How to keep cool in a heatwave: 25 tips from the people who know best, from a Rio lifeguard to an Egyptian archaeologist

Luis Pacherrez Antón is president of Agroperu Cooperative, a democratic collective of 102 small-scale farmers in the Chira River valley, Peru. He is based in Piura, known as “the city of eternal heat” because it stays hot and dry all year round. “The sun rays start to shine very early – from 9am,” he says. “So as people who work in cultivation, under a burning sun, we stay comfortable by starting much earlier and consuming the healthy foods that we produce, like bananas, oranges, lemons, grapes, papayas and avocados.” Obada Almaitah, a diving instructor and course director in Aqaba, Jordan, says that summer temperatures regularly reach 40C, and can exceed that during heatwaves. “The sun is very strong, humidity is generally low and UV levels are high for much of the year, so I schedule physically demanding tasks during the early morning whenever possible.” When temperatures soar, flip your schedule to do chores before work – and forgo that weekend lie-in; instead, mow the lawn or lug shopping home first thing. Tour guide Despina Savvidou has been leading visitors around the Acropolis of Athens for 48 years. She has witnessed first-hand the difference climate breakdown has made. “It’s like I’m in another country,” she says. “Thirty or 40 years ago, 32C was very hot; now 32C is normal. Two years ago, we had a heatwave that lasted two weeks.” Savvidou advises people to book on to her earliest tour – before the Acropolis even opens. “We have a tour that begins at 7.45am. We give a short introduction, and as soon as the doors open we go in. Between 8am and 10am – even if it’s 40C – it’s OK.” Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink This is a common tip from people who work in the baking sun, like Egyptian archaeologist Dr Zahi Hawass, who has worked at sites in the Nile delta, the Western desert and the Upper Nile valley. “The weather in Egypt during the summer is extremely hot, especially at archaeological sites such as Saqqara,” he says. “I make sure to drink water regularly while working outdoors. In the heat, it’s important not to wait until you feel very thirsty, but to keep drinking throughout the day.” Sherene M El-Sioufi, a doctor in pulmonary and sleep medicine, lives and works in Jeddah, which experiences some of the hottest and most humid conditions in the world. She says: “In Saudi Arabia, many people drink laban, a yoghurt-based drink that provides hydration and electrolytes. The key is to drink consistently.” Sip, don’t guzzle “We tell people to drink little by little: at 10am take two sips, at 10.15am two more,” says Savvidou. “I have at least 15 glasses of water a day, but slowly.” Luiz Eduardo Dos Santos Nascimento, a lifeguard in Rio de Janeiro, where temperatures can exceed 40C during heatwaves, says: “I always keep a water bottle nearby and stay constantly hydrated during my shift.” John Napolo, a wildlife protection services manager at Etosha Heights Wildlife Monitoring Unit in Namibia, where summer temperatures can exceed 40C, says: “Each ranger carries five litres of water for the day. We drink three or four and pour the remainder on our heads when the heat is too much.” Tip water on your head Speaking of which, Prof Ollie Jay, director of the Heat and Health Research Centre at the University of Sydney, recommends this approach to cool down quickly: “When you apply water to the skin it evaporates, which cools you down, because it does the same job as sweating, but without the physiological stress of having to sweat. If you drink half your water and tip the other half over yourself, you get much more effective cooling.” Dr Youssouf Moussa of the International Organization for Migration in Obock, Djibouti oversees humanitarian operations in a region facing extreme heat – in the week we speak a heat alert warns that temperatures could reach 53C. He uses “practical methods such as lightly wetting clothes, which helps cooling through evaporation”. To quickly cool an adult or child so they are comfortable enough to sleep, El-Sioufi suggests “a cool damp cloth on the neck, wrists or forehead”. ... Or ice your neck Wondered why tennis players sit with ice towels around their necks? Jay and his team came up with an extreme heat policy for Tennis Australia. “Our studies showed that ice towels cool a relatively large area of the body in a small window, as a player spends just 80 seconds sitting in their chair.” Simply wrap crushed ice cubes in a rolled up wet towel and place it around your neck. Take warm showers For a speedy refresh, Savvidou swears by “a warm shower – no Greek person has a cold shower and most of us get under the water two or three times a day. I shower at 10am, again at 4pm, just to refresh without soap, and again before bed.” El-Sioufi also advises taking a shower before bed – a lukewarm one. “Many people assume a cold shower is best, but a lukewarm shower allows the body to cool gradually.” Michael Haindongo, a guide at Etosha Heights, who patrols this Namibian wildlife reserve daily, walking up to 500km (311 miles) a month and living in a camp in the bush for three-month rotations, takes a bedtime lukewarm shower, and when the temperature soars: “I wet a large towel and lie on it, and keep windows and doors open if there’s no threat from animals.” He describes how houses in his village are naturally ventilated as they are thatched with grass and walls are made from wood, which is “semi open”. He also says “the Ovahimba people apply red ochre on their faces and any body parts exposed to the sun”. This natural cosmetic, made from butterfat and red ochre, provides protection against UV rays, thanks to high iron oxide content. ... Or play in a bucket 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, “one of the best things is immersion. It doesn’t need to be total, just getting their legs into a bathtub – 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 – it shouldn’t have to be freezing cold, just cool.” Down tools at peak times “For humanitarian teams, rest is essential to stay safe and effective when working outside for extended periods in extreme heat,” says Moussa. “From noon until 3pm we limit movements to what is strictly necessary, although in case of an emergency, we remain fully available.” Haindongo isn’t “too sure if there’s such a thing as feeling comfortable working in the heat – we tolerate it, and would rather work early mornings and afternoons, or if necessary by moonlight.” Federica Salvo, who runs the Giardino della Kolymbethra garden in Sicily, notes a similar approach: “Sicily holds the record for the highest temperature ever recorded in continental Europe – 48.8C on 11 August 2021.” She describes how Sicilians felt “overwhelmed” during that heatwave. “It was hard to work, or to concentrate on anything.” Fortunately, there are rules in place to protect people. “Throughout 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.” Eat light, a little later “If you have a big dinner, you suffer – you sweat and you don’t sleep,” says Savvidou. “On a hot day, for dinner I’ll have apricots, cherries and banana in yoghurt with raisins. For lunch, we cook vegetables – green beans, okra, peppers, aubergine – 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’s it – no potatoes, no rice, no pasta.” Carmen Vallejo Carmona, a grandmother in Seville – known as the frying pan of Spain thanks to sweltering summer temperatures – says her hot weather diet is “based around salads and cold dishes. The gazpacho in our town is more liquid, drunk from a glass. We also eat salmorejo (another chilled Andalucían soup), boquerones en vinagre (marinated anchovies), vegetables and the occasional ice-cream. Lunch is late – normally between 2pm and 3pm – and dinner is after 9pm, once the worst of the heat is gone.” Moussa says: “In 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 typical breakfast includes lahooh, a soft flatbread, with tea and water. On the coast near Obock, Red Sea fish grilled Yemeni-style is very common.” Eat to hydrate, too Dr Rashmi Sarkar is a dermatologist in New Delhi, where summer daytime temperatures commonly reach 42-45C. She says: “Traditional 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.” Almaitah says: “During long diving days, I replace electrolytes naturally through foods such as melon, cucumbers, tomatoes and yoghurt.” Nascimento notes that “it’s common in Rio for people to consume coconut water, natural juices and chilled fruit”; while Napolo says: “Some rangers have traditional knowledge of plant roots and tubers that can give you extra water.” If you want a root veg with a high water content for salads, radish is 95% water, while celeriac, carrot and beetroot are all 88%. Remember, less isn’t always more “One of the biggest misconceptions is that less clothing is better,” says El-Sioufi. “Many traditional practices – including wearing loose, flowing garments – evolved for a reason. They provide excellent protection from direct sunlight while allowing air circulation.” Napolo agrees: “The best way to stay cool is to be completely covered – long sleeves and trousers, and something to cover your face. The key is to have light, loose layers that allow airflow as you move.” Savvidou opts for cotton trousers that “are so wide you don’t know where the leg is, a loose shirt, and no belts. People think they need everything open in the heat, but this isn’t wise because you get dehydrated.” Duong and Van, Vietnamese grandparents who live in Nam Dinh, where it’s very hot and humid, also cover up. “At 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’s made of cotton.” Moussa also opts for light, loose, breathable clothing that protects the skin while allowing air to circulate. “In 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.” Don’t forget accessories 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, “but it’s 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.” Duong and Van say battery-powered fans have taken off in Vietnamese cities but “people still use paper fans, and some use the traditional Vietnamese hat as a fan”. For Vallejo Carmona, her traditional hand fan “comes everywhere with me. It’s a very Sevillano thing.” She also opts for “light footwear, preferably made of leather, so the foot can be naked and fresh”. Stop fantasising about air con If you were guiltily Googling the cost of installing an air-conditioning unit mid-heatwave, Jay has news for you: “There are many more sustainable ways to cool down. We have AC at home, but we haven’t 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’re lying on a bed, a ceiling fan is probably best; if you’re at a desk, a pedestal fan.” Salvo concurs: “When it’s very hot, I sleep with the fan on. I try to avoid the air con.” Shutter up You’ve heard all about closing the curtains, but here’s how it’s viewed where it has been a custom for generations. Salvo says: “In 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.” Romel Bernal, an architect in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where recent temperatures have reached 38C, has a nifty tip: “Blackout curtains help a room retain its temperature when not in use during the day, while light-coloured linen materials offer a cooling effect – and if you mist them with water, the evaporation keeps them cool.” Get a thermometer Schwandt recommends investing in a thermometer “to get an objective measure of when it’s OK to open windows”. Jay agrees, saying, “We’ve 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’s cooler outside than in, and when that flips, we shut the windows.” Sit under a tree As the climate heats up, nature can provide excellent relief. “The temperature on our forecast is measured in the shade, so if you’re out in the sun you’re exposed to 12 to 15 degrees higher heat load when you take into account the extra radiation,” says Jay. “Sitting 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.” It’s why, says Haindongo, when the heat gets too much, “I lie under a tree, or climb to the hilltop for the breeze.” ... Or create shade with canopies and drapes “You can achieve a microclimate in any home by taking advantage of natural resources, like plants and trees that create shade and absorb the impact of the heat. Landscape design has gone from being a luxury to being essential,” Bernal says. Vallejo Carmona describes how internal patios in many houses in Seville are “covered by thick fabric to create shade and coolness, and the council covers some streets with awnings to avoid the direct sun and create shade”. Jay notes that while you can create shade in your garden, you must couple it with decent ventilation. “Some people create shade that blocks the prevailing wind, and then you get hot, because there’s no airflow.” Think sails or awnings, but choose heavy fab