As temperatures hit 40°C in parts of the UK this week, many Britons have found themselves gasping a familiar complaint: why does the same heat feel so much worse at home than on a Spanish beach? Dr Amir Khan, the ITV regular known for his appearances on Lorraine and Good Morning Britain, has confirmed it is not just in their heads.
“Have you ever wondered why 28°C in Spain feels amazing, but 28°C in Britain feels like you’re slowly being cooked inside a Greggs oven?” he said on Instagram. “Every summer, British people say the same thing.”
“Dr Amir Khan says UK heat feels worse than abroad due to stress, buildings, and lack of adaptation.”
The explanation, he argues, is partly psychological. On holiday, he said, “you’re usually wearing shorts, a bathing costume, sitting by a pool, sipping something cold, and your biggest decision is whether to have another ice cream or a dip in the pool. But when you’re stuck at work, you’re wearing office clothes, trying to answer emails and pretending your face isn’t melting during a team’s meeting. So the temperature might be the same, but your stress levels are not.”
Then there is the built environment. Most British buildings are designed to keep heat in, a blessing in winter but a curse when the mercury rises. “Our homes are insulated, our offices don’t have air conditioning, and once the heat gets in, it can feel like you’re living inside of a baked potato with foil on,” Khan said. “Meanwhile, many hot countries are designed to stay cool with shutters, thick walls and air conditioning everywhere.”
Beyond buildings, the UK simply “isn’t adapted” to heat, he argued. “Countries that regularly experience hot weather have lifestyles built around it. People avoid the midday sun, shops may close during the hottest part of the day and daily routines are designed around the heat. People generally come out in the evenings. In Britain, we carry on exactly as normal, then act surprised when we’re sweating on a packed Tube. So no, you’re not imagining it. Holiday heat and work heat are two completely different ‘medical conditions’.”
The Met Office has extended an amber warning as the heatwave continues, with no sign of an immediate break.