What is heatstroke? And how to avoid it.

Heatwaves are becoming more common in the UK, and while lots of us welcome the sunshine, hot weather can also be a serious health risk. Heat exhaustion and heatstroke can actually be killers, so it’s really important to know the signs and symptoms to look after, and how to stay cool when the UK hots up.

Who is most affected by hot weather?

Hot weather means your body has to work harder to keep its core temperature normal, and this puts extra strain on your heart, lungs and kidneys.

A heatwave can affect anyone, but the most vulnerable people are:

Older people – especially those over 75 and female, and those who live on their own or in a care home
Babies and toddlers, who can’t control their own core temperature
People who have a heart condition or other serious or long-term illnesses - including lung and kidney disease, circulatory conditions, diabetes and Parkinson’s disease
People with mental health conditions, including those with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, who might not realise when they’re getting too hot
People with drug or alcohol addictions, or those on lots of medications that can cause dehydration or mask heat-related symptoms
Homeless people who can’t get away from the heat outdoors
People who work outside, like construction workers or gardeners.

What is heat exhaustion?

Heat exhaustion happens when you get too hot and dehydrated and start to feel poorly as a result. The NHS advises¹ it does not usually need emergency medical help if you can cool down within 30 minutes.

What are the symptoms of heat exhaustion?

Symptoms of heat exhaustion include:

Feeling tired and weak
Feeling dizzy
Feeling or being sick
Headache
Excessive sweating
Pale, clammy skin
Flushed skin or a heat rash² – raised, prickly-feeling red spots
Cramps in the arms, legs and stomach
A high temperature
Being very thirsty

Small children might also be irritable and fussy, refusing food, or just not themselves.

How do you treat heat exhaustion?

You can manage heat exhaustion yourself by taking steps to cool down and rehydrate.

Move to a cool place
Remove as much clothing as possible – including jewellery and socks
Drink water or a sports or rehydration drink
Cool skin by spraying water or using ice packs, wrapped in a cloth and pressed to the armpits or neck
Make sure you’re with someone if you’re feeling ill - or stay with someone you think has heat exhaustion in case their symptoms get worse.

What is heatstroke?

Heat exhaustion can turn into heatstroke - which IS a medical emergency.

What are the symptoms of heatstroke?

With heatstroke, someone will have the symptoms of heat exhaustion, but these won’t subside within half an hour of resting in a cool place and drinking lots of fluids.

Other symptoms include:

A very high and/or rising temperature – above 40 degrees
Hot, dry skin that’s not sweating and looks red – although this can be harder to see on brown or black skin
A fast heartbeat
Shortness of breath or fast, laboured breathing
Confusion or delirium/restlessness
Lack of co-ordination
Seizure or fit
Loss of consciousness.

It’s really important to call 999 if you suspect someone has heatstroke, and stay with them until help arrives. Try and keep them as cool as possible with cold water, fans, and shade.

How do you treat heatstroke?

Heatstroke needs to be treated in hospital. When the body gets too hot for too long people are at risk of multi-system organ failure. They need to be cooled down quickly with ice water immersion, ice packs or chemical cold packs - and monitored carefully.

How do you avoid heatstroke – and stay cool in hot weather?

Here’s our ten top tips for dealing with hot weather:

Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water, the colder the better. Try and avoid tea, coffee and alcohol, especially later in the day when they might disrupt your sleep even more than the heat.
Eat cold foods – and stock up on supplies like ice lollies if you know a heatwave is on the way.
Use water – get in a cool shower, spray your skin with cold water, wet down your clothes - or use a sponge or ice packs to cool yourself down.
Dress appropriately in loose, cotton clothing. Try and avoid synthetic fabrics that cling or make you sweatier.
Try and say out of the sun, particularly between 11 and 3 when it’s at its hottest. Find shade or stay inside if possible, and if it isn’t, make sure you’re covering up or wearing suncream.
Keep your living space cool. Keep curtains shut indirect sunlight and open windows at night to let cool air inside. Use fans to keep air circulating, or put a bowl of iced water in front of them for even cooler airflow.
Start from your feet. Stick your feet in a washing up bowel of ice, or try dampening a pair of socks and popping them in the freezer for an hour. Cold feet can cool your entire body down fast - and offer relief from the heat.
At night, try taking a cool shower before bed and not drying yourself completely, so your skin is still damp when you lie down. Take your duvet out of the cover and use it as a sheet, and sleep downstairs or lower in the house if your top floor is too hot.
Make sure children are kept cool with things like waterplay, and keep them hydrated with plenty of drinks and foods with lots of water content – like cucumbers, tomatoes and ice lollies. At night, check the temperature of their rooms to make sure it’s not getting too hot.
Check on elderly relatives or neighbours too, in case they need help to set things up to beat the heat.

How your Equipsme plan can help

If you or someone you know starts to feel unwell in the heat, our nurse support line with health information is a great port of call for more advice and support. It’s staffed with nurses, midwives and pharmacists, on hand to help with a whole host of summer health issues, from hayfever to sunburns. They can tell you how to look after someone who’s had too much sun, and when it’s time to seek further medical help.

Find out more about how to use the nurse support line

Useful references and resources for further advice: