UK households urged to put socks in freezer by Friday evening
UK households urged to put socks in freezer by Friday evening
That heavy evening heat is stealing rest from millions, but a small frozen item can help people sleep comfortably
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Add us as preferred source Comments By Charlotte Smith 12:03, Fri, Jun 26, 2026 Updated: 12:03, Fri, Jun 26, 2026 
Brits across the country are struggling to sleep comfortably as the UK's latest heatwave continues for yet another day. The sweltering conditions, triggered by a 'heat dome' according to the Met Office, have brought baking hot highs close to 40C during the day and left temperatures around 25C at night.
In hot weather, many people find it hard to sleep because the body has to drop its core temperature by around 1C to 1.5C to start and keep deep sleep. When the temperature and humidity are high, this natural cooling doesn't happen, causing people to feel restless and wake up often.
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As the record-breaking nighttime heat and humidity make sleeping difficult, millions of people are looking for ways to reduce indoor heat and stay cool overnight. Health experts say that our bodies genuinely struggle to drift off when it's warm, because we need our core temperature to drop in order to fall asleep.
Dr Deborah Lee, a health specialist from Doctor Fox working with Comfybeds, has shared five unique ways to get to sleep in the heat without using a fan. One method she recommends is simple and involves a pair of socks.
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Dr Deborah Lee (MB ChB, FFSRH, MFFP, MRCGP, DRCOG, Dip GUM, Dip Colp, LOC Med Ed) is a sexual and reproductive health Specialist. Having worked for years in the NHS, she now works as a health and medical writer.
The health specialist urges people to put socks in the freezer now, ahead of tonight, so they can be ready for use and in time for another hot night. Explaining the reasoning behind it, she said: "This is an extremely strange one, but definitely hear me out.
"Wearing a pair of slightly damp cotton socks to bed can help us bring our core body temperature down through a process called evaporative cooling. Put your wet socks in the freezer right now so that they get nice and cool by tonight.
"Our feet play a huge part in helping our body’s temperature regulate, so keeping them cool is vital and has a knock on effect on the whole body. Rinse the socks out under the tap, wring them up so they’re not dripping and pop them on before bedtime."
Another hot and humid afternoon is expected across the south and southeast of the country, while thunderstorms affect the north. It will feel slightly fresher in the west, though
— Met Office (@metoffice) June 26, 2026
Stay #WeatherAware⚠️ pic.twitter.com/UqipNPzpPF
The health expert also recommends another tip for sleeping better in heat, which she described as "sleeping like an Egyptian". She claims: "This one has been used for centuries, and there’s a good reason people are still doing this today.
"The Egyptian method involves soaking a large towel in cool water, wringing it out and then hanging it either in your doorway or your bedroom window. As the hot air passes through, the cold towel will change this to cold air, working in a similar way that air conditioning works but without the hefty electricity bill.
"It won’t drop the temperature a lot, but it’ll make enough of a difference to your body that it’ll finally drift off.”
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She also recommends the "cold water bottle" trick. "The 'cold water bottle' trick isn’t just taking a cold bottle of water to bed to sip on, it’s a method many people do to cool down their bed before getting into it," she said.
"Fill your hot water bottle up with cold water and put it in the freezer for around 15-minutes before bed, and you’ll be getting into bed with cool linen rather than a dreaded heat trap. It’s a simple swap that makes a genuinely big difference."
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
