It’s a bit warm, isn’t it! We like to see the sunshine, but when temperatures stay this high for days, it can quickly become exhausting for both body and mind.
As a massage therapist in Bristol, I often talk to clients about the importance of rest, recovery and listening to your body, especially during very hot weather. Keeping cool is not only about comfort, it can also help support better sleep, lower stress levels and overall wellbeing.
Here are six simple tips for staying cool during a heatwave:
1. Keep curtains closed
Keeping curtains and blinds closed during the hottest parts of the day helps stop rooms from heating up and keeps indoor spaces cooler for longer.
2. Frozen tea towel
Get a clean tea towel, wet it, wring it out and place it in the freezer for a little while. It has an incredible cooling effect when draped around the neck or placed on the body.
3. Cold hot water bottle
Fill a hot water bottle with cold water and remove the fabric cover so it’s just the plastic bottle. It stays cool for longer and is less soggy than using a frozen towel.
4. Hydration matters
Hydration is absolutely essential, and it can be easy to lose track of how much water you’ve had. I personally find it really helpful to fill up a one litre water bottle at breakfast and refill it several times during the day. It makes it much easier to keep track of how many litres I’ve actually had compared to trying to remember the number of cups or glasses throughout the day.
It’s also important to think about replacing salts and electrolytes, since we lose a lot more water as sweat during hot weather. Rehydration sachets are great because they help the body absorb fluids more effectively and support hydration levels.
5. Stay out of the sun between 11am–3pm
The middle of the day is usually when temperatures are at their highest. If possible, try to stay in the shade or indoors during these hours to avoid overheating and dehydration.
6. Go easy on yourself
Heatwaves make everything feel more tiring. Give yourself permission to slow down, take breaks and not try to do it all at once. Rest is productive too.
Keeping cool at night
Keeping a room cool at night is especially important because, as we’ve often discussed here, sleep plays such a vital role in our health and wellbeing. Cooler temperatures help improve sleep quality and allow your body to properly recover and restore itself.
During intense heat, it’s useful to close the windows, draw your curtains, and sometimes even cover large windows from the outside with shutters or reflective coatings to maintain a cooler temperature inside your house.
Later on, it’s nice to open a window and feel an evening breeze roll in, but do keep in mind that air flows from cool spaces into warmer spaces, so this will only have a cooling effect if the outdoor air temperature is lower than the temperature inside your house.
If it’s airflow you want, use a fan inside. This can also be used to draw air from outside into your house (just make sure it’s cooler).
Although hot weather is uncomfortable at times, it also brings some benefits. Many people, especially arthritis sufferers, report that their joints feel easier in warmer temperatures. Muscular tension can also soften a little more naturally in the heat. It can also be an opportunity to slow down from our often busy lives where we try to fit so much into every day.
I’m quite used to working in warm temperatures. Festivals immediately come to mind, especially Being Gathering in Portugal, as well as massaging on beautiful terraces in Santorini. That being said, when working with clients in Bristol, I do everything I can to keep my treatment room cool and comfortable with curtains closed, fans on and plenty of ventilation.
If you’re looking to relax, release tension and take care of yourself during the warmer weather, feel free to contact me today to find out my availability for massage treatments in Bristol.
