How to keep cool at your summer festivals

It's May Bank Holiday and that can only mean one thing for music fans - it's the start of festival season. And to add to the excitement, it's set to be a scorcher. The Queen of Pop Olivia Dean descends on Radio 1 Big Weekend, Sub Focus takes to the decks at Love Saves the Day, and Millennials will be reminiscing to Kate Nash at Bearded Theory.

But with hours of dancing ahead, sweaty tents and questionable hydration choices, here are our expert tips on staying cool so you can make the most of the music. Excess alcohol consumption can significantly increase the amount of fluids you lose as urine and sweat, leading to dehydration. On average, for each alcoholic drink you are going to urinate 100ml more than normal. If you are going to consume alcohol, try having a glass of water between each drink. Bring your own reusable water bottle so that you can fill up at water points without queuing at a drinks tent. Make the most of water points and sprays offered by festival staff to keep cool For many, festivals are just as much about the fashion as the music. As things get hot the temptation is to ditch the layers, get out the shorts and unbutton the flowery shirt. Leaving parts of your upper body exposed means the sun is directly on your skin, which increases the risk of sunburn. But if you put sunscreen on, wearing less clothes can help if you're really struggling. As sweat turns into water vapour it needs heat which it takes from your body helping to cool it - the less clothing the more chance for this heat loss. Spraying your clothes with water can also help with this. What is the best clothing to keep you cool in a heatwave?

Key points

• But with hours of dancing ahead, sweaty tents and questionable hydration choices, here are our expert tips on staying cool so you can make the most of the music.
• Excess alcohol consumption can significantly increase the amount of fluids you lose as urine and sweat, leading to dehydration.
• On average, for each alcoholic drink you are going to urinate 100ml more than normal.
• If you are going to consume alcohol, try having a glass of water between each drink.
• Bring your own reusable water bottle so that you can fill up at water points without queuing at a drinks tent.