The latest lifestyle, fashion and travel trends
The latest lifestyle, fashion and travel trends
Britain is readying itself for some of the hottest temperatures of the year with the mercury expected to soar above 30C this weekend.
A heatwave currently gripping Europe is expected to cause temperatures to peak at 34C in London and the east of England on Saturday.
And the high heat only means one thing for us Brits – plenty of sticky, restless nights ahead to look forward to. Oh, the joys.
But doesn’t mean you have to put up with the discomfort and suffer as a “one-day heatwave” hits the UK. Here, we’ve compiled some top tips to help you cope with the heat to prep your way to a comfortable and cool night’s sleep.
1. Sleep in cotton bedsheets
Save the silk sheets and furry throws for autumn. Cotton bed linens are light and breathable, meaning you can encourage airflow into your bedroom.
2. Unplug any appliances
The thought of not charging your phone at night might sound unbearable, but laptop and phone chargers, even when idle, can produce unwanted heat. Unplug your appliances before you go to bed to keep your room cool through the night.
3. Take a cool shower
A cool bath or shower before bed can lower your body temperature, making it easier to relax in a warm room. Avoid freezing showers, however, as these can be overly stimulating and wake you up.
4. Make your own breeze
Invest in a silent electric fan to add an extra breeze and make sure there is regular air flow in the room. If you put a bowl full of ice cold water or ice cubes in front of it, it will pick up the cold moisture as the ice melts and circulate it around the room.
5. Freeze your bedsheets
Vintage Seaside UK Snaps – In pictures
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Two women playing leapfrog on the beach at Broadstairs in Kent in 1927
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2/26
A novel bar in the shape of a teapot on Blackpool Beach in 1934
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3/26
A donkey kissing a woman on the beach at Lowestoft (circa 1926)
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4/26
A motorcycle beach conveyor for transporting people along the beaches on the Isle of Man in 1927
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5/26
An ice cream vendor wearing waders sells Bailey’s ice cream to two women bathing in the sea at Brighton in 1939
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6/26
A child with a dog plays by the water in 1948
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7/26
A romantic couple relax in their deckchairs on the beach at Great Yarmouth in 1913
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8/26
A crowd on the beach at the popular resort of Blackpool in 1920
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9/26
Children run with the waves on the beach at Clacton in 1922
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10/26
Two children enjoying a donkey ride on the sands at Blackpool (circa 1910)
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11/26
Girls on holiday play a game of beach cricket at Clacton in 1933
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12/26
The esplanade at Weymouth, Dorset, circa 1900. Bathing machines can be seen on the beach in the background
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13/26
Bathing belles paddling at Southend-on-Sea in 1919
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14/26
A woman on a bicycle tows a chain of roller-skaters along a seaside promenade (circa 1935)
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15/26
Fun and games on the beach at Hastings in 1923 during an outing from Ticklers’ jam factory
Getty Images
16/26
Holiday makers have a piggy back race on the beach at Shanklin on the Isle Of Wight in 1928
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17/26
Bathers enjoy a swim at Hastings in 1939
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18/26
The Sands at Ramsgate in 1878
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19/26
Members of the Brighton Swimming Club take advantage of an early summer to visit the beach in 1925
Getty Images
20/26
A class of girls from the Orchard Junior Girls School, Hackney, London, enjoying the novelty of art lessons on the beach at Broadstairs in 1933
Getty Images
21/26
Two beach goers enjoy the surf at Felixstowe in 1928
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22/26
People play mini golf course by Scarborough beach in 1925
Getty Images
23/26
Children make sandcastles on a beach by the Thames in 1939
Getty Images
24/26
Day trippers on Scarborough Beach in 1936
Getty Images
25/26
A couple enjoy a boat rise in 1922
Getty Images
26/26
A group of ladies brave the waves on a British beach in 1892
Getty Images
1/26
Two women playing leapfrog on the beach at Broadstairs in Kent in 1927
Getty Images
2/26
A novel bar in the shape of a teapot on Blackpool Beach in 1934
Getty Images
3/26
A donkey kissing a woman on the beach at Lowestoft (circa 1926)
Getty Images
4/26
A motorcycle beach conveyor for transporting people along the beaches on the Isle of Man in 1927
Getty Images
5/26
An ice cream vendor wearing waders sells Bailey’s ice cream to two women bathing in the sea at Brighton in 1939
Getty Images
6/26
A child with a dog plays by the water in 1948
Getty Images
7/26
A romantic couple relax in their deckchairs on the beach at Great Yarmouth in 1913
Getty Images
8/26
A crowd on the beach at the popular resort of Blackpool in 1920
Getty Images
9/26
Children run with the waves on the beach at Clacton in 1922
Getty Images
10/26
Two children enjoying a donkey ride on the sands at Blackpool (circa 1910)
Getty Images
11/26
Girls on holiday play a game of beach cricket at Clacton in 1933
Getty Images
12/26
The esplanade at Weymouth, Dorset, circa 1900. Bathing machines can be seen on the beach in the background
Getty Images
13/26
Bathing belles paddling at Southend-on-Sea in 1919
Getty Images
14/26
A woman on a bicycle tows a chain of roller-skaters along a seaside promenade (circa 1935)
Getty Images
15/26
Fun and games on the beach at Hastings in 1923 during an outing from Ticklers’ jam factory
Getty Images
16/26
Holiday makers have a piggy back race on the beach at Shanklin on the Isle Of Wight in 1928
Getty Images
17/26
Bathers enjoy a swim at Hastings in 1939
Getty Images
18/26
The Sands at Ramsgate in 1878
Getty Images
19/26
Members of the Brighton Swimming Club take advantage of an early summer to visit the beach in 1925
Getty Images
20/26
A class of girls from the Orchard Junior Girls School, Hackney, London, enjoying the novelty of art lessons on the beach at Broadstairs in 1933
Getty Images
21/26
Two beach goers enjoy the surf at Felixstowe in 1928
Getty Images
22/26
People play mini golf course by Scarborough beach in 1925
Getty Images
23/26
Children make sandcastles on a beach by the Thames in 1939
Getty Images
24/26
Day trippers on Scarborough Beach in 1936
Getty Images
25/26
A couple enjoy a boat rise in 1922
Getty Images
26/26
A group of ladies brave the waves on a British beach in 1892
Getty Images
It might sound drastic, but putting your sheets and pillows into bags and popping them into the freezer half an hour before bedtime is one of the most satisfying warm weather rituals you can do. By the time you unpack them, they’ll feel gloriously cold.
6. Open the windows an hour before you go the bed
Providing you keep the curtains or blinds drawn to keep the sun off the windows, opening the windows will help to get the air circulating and let in some welcome breezes as the temperature starts to drop later in the evening.
And if all else fails, Londoners, take solace in the fact that at the weekend you can always sneak in an extra hour in bed.
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