A wave of hot air is settling on the UK. Not the heatwave, something more stifling: constant advice about the heat.

Health experts tell us to keep hydrated and keep out of the midday sun, not to leave young children or animals in cars and to avoid too much physical exertion.A roster of journalists from and in hot countries provide tips about getting by in summer.

Many think we know very well how to keep ourselves cool. We should be allowed to make our own decisions and take our own risks, without experts and journalists treating us like babies.

That is why some think the best response is not advice about wearing hats or sleeping under sheets, but the philosophy of StoicismA philosophy that originated in the ancient world and still has many adherents today. Stoics seek to control their emotions and preserve their happiness in the face of adversity..

Stoicism originated in the thought of ancient Athenian philosopher ZenoBorn in Citium, Zeno was an ancient philosopher who founded the Stoic school. He is not to be confused with the better-known Zeno of Elea, who devised Zeno's paradox of motion.. Stoics believe we should not obsess about things that are beyond our control. We should understand that if we are unhappy, it is because of our reactions.

This does not mean being passive and fatalisticThe idea that all events are due to fate and cannot be changed with action.. It means embracing the fact that we always control ourselves. We can work to control our reactions and thereby achieve inner peace.

Some suggest we could take as our example World War One icon TE LawrenceA British archaeologist, soldier and writer who shot to fame for his part in the Arab Revolt of 1916 against Ottoman rule.. Lawrence first went to the Middle East to complete his thesis on CrusaderThe Crusades were a series of holy wars waged by Christian powers against Middle Eastern states between 1095 and 1291. Christian armies often built castles to secure their conquests, some of which still stand today. castles. He went alone and on foot, at the height of summer - when temperatures in Syria regularly remain above 30C for weeks on end.

He survived the trip, fell in love with the Arab world and six years later was leading local allies in daring raids on TurkishAt the outbreak of World War One, the Turkish Ottoman Empire still governed most of the Middle East. With British support, some Arab armies revolted against their rule in 1916. armies.

Others say it is not as simple as being like Lawrence. Indeed, they argue, the people moaning about the "nanny stateA pejorative phrase associated with the view that governments should not interfere unduly in ordinary people's choices." are the ones behaving like children, refusing to listen to those who know better than them.

A heatwave can be a kind of natural disaster, associated with crop failures, mass deaths, wildfires and damage to infrastructure.

Extreme heat causes a number of acute health risks, notably heatstroke and heat exhaustion. It also increases the number of drownings, as people enter unsafe water to escape the scorching air. By 10am yesterday, a 13-year-old had already died trying to cool off in a river in NorthumberlandA county in northeast England that borders Scotland..

Heat can also exacerbate existing conditions. A heatwave in France in 2003 caused 15,000 excess deaths.

Advice to keep cool may save lives.

Yes: All this moaning about the weather is tedious. We do not need patronising advice about keeping cool: we all know how to deal with heat. People should be left to make their own choices.

No: A heatwave is a natural disaster, no different from a flood or a hurricane. People will benefit from evidence-based advice on dealing with its effects. This helps them to make informed choices.

Or... Amidst all the whining on both sides, it can seem like no-one is paying attention to the real issue. This heatwave is a direct result of climate breakdown, and that is what we should be talking about.