I'm a doctor and this is why heatwaves are more unbearable in the UK

Britain is seeing scorchingly hot temperatures this weekend, with forecasters recently warning the mercury could rise as high as 35C in the days ahead. Britons are sometimes mocked for their complaints about the baking conditions the country sees in the summer months, given that temperatures often rise far higher in parts of mainland Europe.

But a health professional suggests the people of the UK aren't just overly sensitive to the heat and there are legitimate reasons why hot weather can be particularly unbearable on our shores. NHS surgeon Dr Karan Rajan, who shares explainers on TikTok about health problems and the body, addressed this issue on his channel in June last year.

In response to another creator complaining about the heat, he raised the question: "Why does the heat in the UK feel even hotter than when you're abroad?"

"Excluding the fact the British love to complain about everything, weather included, there are a few rational explanations for this temperature perception glitch," he told his millions of followers.

A key factor is the humidity alongside the heat, which can make it feel a lot more hot and sticky than dry heat.

In Britain's case, the issue "relative humidity", which he explained is the "amount of moisture in the air compared to the maximum amount of moisture the air can hold at that temperature".

"In the UK the relative humidity is higher than in countries with dry heat. This makes it harder for our bodies to cool down because sweat doesn't evaporate as well so you feel hot and sticky like a roast barbecue pig.

"This is why 35 degrees in a dry climate can feel more comfortable than 25 degrees in a place with high relative humidity."

The health expert also says the way British homes are constructed also don't do us any favours when temperatures rise.

"In the UK the buildings are designed to retain heat because the weather is usually cold, soggy and silly," he explained.

"The same insulation that helps save energy in the winter makes buildings a greenhouse in the summer, especially without air conditioning, which most UK homes don't have. In contrast, buildings in warmer climates are designed to stay cool.

"Thick walls, large windows, sometimes even with window shutters and coloured coatings on the buildings to deflect heat."

But he ended by joking that additionally, "the British are just notoriously bad at dealing with the heat, and the cold, and the rain".

One user commenting on the video that month agreed that the heat felt different in Britain, writing: "I'm from Spain and I've dealt better with 45C in summer than the 27C that we've had today in London."

Another wrote: "I lived in a different country for 25 years with 30 to 36C minimum in the summer. It was fine. In the UK it's 25C and I'm dying..the sun burns like hell as well compared to my home."

Others were more doubtful, with one writing: "I think some Brits need to visit Houston in August."

The steep rise in temperatures can be dangerous, especially for older people or those with underlying health conditions.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office have put out an amber heat-health alert (HHA) for five regions in England and a yellow alert for two regions.

Both the amber alert, covering The East Midlands, South East, South West, London, and East of England, and the yellow alert for Yorkshire and Humber, and the West Midlands will be in place until 6pm on Tuesday 1 July.

The UKHSA alerts warn health and social care workers impacts on their services from the weather, including the possibility of weather-related fatalities.

You can read the UKHSA's tips to stay cool and safe during the hot weather.