It keeps getting hotter…
HEAT and MENTAL HEALTH- Is there a correlation?
“It keeps getting hotter. Just when you think you have seen the worst of the heat, it gets much worse. Kids enter classes to learn, and it feels like they are underground with poor ventilation.”
According to Bianca Feldkircher, a lead meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Phoenix, “A heatwave is a period when temperatures are well above average and much warmer for that area and that time of the year” (Munson, 2023)[1] .
The first question that comes to mind is Why?
Why does it get hotter? Heatwaves are caused by high pressure which pushes warm air toward the ground. The relationship between heatwave and climate change is that the frequency and intensity at which heat waves occur increase as global warming increases. Hence, we have had more intense heat wave occurrences in recent times due to climate change.
Heatwave is a hazard with both intense physical and mental effects. As a matter of fact, research by the American Association of Family Physicians proves that 10% of people who suffer from heat stroke die. The focus of this article will be on the mental effect of heat waves, which is sometimes overlooked.
Heatwave and Mental Health
[2] Heat has a direct influence on mood; people tend to feel uneasy and exhausted when hot. These feelings are among the several psychological impacts of heatwaves on humans. Several studies on the mental health risks of climate change have shown that people are prone to mental fatigue, aggression, and increased rates of suicide, amongst others. These psychological impacts disrupt our daily activities and even lives, as they not only bring discomfort but can lead to physical harm or even death.
A study published in JAMA Psychiatry[3] recorded an 8% increase in emergency department visits for mental health concerns on the hottest days of summer than usual. According to the study, concerns like self-harm, anxiety, mood disorders, schizophrenia disorders, etc. all rose consistently in proportion with the temperature (Amruta Nori-Sarma, 2022).
Some psychologists claim the source of the distress in heatwaves is lack of sleep, which is linked to worsened mental health while for some, it is due to an imbalance in brain signalling caused by heat. A common ground is that the psychological impact of heat waves is enormous and should not be taken lightly.
Some people are more vulnerable to these impacts than others. The mentally impaired and children find it hard to regulate their body temperature and this worsens the impact on them. Elderly people are also known to be vulnerable.
On Children
“It keeps getting hotter and hotter”, says my 6 years old cousin as she fans herself. According to UNICEF, about 23% of the world’s children population are affected by high heat waves. Heatwaves have more impact on children, not only due to their inability to regulate their body temperature but also due to their small body mass to surface area ratio and the inability to suppress their emotions. The effect of heatwave on children’s education, nutrition, safety, health, and the immediate environment at large cannot be overemphasised. For every side effect experienced by adults, children mostly have it worse. The discomfort, tiredness, etc. takes an immense toll on them. It reduces their concentration span (education) and access to certain amenities like food and water (nutrition).[4]
When we think of how much the heat has affected us, let us know the vulnerable ones feel it deeper. Besides the mental impact, children are more likely to be affected by fever, asthma, and other respiratory and renal diseases during a heatwave.[5]
It is important to take precautions against heat wave-related symptoms and understand how to adapt. Adaptive methods could sustain us but will not save us. We still need to take action to mitigate global warming in order to lessen heat waves and their impact.
By Opeyemi Olawale.
References
Amruta Nori-Sarma, e. (2022, February 23). Association Between Ambient Heat and Risk of Emergency Department Visits for Mental Health Among US Adults, 2010 to 2019. Retrieved from JAMA Psychiatry : doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2021.4369
Munson, O. (2023, February 9). What is a heat wave? Here’s what it is, how it affects your body and how to stay safe. Retrieved from USA Today : usatoday.com/story/news/weather/2022/07/22heat-wave-causes-explained-safety-tips/1011050802