With summer just around the corner, the risk of heat waves is increasing too. Last year, which was officially the warmest year in the 175-year observational record, showed us that we should be bracing ourselves for unbearably hot temperatures over the years to come. We remind you of some guidelines to keep in mind during the next heat wave.
“The clear signs of human-induced climate change reached new heights in 2024, which was likely the first calendar year to be more than 1.5°C above the pre-industrial era, with a global mean near-surface temperature of 1.55 ± 0.13 °C above the 1850-1900 average. This is the warmest year in the 175-year observational record. The State of the Global Climate 2024 report underlined the massive economic and social upheavals from extreme weather and the long-term impacts of record ocean heat and sea-level rise,” the World Meteorological Organization wrote in March 2025.
While it is too early to say wether or not we will surpass the 2024 records in 2025, heat waves will be part of our future for many among us. In order for you to stay safe this Summer, we made an overview of five key points to keep in mind.
1. Dress for the occasio
When dressing during a heat wave, try to opt for loose-fitting, thin, breathing clothes. While every material has his downsides, linen and bamboo seem to be the best option to stay cool. If you’re opting for tighter fit, fabrics with texture are betting at keeping you cool than smooth ones.
Some synthetic materials, including nylon, function well too but they aren’t everyone’s favourite as they do tend to retain odour. Many brands are currently working on so-called cooling materials – which might become a great option in the future – but wetting your clothes whenever possible might be the best trick at the moment.
Choosing the right clothes during a heat wave isn’t just a matter of staying cool outside, it is also a way of limiting climate change over the years to come. According to research by Inside Science, it allows us to turn up the air conditioning by 2°C, which has a considerable impact on global emissions.
@kellyydoan as a Florida girl, these are the outfits I survive the heat in IB: @Anastasia Gerrans #summer #outfit #classystyle #outfitinspo ♬ original sound – tati ✰
2. Pay attention to what you eat and drink
Staying hydrated during a heatwave, especially when you spend a lot of time exposed to the sun and high temperatures, is an art in itself. If you’re someone who doesn’t drink until you’re really thirsty, try and change this as quickly as possible as the feeling of thirst indicates you’re already running low on fluids.
Advice on how much you should drink highly fluctuates. For example, the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine consider 3.7 liters per day for men and 2.7 liters per day for women to be a good amount of fluid intake, while the Mayo Clinic advises to drink around 250 ml of water every 15 to 20 minutes during a heatwave when you’re in a hot environment.
Overall, it’s important to try and drink water as much as possible (avoid caffeine and alcohol) and to keep an eye on your urine. If your urine is transparent or slightly yellow, everything should be fine.
As far as food goes, there are several ways to limit your risk of overheating. Eating less caloric is an easy way to stay cool, as your digestion system will have to be less active, thus creating less heat in your body. Surprisingly, eating spicy food may also help, as it makes you sweat, which in turn cools your body down. As cooking generally generates heat, opting for easy, healthy recipes requiring limited cooking is a great way of keeping your head cool.
@texasgardening 3 super simple caffeine-free non-alcoholic (almost fully) from-the-garden cooling drinks to stay hydrated in a heat wave. #heatwave #hydration #gardening101 #caffeinefree #nonalcoholicdrink #summer #toohot #🔥 #texasgardening ♬ original sound – JennieGardens
3. Keep your home as cool as possible
While some of us might have air conditionings keeping their home cool at all times, many don’t and will thus need to adapt their way of living to keep temperatures inside bearable. And while your first might be to open all windows and let your house air all day long, this isn’t necessarily a good idea.
First of all, try to have an accurate idea of both the inside and outside temperatures. If it’s hotter outside than in, keep your windows closed, as well as your shutters or curtains. If you have a fan and some idea packs or cubes, you can cool down the air when needed by putting the ice in front of the fan for some instant relief, for example when it’s still too hot to sleep. If it’s impossible to keep your home cool, the World Health Organization advises spending a couple of hours per day in a cooler place, such as an air conditioned public building.
Once it’s cooler outside than in, it’s time to open up your house and create as much airflow as possible. This can be done by opening windows that are situated across from one another or, if this is not possible due to the layout of your home, you can use a fan to increase the breeze.
If you’re a homeowner and you feel like your house is heating up too easily during Summer, even when applying these tricks, you might want to look into insulating your home for the future. The right insulation of your walls and roof will help to keep temperatures bearable and will also make it easier to heat your home during Winter.
@earthtopia Who’s doing number 3? 👀 #heatwave #airconditioner #summertime #globalwarming #ecohacks ♬ Aesthetic – Tollan Kim
4. Cool you body responsibly
As we’ve said before, wetting your clothes is an excellent way of cooling your body. However, you can go even further by taking a swim or taking a semi-cold shower, which will keep you cool for a while even once you’re done. When swimming, however, pay attention to your safety. Taking a dive in cold water can spark reflexes that can cause you to drown, even when you’re a very skilled swimmer.
Other than water, of course, shade is your best friend. Try to stay out of the sun as much as possible and always prefer natural shade over manmade shade such as an umbrella. Forests and other naturally shaded spaces are excellent places to cool down.
@misskatieruns Running in a heatwave?? There’s officially a UK heatwave warning in June 2025 and so runners you NEED to watch this so that tou don’t actually MELT on your hot run. Youll get sweaty for sure when you’re running in a heatwave. But here are my 3 top tips I bet you won’t have heard before to keep cool when you’re running in the heat. I love number 2 💦 Hit save for your summer running and follow for more running tips #heatwave #runninginheat #summerrunning #runningtips #beginnerrunning #CapCut ♬ original sound – Katie | Running tips
5. Limit your moves
Whether you’re inside or outside, limiting your exercise on a hot day can make a real difference. Jogging, cycling or any other kind of intense physical activity should be avoided during the hottest hours but other forms of movement shouldn’t be neglected either.
@misskatieruns Running in a heatwave?? There’s officially a UK heatwave warning in June 2025 and so runners you NEED to watch this so that tou don’t actually MELT on your hot run. Youll get sweaty for sure when you’re running in a heatwave. But here are my 3 top tips I bet you won’t have heard before to keep cool when you’re running in the heat. I love number 2 💦 Hit save for your summer running and follow for more running tips #heatwave #runninginheat #summerrunning #runningtips #beginnerrunning #CapCut ♬ original sound – Katie | Running tips
For example, hoovering inside your home, mowing the lawn or loading boxes can be just as exhausting while you might be less conscious about it. Moreover, when getting active inside, also think about the fact that that activity will increase the overall temperature.
