How to beat the heat, experts share lifesaving tips

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than 700 people die from extreme heat every year in the United States. Older adults, young children, pregnant women, people with long-term health conditions and anyone spending hours outdoors need the strongest protection, while official guidance in England and the United States points to the same core rules: get out of the heat, stay hydrated, keep homes cool and act quickly if warning signs appear.

Who needs the most protection

Heat can make anyone unwell, but older adults, young children and people with chronic medical conditions face a higher risk of heat exhaustion and heatstroke. The CDC warns that warmer temperatures can also push ozone levels higher, adding another layer of strain during hot spells.

People who work outside or spend long stretches in physical exertion are also at higher risk: farm and agricultural workers, construction workers, landscapers, military personnel and athletes are all in higher-risk settings. Someone who can move meetings, shut the blinds and rest indoors has far more control than a field worker, a delivery rider, a renter in a hot top-floor flat or a family without air conditioning.

What to do before symptoms start

The safest move is to keep out of the heat if possible. In England, that advice sits inside the Heat-Health Alert service, which runs from June to September as part of the Weather-Health Alerting system. UKHSA updated its “Beat the heat: staying safe in hot weather” guidance on 20 May 2026, and the NHS says its hot-weather advice was last reviewed on 12 June 2026.

Stay in the shade, especially between 11am and 3pm, when the sun is strongest. Drink fluids regularly, keep homes cool and do not wait until you feel unwell to slow down. If you are responsible for an older neighbor, a relative with a long-term condition or someone living alone, check in early and often. On 23 June 2026, UKHSA said checking on vulnerable people and following public health guidance can save lives.

For people trying to make a hot home bearable, the goal is to lower the temperature in the space you actually use, not to grit your teeth and hope it passes. That is especially important in buildings that trap heat, where tenants may have little control over ventilation or cooling equipment. When outside temperatures remain high, the overnight hours matter too, because a room that never cools down leaves the body with no real recovery time.

Know the warning signs and treat them seriously

Watch for the warning signs of heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Those signs include dizziness, heavy sweating, nausea, fainting, confusion and loss of consciousness. Heatstroke is a medical emergency, and the fastest way to lose precious time is to assume a person will perk up after a glass of water or a few minutes in the shade.

If someone becomes confused, passes out or stops responding normally, that is not a situation to monitor casually. Seek urgent help right away. Do not wait for a crisis to escalate, and do not treat heatstroke like a routine summer complaint.

Why the alerts matter

The Met Office updated an Amber extreme heat warning on 20 and 21 June 2026 for most of southern England and southeastern Wales, later extending it to eastern Wales and much of the Midlands. The warning flagged possible impacts to people and infrastructure, with water safety as a particular concern. Postpone strenuous outdoor plans, check on people who may struggle to cool down and avoid assuming that a sunny day is harmless because it is still bright after dinner.