I hate the heat. Honestly, I would gladly live somewhere where it is 20 degrees all year round. But Dubai is a place that teaches you to put your fantasies aside and start adapting to reality — preferably a reality with excellent air conditioning.

And yes, we bless the AC. We respect the AC. We would probably write it into our wills. But somehow, it doesn't always fix the sleepiness, dizziness and absolute lack of desire to answer even one more email. Heat makes the body work harder to keep its temperature stable, while dehydration can leave you tired, unfocused and generally unwilling to participate in capitalism. So, what can you actually do about it? Let's keep this short and effective, because your brain is already warm.

Yes, you have heard this before. No, I am not simply going to tell you to drink more water and disappear.

The important part is drinking regularly, rather than waiting until you feel desperately thirsty. Keep a bottle on your desk, take water with you when you leave the house and set reminders if you routinely reach 6 pm having consumed three coffees and approximately two sips of actual water.

Fizzy and sugar-free drinks still count towards your fluid intake, so my beloved midday Coke Zero isn't a complete hydration crime. However, water should remain the main character. If you have been sweating heavily, exercising outdoors or spending a long time in the heat, an electrolyte drink or mineral water can help replace some of the salts lost through sweat. For an ordinary day spent mostly indoors, regular water and balanced meals are generally enough — you don't need to approach electrolytes as if you are preparing for the Tour de France.

And if you feel dizzy, unusually weak, nauseous or confused after being in the heat, move somewhere cool, rest and rehydrate. These can be signs of heat exhaustion, not merely a particularly aggressive Tuesday.

The temptation to set the AC to 16 degrees is understandable. It is 40 degrees outside, you have just crossed a car park and your entire personality has melted. You want winter immediately.

But moving repeatedly between extreme outdoor heat and aggressively chilled indoor spaces can feel unpleasant and may leave you uncomfortable, tense or exhausted. You don't need to prove anything to your air conditioner. Set it to a cool but comfortable temperature, use a fan if needed and avoid directing freezing air straight at your face or desk for eight hours.

There is also no scientific prize for keeping your bedroom colder than a supermarket dairy aisle. The goal is to help your body cool down and rest comfortably, not to recreate Scandinavia in August.

This doesn't mean sitting at home until October and slowly forgetting what trees look like. It means accepting that summer errands require more energy than winter errands and planning accordingly.

Group appointments and errands together, avoid unnecessary trips during the hottest part of the day and give yourself time to recover after being outside. If possible, schedule walks, outdoor exercise and anything involving a suspiciously large car park for early morning or evening.

Heat can affect concentration and physical performance, particularly when dehydration joins the party. Your brain isn't suddenly lazy; it is simply working under less-than-ideal conditions. Adjust the schedule before blaming your entire personality.

A common summer problem is that the higher the temperature rises, the lower the appetite falls. You skip breakfast, survive on iced coffee and then wonder why opening a spreadsheet feels like climbing a mountain.

If a full English breakfast sounds emotionally violent at 8 am, don't force it. Choose lighter foods that still provide energy and nutrients: yoghurt with berries, a smoothie, fruit with nuts, eggs and toast, a cold grain salad or whatever else you can eat without starting a personal conflict with your stomach.

Fruit is particularly convenient because it provides water and carbohydrates. My personal summer superfood is watermelon: cold, sweet, hydrating and capable of convincing me that life is worth continuing. Berries, peaches, oranges, grapes and melon work beautifully too. Just remember that fruit is a useful snack, not a complete nutritional strategy. Your body would also appreciate some protein, fats and proper meals.

This may sound counterintuitive, but gentle movement can help you feel more alert and break the fog created by hours of sitting still. I understand the resistance to doing a sweaty HIIT session when merely existing already feels like cardio. Fortunately, nobody is asking for burpees.

Walk on a compact treadmill during Zoom calls, take a lap around the office between tasks, stretch for five minutes or train indoors somewhere properly cooled. Regular activity can support energy, sleep and concentration — and a short walk is often more effective than staring at the same sentence until it begins to look like an ancient inscription.

Some of my best ideas arrive while I am moving. At my desk, meanwhile, my brain occasionally offers nothing beyond: perhaps another iced coffee?

So, the basic formula of surviving the heat isn't glamorous: drink regularly, eat enough, plan outdoor time carefully, keep your surroundings comfortably cool and move a little. But if persistent tiredness or dizziness continues even when you are hydrated and out of the heat, don't automatically blame Dubai. It may be worth speaking to a doctor, because summer is responsible for many things, but it shouldn't become the universal suspect.