Kent’s hot and sunny spell is set to continue with forecasts for more good weather, prompting an extension to England’s heat-health alert.

With the Met Office’s yellow warning now in place until Tuesday morning – and people being reminded to keep a close eye on the vulnerable while temperatures remain unseasonably hot – we've got some tips on how you can stay a little bit cooler indoors…

1. Close the blinds and windows

There is no denying the sunshine is so welcome but too much can have your home feeling like a sauna, particularly for those who find themselves working indoors during the day and missing the benefits of air conditioning.

Closing blinds or curtains over the hottest part of the day will help reduce the amount of heat that is able to get into your home.

Keeping south-facing windows shut will also help, particularly if the air temperature outside is much greater than the temperatures inside. Families with young children who may have portable black out blinds for travel etc, could make use of these too on windows and in rooms where children are likely to want to nap or go to sleep earlier.

2. Unplug appliances

With many people working from home more frequently there might be a few more electrical appliances switched on in your house. But plugged in appliances generate heat even if they are not switched on or in use, which can contribute to making your home feel even hotter.

Unplug items like tablets, mobile phone chargers, computers and consoles, which aren't being used, and if your televisions are on standby turn them off too. These will not only cool your house down, but they might also save you some money on your electricity bill too.

3. Use your doors

Close off rooms you do not want to use as this will prevent any cool air you can generate from flowing into these areas during the hottest part of the day. It will also prevent hot air in particularly warm rooms from escaping into those you're successfully managing to keep cool.

Controlling where you want and need either warm air or cold air to flow, can significantly alter how hot or cool your home will feel.

4. Embrace al fresco dining

It's always tempting to fire up the barbecue the minute the sun starts to shine, and using the cooker inside in the summer will make your home - and you - feel much hotter!

Using the barbecue or, alternatively, just choosing more food that does not need cooking, heating through or a long time preparing on the hob can contribute to keeping temperatures in the kitchen lower.

And if the children are being particularly picky eaters in the heat – taking meals outside where it might be cooler in the evening can sometimes encourage them!

5. Swap your sheets

Freshening up bedsheets is a great way to feel cool if temperatures haven't dropped significantly by the evening. Swapping them for anything that is cotton or linen is the best choice on hot and humid days, similarly the same for pyjamas, as it breathes easier and stays cooler.

If you’re struggling to get small children to sleep, keeping a fan switched on with a heaped bowl of ice in front of it can help circulate colder air which will help to keep air temperatures on the lower side.

A sock filled with rice and then frozen can help make bedding feel cooler and cool down pressure points to provide some relief while hot water bottles filled with iced water can also work just as well.