Staying cool in a UK heatwave
What actually works — and what to do first.
Right now
Tonight: sleeping in the heat
The bedroom is where most people feel a heatwave most acutely. Heat rises during the day and the room rarely cools until well after midnight — often not enough. A few things make a meaningful difference.
Cool the room before you get in. Running a fan for 20–30 minutes before bed drops the temperature noticeably. A fan on the floor pulling cooler air up from under the door is more effective than one pointed at the ceiling.
Your pillow matters more than you'd expect. Head and neck are where most body heat escapes during sleep. A standard polyester pillow traps it. The Silentnight Cool Touch Pillow uses a gel-infused cover that stays noticeably cooler against your face — it's cheap enough to try and most people notice a difference on the first night.
Fan choice matters for sleep. Any fan will help, but noise becomes an issue after an hour. The MeacoFan Sefte Pro 10 runs at 25dB on its lowest setting — quiet enough that most people stop noticing it within minutes. It's also cordless, which means you can position it anywhere without cable constraints. The ANSIO tower fan costs significantly less and includes a timer — useful if you only need airflow for the first few hours.
Keeping your home cooler
Blackout curtains are one of the most effective things you can do before a heatwave arrives. A room that has had direct sun all afternoon can be 4–6°C warmer than one that was shaded. Blackout curtains block both light and radiant heat — the thermal backing is the key feature to look for.
For rooms that get genuinely hot, a fan alone won't be enough if the air itself is too warm. An evaporative cooler works differently — it pulls air through water-soaked pads, dropping the temperature by 3–5°C at close range. Best used near an open window for airflow. The Mini Air Cooler is a compact option for desk or bedside use.
If you have a dog
Dogs overheat faster than people and can't tell you. The pavement test is a useful rule: if you can't hold the back of your hand on the pavement for 5 seconds, it's too hot to walk your dog on it. Early morning or late evening walks are almost always safer during a heatwave.
Indoors, a gel-filled cooling mat gives dogs somewhere genuinely cooler to rest. They self-activate from body weight — no freezing or water needed. Keep fresh water close and place the mat somewhere shaded.
Find somewhere cool near you
Sometimes the simplest option is to leave the house. Air-conditioned libraries, shopping centres, cafes and pubs are often overlooked — they're free (or low cost) and much cooler than most homes during peak heat. The map has 629 confirmed venues across the UK.
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