A YouGov poll commissioned by Greenpeace has revealed that the June heatwave in the UK led to widespread sleep disruption, with two-thirds of respondents reporting difficulty sleeping during the sweltering nights. Nearly half of those polled said they lost at least three hours of sleep each night, highlighting the severe impact of record-breaking temperatures.
Homes and health affected
The vast majority of UK residents (86%) said their homes were too hot during the heatwave, and a quarter reported that they or someone in their household felt physically unwell as a result. About one in five people cancelled plans due to the high temperatures, while another one in five had to throw away food that spoiled or could not be kept cool.
The heatwave, which saw temperatures reach 37.7C in Lingwood, Norfolk, and record overnight minimums of 23.5C in Wales and 23.2C in England, is consistent with scientific evidence that global heating is damaging sleep worldwide. The Met Office confirmed that a third heatwave would arrive this week, with parts of southern England expected to hit 35C.
Economic and health consequences
The poll also found that 60% of respondents said their workplaces were too hot, and more than a quarter reported being less productive. Nearly one in ten said they worked in conditions they felt were unsafe. Dr Laurence Wainwright of the University of Oxford noted that tropical nights, where temperatures do not fall below 20C, make good sleep nearly impossible, leading to drops in work performance, increased accidents, lower school test scores, and declining mental health.
The heatwave is expected to have caused hundreds or thousands of early deaths, though statistical analysis is pending. The UK Health Security Agency previously found that over 10,000 people died due to summer heatwaves between 2020 and 2024.
Public support for funding upgrades
More than half of respondents said their homes need retrofit upgrades to cope with future heatwaves, but 78% said they would struggle to afford them. Almost half of people supported a levy on highly polluting companies to fund these upgrades, making it the most popular option. Only 5% supported raising personal taxes. The Climate Change Committee has warned for over a decade that the UK's plans to protect people from extreme weather are inadequate, stating in May that the country is "built for a climate that no longer exists."
Mel Evans, head of climate at Greenpeace UK, said: "The poll exposes the brutal reality of dragging our feet on climate action in the UK, such as mass sleep deprivation. Heatwaves are now a creeping health, housing and economic emergency that is costing families money they don't have. And as these extremes become our new normal, the public wants the corporate polluters who made this mess to pay their fair share towards fixing it."
Call for adaptation measures
Dr Hans Kluge, WHO's director for Europe, emphasized that prevention works, noting that heat-related deaths in Europe in 2023 would have been around 80% higher without existing adaptation measures. The YouGov poll surveyed 2,135 adults in the UK between 30 June and 1 July 2026, with weighted figures representative of all UK adults.
