Staying Well in a Heatwave: Your London Wellness Guide
London isn't built for heat. Old apartments trap it, our transport bakes in it, and a city designed to keep warmth in suddenly works against us. When the temperature climbs into a proper heatwave, “wellness” stops being a nice-to-have and becomes practical: how do you sleep, move, eat, and recover when everything feels ten degrees too warm?
At &Soul, wellbeing is part of daily life all year round, but a heatwave asks for a few deliberate adjustments. Here's how to stay genuinely well this week, not just survive it.
Hydrate smarter, not just more
Everyone says “drink more water” in the heat, and it's true but how you hydrate matters. Sip steadily through the day rather than gulping a litre when you already feel parched; your body absorbs a steady supply far better than an occasional flood. Add a pinch of salt or an electrolyte tab if you've been sweating heavily, because plain water alone can leave you low on the minerals you lose through sweat. Go easy on the things that quietly dehydrate you: that second flat white, an afternoon spritz in the sun, anything heavy on caffeine or alcohol. They're not banned; just balance each one with extra water. At the Sanctuary, our cafe serves up hydration sachets.
Cool your body, not just the room
You don't need to cool an entire flat to feel better; you need to cool yourself. The fastest wins target the spots where blood runs close to the skin: run cool water over your wrists, press a damp cloth to the back of your neck, or take a lukewarm (not freezing) shower before bed. A cool shower actually beats an ice-cold one here, because shocking the body with cold can trigger it to hold heat. Keep curtains and blinds closed on the sunny side during the day, then open windows once the evening air finally drops below the indoor temperature. Small, well-timed moves beat fighting the heat head-on.
Sleep when the city won't cool down
Heat wrecks sleep because your core temperature naturally needs to fall for you to drift off, and a stuffy bedroom won't let it. Help it along: a lukewarm shower an hour before bed, breathable cotton bedding, and a fan positioned to move air across you rather than just stir warm air around. Some people swear by the “Egyptian method”: a lightly damp sheet or towel for the first part of the night.
Wind down properly, too. Ten minutes of slow breathing in for four counts, out for six nudges your nervous system toward rest and takes your mind off the temperature. It's the same kind of breathwork we run in our daily programme, and it works just as well at home.
Move with the heat, not against it
You don't have to abandon training in a heatwave; just shift the timing and the intensity. Early morning and later evening are far kinder than the midday peak. Trade the punishing run for a swim, a mobility session, or a gentle yoga flow, and listen to your body: dizziness, a pounding heart, or a headache are signs to stop, cool down, and rehydrate, not to push through.
For our residents, this is where having the building come to you helps, as an air-conditioned gym, a movement studio, and a spa under one roof mean you can stay active without stepping into the worst of the afternoon sun.
The cold-water reset
Counter-intuitively, one of the best ways to handle relentless heat is a deliberate dose of cold. A controlled cold plunge constricts the blood vessels, lowers your core temperature and leaves you genuinely refreshed for hours and paired with heat in a sauna, contrast therapy can ease tension, support recovery and lift your mood. The key word is controlled: done in a proper setting with guidance, not by jumping into freezing water the moment you're overheated.
That's exactly what The Sanctuary &soul in Shoreditch is built for: a 40-person Aufguss sauna and cold plunge where you can reset, recover, and cool down the right way. In a heatwave, a contrast session is one of the most satisfying things you can do for body and mind.
Eat light, eat cooling
Big, heavy meals make your body work harder to digest them and generate heat. Lean into lighter, water-rich foods instead: salads, chilled soups, plenty of fruit and vegetables, and smaller meals more often. Watermelon, cucumber, and citrus are hydrating as well as cooling, and they're a far better midday choice than something that leaves you sluggish in the heat.
Know the warning signs
Wellness in a heatwave is also about knowing your limits. Heat exhaustion can creep up: If that happens, move somewhere cool, lie down, raise your feet, sip water, and cool the skin.
A heatwave doesn't have to derail how you feel. Hydrate steadily, cool yourself in the right spots, protect your sleep, move smartly, and give yourself a proper reset, and the week becomes a lot more enjoyable. Explore co-living with &soul in Southall and Shoreditch, or book a cooling cold-plunge session at The Sanctuary.
