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Shaded flat on a hot day, older person resting with a glass of water

There is a heatwave and it is getting very hot at home

The heat has lasted for days and the home no longer cools down at night – for older people, the sick and small children this can become dangerous.

First

  1. Drink regularly throughout the day; anyone with a fluid amount set by a doctor follows it.
  2. Avoid exertion during the hottest hours; use shade and cooler rooms.
  3. Keep the sun out of the home during the day (curtains, shutters) and ventilate when it is cooler outside.
  4. Call or visit older, sick or isolated people regularly.

Call emergency services if

  • Confusion, unusual behaviour or staggering in the heat
  • Seizure or unconsciousness
  • Heat exhaustion does not improve quickly or gets worse

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What is happening

A heatwave is rarely dangerous because of a single day, but because of how long it lasts. Walls, roof and furniture store heat. After several hot days the home hardly cools down even at night, especially under the roof, in flats with large south- or west-facing windows and in densely built-up neighbourhoods. The body then no longer gets a chance to recover, sleep suffers, and the circulation and heart are under constant strain.

The body cools itself mainly by sweating. That costs water and salt and works less well when the air is humid. Older people often feel thirst and heat less, some medicines affect the body's water and heat balance, and babies and small children overheat more quickly. Many people do not notice how unwell they are – heat makes you tired and can cloud your thinking before it becomes dangerous.

Symptoms often develop gradually: first tiredness, headache, dizziness, nausea or muscle cramps – signs of heat exhaustion. If they are ignored, heatstroke can follow: confusion, unusual behaviour, staggering, a seizure or unconsciousness. Heatstroke is a life-threatening emergency.

What realistically helps is unspectacular but effective: shading the home during the day and ventilating at night, drinking regularly, moving exertion to the cooler hours, cooling the body with water and checking on vulnerable people every day. A common error is leaving windows open during the day to let in "fresh air" – that brings the hot air into the house.

Step by step

  1. Phase 1

    When the heatwave is forecast

    • Follow heat warnings from the weather service or the warning app.
    • Work out which room stays coolest (for example on the north side or a lower floor) and set up a place to sleep and stay there.
    • Buy drinks, light food and any medication you need so you do not have to go out in the midday heat.
    • Agree with relatives and neighbours who checks on whom every day.
    • Anyone taking medication or with a fluid amount set by a doctor: clarify questions about the heat with your doctor or pharmacy in advance.

  2. Phase 2

    During the day

    • Keep windows closed while it is warmer outside than inside; close shutters, external blinds or curtains.
    • Drink regularly throughout the day, not only when thirsty; water, diluted juice or unsweetened tea work well.
    • Light, water-rich meals instead of heavy dishes; avoid alcohol.
    • Move shopping, physical work and sport to the early morning or late evening.
    • Cool your body: take cool showers, put damp cloths on your neck and arms, put your feet in cool water.
    • Wear loose, light-coloured clothing made of lightweight fabrics.

  3. Phase 3

    Evening and night

    • Ventilate as soon as it is cooler outside than inside – ideally with a cross-draught at night and in the early morning.
    • Use light bedding, perhaps just a sheet, and sleep in the coolest room.
    • A fan can feel pleasant, but does little when the room is very hot – then water on the skin and cooler places help more.
    • Keep a glass of water within reach of your bed.

  4. Phase 4

    When someone develops symptoms

    • With weakness, dizziness, headache or nausea: stop exertion, move to a cool place, lie down, loosen clothing, cool with water.
    • Only let people drink who are alert and can swallow safely.
    • If the condition does not improve quickly or gets worse: call the emergency number.
    • With confusion, staggering, a seizure or unconsciousness, call the local emergency number (112 in the EU) at once and cool with every means available until help arrives – wet cloths, cool water, fanning, shade.
    • If someone is unconscious but breathing normally: place them in the recovery position if you are trained to do so and keep watching their breathing.

What to watch out for

  • Older and chronically ill people

    They often feel less thirsty, sweat less effectively and take medicines that can affect heat tolerance. Do not stop medication on your own; clarify questions with a doctor.

  • Recognising heatstroke

    Warning signs are confusion, unusual behaviour, staggering, a seizure or unconsciousness; the skin can be hot and dry but may also still be sweaty. Do not wait – call the emergency number and start cooling at once.

  • Storing medication properly

    Many medicines do not tolerate high temperatures. Follow the storage instructions on the pack or leaflet and keep medicines in the coolest place in the home – not in the car and not on the windowsill.

  • Cars and prams

    A parked car heats up quickly and strongly in the sun – never leave children or animals in it, not even briefly. Do not cover a pram with a cloth; heat builds up underneath.

  • Drinking with good judgement

    Drinking regularly is important, but large amounts at once are not better. Anyone with a fluid limit because of heart or kidney disease sticks to it and clarifies any changes with their doctor.

  • People living alone

    People living alone can deteriorate unnoticed in the heat. Daily calls or visits help to spot problems early.

Common mistakes

  • Opening windows during the day and letting the hot air in.
  • Drinking only once you feel thirsty.
  • Shopping, mowing the lawn or doing sport in the midday heat.
  • Drinking alcohol as "refreshment".
  • Mistaking confusion or staggering for normal tiredness and waiting.
  • Relying on a fan to be enough even in extreme heat.

Prepare in advance

  • External shading such as shutters, awnings or external blinds keeps out more heat than curtains on the inside.
  • A thermometer in the home so you can see when ventilating makes sense.
  • Know cool places nearby: air-conditioned public buildings, libraries, churches or cool rooms designated by your city.
  • Ask your doctor or pharmacy whether your medication needs special attention in the heat.
  • Make a contact list of vulnerable relatives and neighbours and agree a network of mutual help.

Special consideration

Babies and young children
They overheat more quickly and cannot say that they are too hot. Dress them lightly, keep them in the shade, offer drinks or breastfeed regularly and call your paediatrician with questions. Warning signs are fewer wet nappies, unusual drowsiness or poor feeding.
Pets
Always provide water and shade; walk dogs early in the morning or late in the evening. Hot asphalt can burn paws – test it briefly with the back of your hand.

Sources

  • Heat and health (fact sheet) · World Health Organization
  • Extreme Heat · Ready.gov – U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
  • European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021: First Aid · European Resuscitation Council – Resuscitation (journal), 2021

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All rules of this situation (6)

  1. [not active] If Symptoms = Confusion, seizure or unconsciousness

    Suspected heatstroke: call the emergency number at once and cool with every means available.

  2. [not active] If Symptoms = Weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea

    Stop exertion, move to a cool place, cool down. Only let alert people who can swallow safely drink. No quick improvement: call emergency services.

  3. [not active] If Symptoms = None

    Prevent now: stay cool, drink regularly, move exertion to the cooler times of day.

  4. [not active] If Who is affected? = Older or chronically ill people

    Older and chronically ill people are particularly at risk. Check on them daily; clarify questions about medication and fluid intake with a doctor.

  5. [not active] If Who is affected? = Young children, pregnant women or pets

    Never leave children or animals in a parked car – not even briefly.

  6. [not active] If Who is affected? = Work or sport outdoors

    Move work and sport to cooler times of day and plan breaks in the shade.