As Spain endures its second heat wave of the summer, Sally, our resident writer there, shares her tips for coping with the high temperatures.
If you happen to be anywhere in Spain at the moment, you are likely to be feeling rather hot. The country is in the throes of its second heat wave of this summer and temperatures in the south have already reached the low 40s and the areas of Seville and Cordova are forecast to see 46C or 47C sometime this week. Even my area in the north-east, Girona is predicted to reach 36C, which is extremely high.
Spain has seen drastically high temperatures recently.
The Spanish weather service, Aemet, is giving daily updates with red and yellow warnings for 30 provinces. The Spanish government is issuing urgent advice for keeping cool and is urging older people to stay indoors until late evening when it might be a little cooler.
So, what can you do to stay well in the unusually high temperatures?
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Meals
Choose light, cold foods.
The general advice is to eat five small, light meals a day. Stick to cold soups such as gazpacho, or ajoblanco which is a popular soup in Andalusia made with garlic, almonds, grapes amongst other ingredients.
Salads of every kind, containing fresh fruit or white meat are another good idea. Classic Spanish tomato and onion salad goes well with simply grilled chicken or meat and fresh fruit, yoghurt, ice cream and sorbets are all suitable desserts.
Above all, stay hydrated! Water, cold fruit drinks, and horchata are all on the good list. Avoid energy drinks, coke, and drink alcohol sparingly. A great tip given to me by my Tai Chi teacher is to keep a glass of water with a straw next to you all day and just sip. Don’t worry about how much you are actually drinking, just keep yourself topped up. Tap water in Spain is safe to drink, so save money on bottled water and use what is free.
Sleeping
At times like these it is difficult to sleep while the nights are extra warm. If you have air conditioning or a fan, switch it on 30 minutes before you go to bed to cool down the air a bit. Keep it on for up to an hour once you switch off the light as you will fall asleep more easily.
Wear cotton or linen nightwear, polyester is okay too as it allows the skin to breathe. Keep a glass of water by your bed to sip if you wake up. Silk pillowcases are expensive but they work well when it is very hot.
While at home during the day, put on the lightest, loose-fitting dress or pareo you own. For the men, loose shorts and loose shirts.
Keeping your home cool
This is a perennial problem in hot countries. Older properties can suffer from humidity and condensation. Modern villas and apartments are doubled glazed which works to keep the heat out as much as the cold.
Make use of your blinds
Whether you have the traditional concertina blinds that fall outside the window and over the balcony or modern blinds which are either controlled electrically or manually, these are blessings in the summer heat.
The old-fashioned blinds allow air circulation if the window is open and shade if it is closed. Modern blinds have open slats if you don’t close them fully, which also allows air flow while keeping the room in shade. Whether you close the double-glazed window is up to you but it can help you stay cool in the hottest part of the day.
Out and about
Not just a fashion piece – your fan can really help to fend off the heat.
Take a fan with you. You can buy them very cheaply in markets or Chinese shops or opt for fancier ones online or in the smarter stores. It doesn’t matter which you choose but buy a couple (in case you lose one) and always have one with you. They are considerably more effective than the plastic, battery operated ones you can buy.
Wear a hat. Everyone, young and old, should cover their head during a heatwave.
Don’t forget sunscreen. Factor 50 is advisable for the whole family, especially if you have fair skin. Carefully cover all exposed skin as if you are out in the intense heat you can burn in no time at all. As for your face use a cream specially formulated for it. Again, Factor 50. Most of the popular makes offer a variety of these products and they are easily picked up in stores like Druni, pharmacies, Douglas and discount shops.
Carry water with you. Alternatively, you can use the public drinking fountains found in most towns and cities.
Last but not least: remember to walk in the shade!
What to do if you get sunstroke
Sunstroke can become a serious problem, so don’t delay in seeking medical treatment. All Spanish towns have emergency centres either in hospitals or in local primary care facilities, CAPS. As it should be seen as an emergency, you can use your GHIC medical card if you are British or your EHIC medical card if you are a European citizen.
Heatwaves don’t last forever and it will cool down but please, while Spain is gripped by extraordinarily high temperatures, take care of yourself and your loved ones and follow the advice given here.
Sources: State Meteorological Agency – AEMET – Spanish Government
