25 Jun 2026
Simple, practical wellbeing tips for staying cool, calm, and cared for in hot weather by It’s OK To Say founder and CEO Stacey Turner… (an Aussie who refuses to gatekeep)
Every time the UK hits anything above a certain temperature, and let’s be honest, 24°C is already getting ideas, things get… mildly unhinged!
There’s a collective national reaction that sits somewhere between “this is lovely” and “we are actively dissolving.” Trains slow down, offices become accidental saunas, and people start making bold statements like “it’s not even that hot” while visibly melting into outdoor furniture.
As an Australian, I feel morally obliged to step in here.
And to be fair, these aren’t just my tricks, they’re some lessons learnt from my mum and family growing up in what can only be described as relentless, scorching summers in Melbourne, Victoria.
The kind of heat that doesn’t politely arrive, but turns up uninvited, takes its shoes off, and refuses to leave.
Which, for the record, is still more predictable than a British summer that can switch from “balmy sunshine” to “horizontal rain and emotional damage” in under seven minutes.
And yes, before anyone says it, this is coming from someone who is very much a coffee snob, so if I’m telling you to refrigerate things, I mean it with seriousness and moral authority. So yes, I refuse to gatekeep what I’ve learned.
- Stop treating sunlight like a seasonal aesthetic
In the UK, there’s a charming habit of opening every window, curtain, and door at the first sign of sunshine like we’re hosting it. No. You are not hosting. You are defending your home.
Close blinds early. Block direct sunlight like you’re running a small but determined fortress. If your house feels like a cave, congratulations, you’ve achieved indoor survival. - Cold showers: proceed with emotional caution
The instinct is to go full Arctic plunge immediately. This is a mistake. Start lukewarm, ease into cool. Otherwise your body reacts like you’ve betrayed it personally, and you end up hotter, grumpy, and questioning your decisions. - Hydration is not a personality trait, it’s logistics
If your drink is not within arm’s reach, you are already behind schedule.
Sip consistently rather than heroic chugging. And yes, coffee counts. I will not be taking questions at this time.
But also: upgrade your system. 600ml Hydralyte kept in the fridge or made into ice lollies is elite- level planning. So is a metal water bottle chilled overnight before use. This is not overkill. This is competence.Cooling points are your secret weapon
You do not need to turn yourself into a human ice sculpture.
Cold flannel on the neck. Cool water on wrists. Feet in a bowl of cold water while you sit there pretending you’re in a minimalist spa retreat and not just surviving. - Now for the upgrades — the things I refuse to gatekeep.
This is where we level up.
Keep your glasses in the fridge. Yes, your glasses. Life-changing.
Vichy Mineralising Thermal Water is my best friend at this point. Not a luxury, an ally.
A misting fan is basically portable emotional support.
Iced sparkling water with lemon feels like you’ve made your life slightly more together than it actually is.
Cool mats aren’t just for pets. I repeat: they are not exclusive to pets. Claim yours.
Frozen ice blocks (lunchbox-style) are elite: either dropped into a cooling unit you fill with water, or plonked in a bowl of water in front of a fan for DIY air conditioning that feels slightly unhinged but absolutely works.
Always wear SPF. No negotiation, this is skincare, not optional.
Always wear a hat. Pride is not hotter than sunburn. And it’s definitely not better than skin damage (even if you can’t see it yet).
Introduce yourself to zinc. It’s not just for the cricketers, there’s a reason you see it thickly painted on noses in hot climates. It’s serious sun protection, not just sporty aesthetics. And yes, it even comes in skin tone and colours, so you can be practical and mildly expressive at the same time.
Invest in what we call a “rashy” (rash vest). It’s not glamorous, but neither is peeling skin in places you forgot could peel.
Add citronella essential oil to your diffuser to help keep flies away, small detail, big quality-of-life upgrade when everything feels like it’s melting.
Origins Peace of Mind On-the-Spot Relief is one of those classic “ice-cool brain reset” roll-ons people dab onto wrists and temples for a sharp, peppermint hit that feels instantly grounding.
There are other essential oils out there, but peppermint should never be applied directly to skin unless it is already properly formulated for topical use, and please always check the product instructions first.
You can buy cooling blankets on Amazon, and they actually work, which feels suspiciously like a scam until you try one and realise you’ve been suffering unnecessarily for years.
And remember the Aussie mantra: Slip, Slop, Slap:
Slip on sun-protective clothing that covers as much skin as possible.
Slop on broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) every two hours.
Slap on a broad-brimmed, bucket, or legionnaire hat that shades the face, neck, and ears.
If you take nothing else from this article, take this list. - The British “push through it” mindset is the real heatwave risk
I’ve seen people refuse to adjust their behaviour in conditions that would make a small cactus reconsider its life choices.
Heat is not a challenge to be conquered. It’s a condition to be managed.
There are no medals for sitting in a conservatory pretending you’re fine. - Night-time survival is where the real battle is won
Freeze a hot water bottle and use it as a cooling pack. Pop pillowcases in the freezer for 10–15 minutes before bed. Move air however you can and accept that dignity is temporarily suspended.
Comfort wins.
Always.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from growing up in extreme heat and now watching British summers unfold like a group project nobody prepared for, it’s this:
You don’t get extra points for suffering.
You just get hotter.
And I refuse, absolutely refuse to gatekeep the solutions. - A serious note (because this actually matters). Pease keep an eye on blood sugar levels if that applies to you, particularly if you are on medication. Always check your medication leaflet, as some medicines can affect the body’s ability to regulate temperature in extreme heat If you’re unsure, speak to your GP or pharmacist, especially if you’re feeling unwell or noticing changes that don’t feel right. That guidance applies just as much to physical health as it does to mental health.
Heat can intensify stress, fatigue, and emotional overwhelm. It can also trigger physical symptoms such as migraines, as well as strong emotional responses. - You are not meant to manage alone. If you need support, please feel free to contact us at It’s OK To Say. We’re here to help you make sense of things, talk things through, and get through the harder moments in a way that feels human and manageable.
- Keep your Vichy thermal water spray in the fridge and take it out with you cold, it’s basically portable emotional regulation in a can. Avène Thermal Spring Water is also my best friend in this category, and I stand by both.
- Keep cleansing wipes in the fridge, the aloe vera ones hit different when they’re cold. It’s giving “I have my life together” even if you absolutely don’t.
- Keep a foot spray in the fridge. I love the Boots cooling foot spray or The Body Shop Peppermint Invigorating Foot & Leg Mist for full icy-foot-summer-survival energy. It’s not luxury, it’s strategic cooling for people who are done with overheating from the ground up.
- Cooling headache/migraine patches are genuinely great, stick one on and suddenly you’re a functional adult again, even if the rest of your life is still mildly melting in the background.
- Shop with an esky in the boot for your grocery shop, especially in hot weather. It keeps your fridge and freezer items safe on the journey home and prevents the “everything is slightly warm and disappointing by the time you unpack it” situation.
- Put your socks in the freezer for a few minutes, emotionally satisfying!
- Chill your phone (briefly) in front of a fan or cool surface before bed if it’s been overheating in your hand, because nothing says “modern life” like your phone also struggling in the heat.
If all else fails: go full “Aussie beach logic” and sit in front of a fan wearing as little dignity as possible and a wet T-shirt. Hydration and acceptance are key.
“Anyway, if I can survive Australian summers, you can survive a UK heatwave. Just don’t ask me to do it without coffee, SPF, or a mild sense of judgement, and ideally a cold brew in a British pub that somehow still feels like the most civilised form of survival in extreme heat.” – Stace 🙂
