Britain isn’t known for its hot weather, even in summer, however us Brits know that the sun can shine here when it wants to, and it can get pretty hot, reaching 38 degrees in the past couple of years.

While warm weather is a pleasure, and a stunning tan is desirable, it is vital to stay cool. What if there was a nuclear explosion and you had to stay indoors for a few weeks in the height of summer? Maybe you’ve are forced to bug out into the great outdoors during a heat wave with a low supply of water?

Heatstroke, heat exhaustion, dehydration, and hyperthermia are extremely unpleasant and they can cause untold damage to the body when you get too warm. So here are some top tips and advice for preppers in order to stay cool in warm weather.

Make Hydration A Priority

You must drink plenty of water, in fact lots of it. Sweating is the way that your body functions in order to cool itself down. Sweating is the body’s way of staying at a comfortable temperature, this is the body’s regulated state (or homeostasis).

Iced water is a good idea if your freezer is still working, although most liquids are better than nothing if you don’t particularly like water. Diuretics like coffee or other caffeine infused drinks can do the opposite that you need in warm weather. They actually dehydrate the body so limit these or exclude them from your diet entirely, it’s only a temporary measure while the weather’s warm.

You certainly don’t want to be dehydrated as it will simply make you ill. Water is an essential part of staying hydrated and hopefully you have prepared large supplies for a SHTF event so that you don’t run out of the wet stuff.

Cool The Body Down

If you must exercise outdoors or do your survival chores like collecting water and chopping wood, keep it to early mornings or later evenings when the temperatures are cooler. Drink lots and lots of water or liquids throughout the day and night to cool your body down.

If you are lucky enough to still have water during a serious SHTF event, sit in a bath of cold water, or jump in a river to bring your body temperature down. A river flowing in a shady area will probably be icy cold even in summer, but refreshing.

Overall, move less in warm weather to avoid unnecessary overheating. If you have some wet wipes you can give your body a quick wipe down to remove the sweat and cool the skin.

One final tip to cool your body down is to submerge your wrists in cold water for a minute or two. This technique has been tried and tested and is a sure-fire way to bring your core temperature down faster than many other methods, apart from jumping in a river or lake.

Wear Appropriate Clothing

It may sound obvious but light and loose clothing is best during warm weather. Make sure you have clothing made of light fabrics in your bugging out bag and plenty to wear if you are forced to remain indoors.

The body needs to breathe in hot weather so loose clothing can help your body stay cool whether you are outside or inside. Men can whip their shirts off to stay cool and just wear a pair of shorts, and women can just wear light and airy on the warmest of days.

If you do have to work outside in the sun then you can protect your head, neck, ears and face from the sun with a legionnaire’s cap which has a special piece of extra material hanging down from the back. 

Get Cool When Sleeping

While it is difficult to sleep in warm weather, struggling to get off to sleep in the first place is hugely frustrating.  During the day, keep the windows, curtains or blinds closed to keep out the lurking hot air. What if there’s no electricity and you can’t switch on your air conditioning or a fan?

If you are able to open your windows, leave them open in the evenings to let cooler air through. If you really want to prepare properly for being forced to stay indoors, you can purchase specialised cooling pads to put on sheets and mattresses that are designed to help keep you cool in warm weather.

Stay Out Of The Sun

For the British, the warm weather is very much invited and enjoyable, but not if you are forced to either bug out in it or bug in without the ability to open windows to let the house air off. Whether you have very fair skin or dark skin it’s still possible to suffer sunburn and other illnesses related to sunshine such as sunstroke.

Stay cool and get out of the sun at regular intervals if you do have to bug out. If you are forced to remain indoors keep windows and curtains closed to keep out warm air and block any direct sun from coming in.

Getting in the shade regularly between the hours of 11am and 2pm will limit your risk of overheating and reduce your exposure at the hottest times of the day.

Staying out of the sun will help your body to keep cool during warm weather and don’t forget that long term damage can occur from exposure to the sun such as as sunburn and sunstroke.

In a situation where you are forced to survive it’s important that you are prepared for the worst. What if World War III were to begin and you are forced to stay inside? What if there is a risk of a nuclear attack and you can’t open windows and doors?

British preppers should be prepared and ready for a SHTF event and any plans can be modified slightly depending on the situation you might find yourself involved in.

Eat The Right Foods

There are foods that can help keep you cool too, so eat on their own or put into salads and drinks.

Watermelon

Contains high levels of water, around 94% in fact, which helps to re-hydrate. Great in salads and drinks and great to freeze, you can use the watermelon as ice cubes or to make your own ice lollies if you do still have electricity. It is possible to grow watermelon in a polytunnel in the UK, which is great in the event that they are no longer able to be imported.

Cucumber

This crunchy delight contains high levels of water which can help you to avoid dehydration. It is successfully grown in Britain whether outside or inside if you have the right variety, so make sure during a SHTF situation you have access to them.

Mint

Grow your own, it’s easier than you think, as it’s unlikely there will be any supermarkets open during a crisis. Some shops sell the actual plant so you can pick fresh leaves as you wish so prepare now and you will have access to it even when there are no stores open anymore. Mint keeps the body a little cooler and tastes wonderfully refreshing. Plant a little bit and watch it spread in just a few weeks.

Melons

Melons have a high level of water content so they help with hydration. They are also delicious and very refreshing. In the event that the UK does still have electricity, melons can be frozen and are great to use as ice cubes or to make your own ice lollies. However, in a SHTF situation it’s unlikely that melons will be imported from abroad so try the other foods we have mentioned unless you have a polytunnel set up.

Onions

They may be very strong and give you terrible breath, but when mixed with other ingredients, onions do have a surprising cooling effect. By eating daily you can help to prevent heat stroke. If you have access to onions during a crisis, don’t shrug them off.

Chilli

As unpleasant as it may sound, hot or spicy foods cause us to sweat. Sweating is the body’s way of cooling itself down and during an Indian summer, or simply warm weather, they can truly help regulate your body temperature. Stock up on powered spices and dried chillies as they are easy to store, will last a long time, will give flavour to your bland stockpile of survival foods like rice and pasta, and are easy to carry should you be forced to leave your home.