Brits are being urged not to take a cold shower during the heatwave as it could make them feel worse. While the UK is set to boil in near 40C heats until the end of the week, guidance has been issued on the correct temperature to take a shower in.
Brian Toward, CEO of Wholesale Domestic, has warned against the seemingly pleasant cool shower as it could actually leave you feeling as warm or hotter than you had been before your shower. The Met Office has issued a rare severe red heat warning for this week for both Wednesday and Thursday.
While a cool and refreshing shower may feel like the best course of action, experts have warned against such an action.
Brian explains: “While it might seem logical to jump into a cold shower during a heatwave, it’s not always the most effective way to cool your body down. When you’re exposed to very cold water, your blood vessels constrict in a process known as vasoconstriction. This reduces blood flow to the skin, which is where your body naturally releases heat.
“In some cases, an extremely cold shower can trick the body into thinking it’s becoming too cold, leading it to work harder to retain heat and maintain its core temperature. As a result, you may feel refreshed initially, but your body could actually become less efficient at dispersing heat afterwards, leaving you feeling warmer for longer.”
Instead, Brian advises a “lukewarm or midlly cool shower” as a “better option” for dealing with the heatwave. He explained: ” It helps lower your body temperature gradually without confusing your body into holding onto heat. The same principle applies to baths, where a lukewarm soak will be far more effective than a cold one.”
Further advice from the Met Office urges people to stay hydrated and keep out of the sun between 11am and 3pm.
Their advice reads: “Keep yourself safe by following these simple steps to reduce the likelihood of the heat making you feel unwell; drink plenty of fluids, keep out of the sun and avoid any exercise between 11am-3pm when the sun is strongest and close curtains in rooms that face the sun.
“If you are going out take water with you, stay in the shade, wear sunscreen and a wide brimmed hat.”
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
