The Met Office has issued a ‘tropical night warning’ for the UK this weekend as it warned that conditions will make it ‘hard to sleep’.
The forecaster has predicted that temperatures are expected to stay above 20C in some areas of the country which is going to have a knock-on effect on sleep in a phenomenon called a ‘tropical night’.
It comes as the weather experts predict temperatures will rise as high as 34C in the daytime in some parts of England.
Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Dan Holley said: “The highest temperatures from this hot spell are forecast for Saturday, with low 30s Celsius fairly widely across England, and up to 34°C possible in eastern areas. Despite this, the more uncomfortable heat will be in northern and western areas initially, where despite somewhat lower temperatures the air will be more humid.
“While Saturday will be a dry and fine day for many, a few showers or thunderstorms will be possible across northern and western parts of the UK, with an increasing risk of some intense thunderstorms developing across portions of north Wales, northern England and southern Scotland later in the afternoon and into the evening hours, which could bring heavy downpours, frequent lightning, gusty winds and possibly large hail.
“The nights will also be quite warm, with the possibility of temperatures not falling below 20C in some areas, making it hard to sleep. This is what we term a ‘tropical night’.”
Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at the UKHSA, said: “We have already seen warm weather across the week, and temperatures are set to increase in the coming days, exceeding 30C in many areas.
“Our findings show that heat can result in serious health outcomes across the population, especially for older adults or those with pre-existing health conditions. It is therefore important to check on friends, family and neighbours who are more vulnerable and to take sensible precautions while enjoying the sun.
“The forecast high temperatures may also lead to an increasing demand for remote health care services and an impact on the ability of services delivered due to heat effects on the workforce.’’
How to sleep in hot weather
Don’t nap
Hot weather can make you feel sluggish in the daytime, as it costs more energy to regulate your body temperature at night. But don’t nap during the day as it’s likely to hurt your night’s sleep.
Close curtains in the daytime and open windows at night
This well-trodden advice is backed by experts: keep windows and blinds shut if they face the sun, as the sun heats up you room and the air is hotter outside than inside. But reopen them once evening falls and the air temperature outside drops. Try to keep windows open as much as you can when you go to bed to keep a cool air current and swap hot air for colder air.
Use thin sheets and a hot water bottle
Thin cotton sheets absorb sweat, while a hot water bottle filled with ice cold water can also help keep you cool at night.
