Home LivingDrinking hot drinks keeps you cool in a heatwave… but there’s a catchFeeling the heat? Experts say hot drinks are a great way to cool downWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

Home LivingDrinking hot drinks keeps you cool in a heatwave… but there’s a catchFeeling the heat? Experts say hot drinks are a great way to cool downWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

Feeling the heat? Experts say hot drinks are a great way to cool down

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Mareefe / Pexels)

Hot drinks in a heatwave

(Image credit: Mareefe / Pexels)

The UK is currently being hit with a long awaited heatwave. While sitting in front of thebest fanis a great way to stay cool in the hot weather, keeping hydrated is key to managing and staying safe in the heat.

As we mentioned in5 most (and least) hydrating drinks to drink during a heatwave, water, milk and juice are the best drinks to consume when the weather gets hot. But it turns out that having a hot beverage on a sunny day or during a heatwave can actually help you manage the heat better according to experts and nutritionists.

Why you should have hot drinks during a heatwave

So, while a hot drink will make you hotter at first, the excess sweating has a cooling effect on the body… but there are a few caveats.

(Image credit: Anna Pou / Pexels)

Someone pouring a cup of tea

(Image credit: Anna Pou / Pexels)

To trigger your sweat response for the cooling effect to work, it’s important that the sweat you’re expelling can evaporate. If you’re wearing restrictive or excessive clothing, or you’re sitting outside on a hot day, this will affect how easy it is for your sweat to evaporate. If you’re drinking a hot drink in these situations, you’ll more likely feel sticky, stuffy and far too hot, so it’s better to have a hot drink during the heatwave out of direct sunlight and while wearing loose clothing.

Another catch to this is that you shouldn’t be consuming too much caffeine during a heatwave. While you don’t have to completely cut out your morning cuppa, it’s important to limit your caffeine intake on a hot day. This is because caffeine is naturally dehydrating and as a diuretic, it makes you urinate more which results in you losing more fluids (this is also a big reason whyyou shouldn’t drink coffee first thing in the morning). During a heatwave, you want to be as hydrated as possible so losing fluids is a big no-no.

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