The heatwave is back - with temperatures set to reach 29 degrees on Friday.

After a brief respite from the sun, the mercury will once again be rising throughout the rest of this week.

Temperatures will hit 25 degrees today across Essex and stay in the mid to high 20s for the rest of the week.

Brentwood Live:

The weekend is also set to be hot and dry.

Here are five tips on staying healthy the hot weather, from Well Pharmacy:

1. Stay hydrated

Keeping your body hydrated is vital, especially in this hot weather. Dehydration is not nice and can cause many problems like nausea, fatigue and potential injuries. Make sure you drink at least 6-8 glasses of water a day, and even more if you’re very active.

2. Stay cool

The peak sun intensity hours are between 10am and 3pm in the summer, so try to stay in the shade during this time. When you’re indoors, close blinds and curtains, and use a fan if you have one available. Outdoors, wear loose, breathable, light clothing to keep your body temperature down.

3. Stay protected

Sunscreen is a must when you are spending time outside. We recommend at least SPF 30 for children and SPF 15 for adults. The higher the SPF number, the better, as it means more protection! Apply generously at least 20 to 30 minutes before heading outside. Reapplying is important, even if the sunscreen promises all-day protection. Don’t forget to take a pit stop every two hours whilst out in the sun, so you can slather on the sun cream and stay protected.

4. Stay sniffle-free

The summer breeze can bring the sniffles, sneezes and itchy eyes. If you suffer from hayfever, you don’t have to let it spoil your day. Antihistamines come in the form of tablets or nasal sprays and work by blocking histamine, which is the chemical that causes many of the allergy symptoms. If you know pollen will give you a hard time when you’re out and about, you can take these as a preventative treatment or when you first start to develop symptoms. There are many different medications that can prevent or soothe the reactions, so visit your local Well Pharmacy to get some expert advice.

5. Stay safe

When the sun is scorching, there is nothing more tempting than diving into the nearest pool of cool water. But swimming in reservoirs and unsafe open waters can be high risk due to strong currents and low temperatures. You may think the hot weather has heated up the water, but this isn’t always the case and cold-water shock is one of the main causes of drowning. Our advice is head down to your local swimming baths, swim in water marked as safe with a lifeguard on duty, or jump in a cold shower!