Coping in a heatwave

little things we can do to keep cool.

Photo by duy duy on Unsplash

Those of us living in the UK right now will know that we are experiencing our third heatwave of the summer, temperatures of over 35°C have been recorded for the first time ever, and we are not prepared. Railway tracks are melting and our buildings are hotter than ever. Other European countries are also experiencing significantly higher temperatures. Right now in Liverpool it is cooling a little and is now a higher than average 28°C but it is still hot.

We are living in a climate emergency and everyone just acts like they are thankful that we have some warm weather for a change. This is not normal and we shouldn’t act like it is. It has been predicted that over the next 20years temperatures will rise by 10°C which will be devastating for our land, our economy and will almost certainly cause deaths. As individuals we need to be reducing our plastic waste, driving less and using public transport or walking/cycling where possible, eating sustainably (less meat and dairy) and shopping more consciously (buying secondhand clothes and shopping locally) as well as doing what we can to make sure that Government tackles the climate emergency by keeping them accountable on their promises.

For those of us living with chronic illness, we know all too well the problems that extreme heat can cause. Those of us with ME/CFS and Long Covid can experience worsening dysautonomia, orthostatic intolerance and worsening PEM symptoms. Our, already faulty, internal thermostat needs to work overtime and can lead to dizziness, fainting, dehydration, brain fog and exhaustion. Many of us (if n ot all) are confined indoors for the duration, unable to leave the house.

Here are some tips to help you navigate this heatwave, and cope with the rising temperatures, wherever you are:

Pacing and Rest

Don’t feel guilty for resting more than usual. It will likely be impossible for you to continue doing some of your regular activities, and your energy levels will need to be significantly reduced to avoid PEM. Avoid going outside during peak temperatures, and stay in the shade when you do go out.

Electrolytes

Something I was completely unaware of until this heatwave, but taking electrolytes can help reduce orthostatic intolerance and manage blood volume. Adding just a bit of Himalayan Sea Salt to your water can massively help you feel hydrated, but there are nice tasting electrolytes out there if you can’t stand the taste of salty water. It is important that we replace lost minerals such as Magnesium, Potassium and Sodium and most people with chronic illness use these regularly. I have now jumped on board and am fully hydrated properly, phew!! Key tip - look at the colour of your pee, it needs to be straw coloured (pale yellow) if it is dark yellow you are dehydrated and need to drink more, if it’s clear, you may be drinking too much but not necessarily properly hydrated.

Cooling

Aircon can be a lifesaver, but the UK really isn’t designed for heat so most houses do not have any. You can buy portable units but these are expensive so we need to resort to make do methods. Close your windows during the day, and draw your blinds or curtains, you can air out in the evening when it is cooler. Use fans, damp towels and cooling pads to keep yourself cool while you rest. A good tip is to put a bowl of water in front of your fan so that when it blows it cools the water in front of it and that makes it even cooler - but I haven’t tried this one yet!

Food and Drink

Make sure you are eating well, try not to skip meals if you can help it, our bodies need nutrients and without them we may make things worse. Find easy to cook meals, and don’t worry if that means you need to resort to pre-packed ready meals during this time.

A couple of extras

Don’t feel guilt for resting more than usual

If you do need to go out then make sure you wear light cotton clothing and plenty of sunscreen, take a hat, sunglasses and portable fan with you wherever you go.

Make other people aware of your limitations and think about reducing your usual time limits to try and reduce the chances of getting PEM.

I used to love the sunshine and I really hate that having chronic illness means I need to stay indoors more to avoid feeling worse, I really don’t like watching others enjoying the sun when I can’t but so much of ‘life before’ has been taken away from us it is par for the course now. I hate the mental gymnastics I already to when planning activities to have these increased in warmer months is frustrating, but it is necessary and getting it right can help us ensure we will not relapse or have a serious crash.

I know that those of you with chronic illness will know all of this already, and I am aware I am preaching to the choir on this one, but maybe, just maybe someone out there does not know - I did not know about electrolytes until another kind substacker informed me of them - so you never know. I also think that these tips are things our care-givers and family members need to be aware of too, so it is important we advocate for ourselves.

I went out on Saturday for the first time all week, mostly because I knew I was going to an event at an art gallery with aircon. But, I had to carefully manage my time in the sun, I dressed appropriately, took extra precautions and made sure I had my water bottle with me at all times. However, I didn’t realise that there was a rugby match on locally and that would mean increased traffic on public transport, which led to a rather stuffy and squashed experience on the short train journey home. If I had known then I would have waited a little longer before coming home, and also not felt coralled onto the train by other people when it was already very full. I did not speak up, and in hindsight that was an error. Next time (if there is one) I will know better.

Stay cool fellow Spoonies and take are of yourselves!!

If you have any tips and tricks for coping in the heat that I have missed out then do share, the chronic illness communty thrives when we support one another!

I am writing a book! I have written the bones of two chapters and I am really enjoying the process. It will be a memoir about my lived experience of trauma and how I found healing from the negative and unhelpful belief systems I picked up along the way. I hope that, when it is finished, it will be a book that will enable others to find hope and possibility for themselves in as they read it. I am manifesting it being a best seller, because why not?!

I also have a zine which I published recently, of poems with a chronic illness theme, it is available in my ko-fi shop as a physical zine or digital download.

Thats all for this week,

Until next time

Lisa x