. Agree a meeting point in case you get separated, and share your location on your phones. You will often spot that something is wrong with a mate before they notice it themselves, so stay close and stay aware. Being the one who speaks up, even for a stranger, can make a real difference.
Pace the drinking
Alcohol dehydrates you and hits harder in the heat, so it is never a substitute for water. Alternate every drink with water, eat proper meals rather than just snacks, and know your limit. Plenty of bars and festivals now run low and no-alcohol options, and there is no shame in taking them.
Keep an eye on your drink
Drink spiking is real, and the heat and the crowds make it easier to get careless. Never leave a drink unattended, do not accept one you have not seen poured, and use a cap or cover if you have one. Watch your friends’ drinks as well as your own, and if a drink has been left, leave it.
Learn the signs of dehydration
Dehydration creeps up on you. Watch for a dry mouth, dark urine, headaches, dizziness, muscle cramps, and tiredness. If you or someone else shows these, get into the shade, sip fluids slowly, and skip the alcohol and caffeine until you feel right again.
Know heat exhaustion when you see it
Heat exhaustion is more serious. The signs are headache, dizziness or confusion, feeling sick, pale clammy skin, cramps, and a fast pulse. Move the person somewhere cool, lie them down with their legs raised, give them water or an isotonic drink, and help them cool down. If they are not improving within half an hour, seek medical help.
Treat heatstroke as an emergency
If someone becomes confused or unresponsive, stops sweating despite the heat, has a very high temperature, or has a seizure, this is heatstroke and it is a medical emergency. Call emergency services straight away and cool them down while you wait. This is not the moment to wait and see.
Be careful around water
When it is this hot, lakes, rivers, and the sea are tempting, but cold water shock is a genuine risk even on a warm day. Get in slowly to let your body adjust, never swim alone, and if you get into trouble, float on your back until it passes. Several of the deaths in this heatwave have happened in the water, so this one matters.
Wear shoes you can actually stand in
You will be on your feet for hours, so wear shoes you have already broken in and that give you proper support. If you are in wellies, pack long socks. Throw a few plasters or blister pads in your bag, and put them on before the rubbing starts rather than after.
Look out for the people who feel it most
Heat is hardest on the very young, the elderly, people with health conditions, and anyone sleeping rough. Check on older relatives and neighbours, make sure children are drinking and covered up, and never leave a person or an animal in a hot car, not even for a minute.
Listen to your body and ask for help
In a crowd or a mosh, the moment you feel too hot, too squashed, or faint, get yourself out and take a break. There is no prize for pushing through it. The first aid and welfare teams are there for exactly this, and using them is the smart move, not the weak one. To say it one more time, it is always ok to ask for help, and the best thing any of us can do is keep an eye on each other.
Heat is there to be enjoyed, not feared, but it should never be underestimated. Get the basics right, look after each other, and you will remember this summer for the right reasons.
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