\u2026 Or play in a bucket<\/p>\n
The village of Lytton in British Columbia became the hottest place ever in Canada for three days running in June 2021, reaching 49.6C. Dr Michael Schwandt is a medical health officer in the region. He says that to quickly cool small children, \u201cone of the best things is immersion. It doesn\u2019t need to be total, just getting their legs into a bathtub \u2013 or even a bucket. Similarly, placing cool, damp cloths on the body can help it to evaporate heat. That could be a flannel, a muslin or a lightly damp T-shirt \u2013 it shouldn\u2019t have to be freezing cold, just cool.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor humanitarian teams, rest is essential to stay safe and effective when working outside for extended periods in extreme heat,\u201d says Moussa. \u201cFrom noon until 3pm we limit movements to what is strictly necessary, although in case of an emergency, we remain fully available.\u201d Haindongo isn\u2019t \u201ctoo sure if there\u2019s such a thing as feeling comfortable working in the heat \u2013 we tolerate it, and would rather work early mornings and afternoons, or if necessary by moonlight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Federica Salvo, who runs the Giardino della Kolymbethra garden in Sicily, notes a similar approach: \u201cSicily holds the record for the highest temperature ever recorded in continental Europe \u2013 48.8C on 11 August 2021.\u201d She describes how Sicilians felt \u201coverwhelmed\u201d during that heatwave. \u201cIt was hard to work, or to concentrate on anything.\u201d Fortunately, there are rules in place to protect people. \u201cThroughout summer, work is prohibited from 12.30pm to 4pm in the construction and agriculture sectors, and during working hours workers are encouraged to take long breaks in the shade.\u201d<\/p>\n
Photograph: Franck Allais\/The GuardianEat light, a little later<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you have a big dinner, you suffer \u2013 you sweat and you don\u2019t sleep,\u201d says Savvidou. \u201cOn a hot day, for dinner I\u2019ll have apricots, cherries and banana in yoghurt with raisins. For lunch, we cook vegetables \u2013 green beans, okra, peppers, aubergine \u2013 in olive oil with feta cheese and serve it with a big salad. In Greece, there is no meal without a salad. For lunch today, I grilled fish and served it with a salad of cucumber and tomatoes, and that\u2019s it \u2013 no potatoes, no rice, no pasta.\u201d<\/p>\n
Carmen Vallejo Carmona, a grandmother in Seville \u2013 known as the frying pan of Spain thanks to sweltering summer temperatures \u2013 says her hot weather diet is \u201cbased around salads and cold dishes. The gazpacho in our town is more liquid, drunk from a glass. We also eat salmorejo (another chilled Andaluc\u00edan soup), boquerones en vinagre (marinated anchovies), vegetables and the occasional ice-cream. Lunch is late \u2013 normally between 2pm and 3pm \u2013 and dinner is after 9pm, once the worst of the heat is gone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Moussa says: \u201cIn extreme heat we avoid heavy meals, especially at midday. Instead, we focus on light, water-rich foods and drink plenty of fluids, including tea. A\u00a0typical breakfast includes lahooh, a soft flatbread, with tea and water. On the coast near Obock, Red Sea fish grilled Yemeni-style is very common.\u201d<\/p>\n
Eat to hydrate, too<\/p>\n
Dr Rashmi Sarkar is a dermatologist in New Delhi, where summer daytime temperatures commonly reach 42-45C. She says: \u201cTraditional Indian diets include many foods considered to be cooling and hydrating: yoghurt, chaas [buttermilk], coconut water, fresh fruits such as watermelon and mangoes, and cucumbers. Drinks such as lemon water, jaljeera [a spiced beverage], aam panna made from raw mango, [cordials such as] khus and sattu are popular because they help replace fluids and electrolytes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Almaitah says: \u201cDuring long diving days, I replace electrolytes naturally through foods such as melon, cucumbers, tomatoes and yoghurt.\u201d Nascimento notes that \u201cit\u2019s common in Rio for people to consume coconut water, natural juices and chilled fruit\u201d; while Napolo says: \u201cSome rangers have traditional knowledge of plant roots and tubers that can give you extra water.\u201d If you want a root veg with a high water content for salads, radish is 95% water<\/a>, while celeriac, carrot and beetroot are all 88%.<\/p>\n Remember, less isn\u2019t always more<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the biggest misconceptions is that less clothing is better,\u201d says El-Sioufi. \u201cMany traditional practices \u2013 including wearing loose, flowing garments \u2013 evolved for a reason. They provide excellent protection from direct sunlight while allowing air circulation.\u201d Napolo agrees: \u201cThe best way to stay cool is to be completely covered \u2013 long sleeves and trousers, and something to cover your face. The key is to have light, loose layers that allow airflow as you move.\u201d Savvidou opts for cotton trousers that \u201care so wide you don\u2019t know where the leg is, a loose shirt, and no belts. People think they need everything open in the heat, but this isn\u2019t wise because you get dehydrated.\u201d<\/p>\n Duong and Van, Vietnamese grandparents who live in Nam Dinh, where it\u2019s very hot and humid, also cover up. \u201cAt home we wear shorts, loose dresses, vests, and men are topless, but when travelling by motorbike, people wear a full outfit on top of their normal clothes that covers their whole body, face and hands. It\u2019s made of cotton.\u201d Moussa also opts for light, loose, breathable clothing that protects the skin while allowing air to circulate. \u201cIn Djibouti, traditional clothing is well adapted to the heat. Women often wear pygama, a long, loose, lightweight dress, while men wear the futa, a cotton wrap that allows airflow.\u201d<\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget accessories<\/p>\n Sarkar wears sunglasses with UV protection, and when outdoors for longer periods a broad-brimmed hat, scarf or dupatta (long, shawl-like cloth), and she carries an umbrella. Savvidou would love to carry a parasol, \u201cbut it\u2019s windy on the Acropolis, and we lose them. Hats make you sweat, so we wear visors, because they protect your face from the sun, but your head is in the air.\u201d<\/p>\n Duong and Van say battery-powered fans have taken off in Vietnamese cities but \u201cpeople still use paper fans, and some use the traditional Vietnamese hat as a fan\u201d. For Vallejo Carmona, her traditional hand fan \u201ccomes everywhere with me. It\u2019s a very Sevillano thing.\u201d She also opts for \u201clight footwear, preferably made of leather, so the foot can be naked and fresh\u201d.<\/p>\n Stop fantasising about air con<\/p>\n If you were guiltily Googling the cost of installing an air-conditioning unit mid-heatwave, Jay has news for you: \u201cThere are many more sustainable ways to cool down. We have AC at home, but we haven\u2019t turned it on in years. We installed ceiling fans, which work a treat. The more airflow you get across the skin the better, so if you\u2019re lying on a bed, a ceiling fan is probably best; if you\u2019re at a desk, a pedestal fan.\u201d Salvo concurs: \u201cWhen it\u2019s very hot, I sleep with the fan on. I try to avoid the air con.\u201d<\/p>\n skip past newsletter promotion<\/a><\/p>\n Sign up to Inside Saturday<\/p>\n The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend.<\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n Shutter up<\/p>\n You\u2019ve heard all about closing the curtains, but here\u2019s how it\u2019s viewed where it has been a custom for generations. Salvo says: \u201cIn Italy, tradition has taught us to close the shutters during the day to keep the house dim and shield it from the sun, keeping it cooler. We then open the windows early in the morning and in the evening when the air cools down.\u201d<\/p>\n Romel Bernal, an architect in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where recent temperatures have reached 38C, has a nifty tip: \u201cBlackout curtains help a room retain its temperature when not in use during the day, while light-coloured linen materials offer a cooling effect \u2013 and if you mist them with water, the evaporation keeps them cool.\u201d<\/p>\n Get a thermometer<\/p>\n Schwandt recommends investing in a thermometer \u201cto get an objective measure of when it\u2019s OK to open windows\u201d. Jay agrees, saying, \u201cWe\u2019ve installed a temperature sensor inside and another outside so we can look at the difference. That way, we can keep the windows open when it\u2019s cooler outside than in, and when that flips, we shut the windows.\u201d<\/p>\n Sit under a tree<\/p>\n As the climate heats up, nature can provide excellent relief. \u201cThe temperature on our forecast is measured in the shade, so if you\u2019re out in the sun you\u2019re exposed to 12 to 15 degrees higher heat load when you take\u00a0into\u00a0account the extra radiation,\u201d says Jay. \u201cSitting under a tree is a nice way of getting shade. Grass also dampens the absorption of radiation, which is another moderating effect. Depending on the type of tree, you have the evapotranspiration effect, where water in the leaves evaporates and reduces ambient temperature by a couple more degrees celsius.\u201d It\u2019s why, says Haindongo, when the heat gets too much, \u201cI lie under a tree, or climb to the hilltop for the breeze.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2026 Or create shade with canopies and drapes<\/p>\n \u201cYou can achieve a microclimate in any home by taking \u00a0advantage of natural resources, like plants and trees\u00a0that create shade and absorb the impact\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0heat. Landscape design has gone from being a luxury to being\u00a0essential,\u201d Bernal says. Vallejo\u00a0Carmona describes\u00a0how internal patios in many\u00a0houses in Seville\u00a0are \u201ccovered by thick fabric to create shade\u00a0and\u00a0coolness, and the council covers some streets with awnings to avoid the direct sun and create shade\u201d.<\/p>\n Jay notes that while you can create shade in your garden, you must couple it with decent ventilation. \u201cSome\u00a0people create shade that blocks\u00a0the\u00a0prevailing\u00a0wind, and then you get hot, because there\u2019s no airflow.\u201d Think sails or awnings, but choose heavy\u00a0fabrics, as \u201csome fabrics let radiation through because they\u2019re not a tight enough weave,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Use mulch<\/p>\n Salvo says increasing temperatures are changing the way people garden. \u201cGardeners and farmers are increasingly using mulch to reduce evaporation. By practising this ancient method, we can increase soil water retention, protect roots from extreme heat and provide plants with more nutrients. We are also choosing more drought-resistant species, such as olive trees, lavender, rosemary, sage and Mediterranean native plants.\u201d<\/p>\n Start \u2019em young<\/p>\n Australia has been incredibly successful at bringing skin cancer rates down among younger people, while here in the UK they are continuing to increase<\/a>. It\u2019s why starting some basic rules early is a great idea. \u201cWhen Australian kids go to school, they have wide-brimmed hats and are not allowed to go out in the playground if they don\u2019t have them on,\u201d says Jay. \u201cThese very strong rules around sun safety start as early as five, and by the time you\u2019re an adult, putting sunscreen on is like putting your underpants on \u2013 everybody does it every\u00a0day.\u201d<\/p>\n Photograph: Franck Allais\/The GuardianStay safe in the water<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1782374049_327_500.jpg\")
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