- Heat records are broken regularly.
- High heat can negatively affect our mental health.
- Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is often associated with winter, but experts say there is a subset of people who experience major depression during the summer.
(NEXSTAR) – When summer heat and humidity reach unbearable levels, meteorologists, school administrators and government officials often discuss ways to stay cool, but what about the impact on our mental health?
Heat records are breaking regularlyAnd last year was no exception. During a brutal and deadly summer in 2023, July became the hottest month ever recorded using modern equipment.
“Not only was this July warmer than any previous July, it was the warmest month on record since 1880,” Gavin Schmidt, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, said after the record was broken. “The science is clear that this is not normal. The alarming warming around the world is driven primarily by human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. And those rising average temperatures are fueling the dangerous extreme heat we’re experiencing here at home and around the world.”
The human body is very sensitive to heat, Susan Albers, a psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic, told Nexstar, but a heat wave can also affect the mind.
“Warm weather is generally good for our mental health, but excessive heat does exactly the opposite,” Albers says. “What studies have shown is that when the heat turns up, people are more irritable, angry, have a lot of discomfort, difficulty sleeping and cognitive problems.”
Heat and our mind
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is often associated with winter, but experts say there is a subset of people who experience major depression during the summer.
Kelly Rohan, a clinical psychologist at the University of Vermont who studies the seasonal phenomenon, told the American Psychological Association (APA) that summer seasonal affective disorder has been “understudied” but appears to be related to how some people experience heat and humidity.
“Some of the same neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin, that are involved in mood regulation are also involved in thermoregulation,” Rohan said, “so there may be some dysfunction in one or more of those neurotransmitter systems that confers a risk for depression as well as an inability to tolerate heat and humidity.”
Although it’s less common than in the winter months, Rohan said those who suffer from SAD in the summer tend to report weight loss, decreased appetite and insomnia. This is the opposite of the common symptoms of winter-type SAD, which often include weight gain, food cravings and sleeping too much.
Seasonal affective disorder of the summer type may have a behavioral or cognitive component, as those who suffer from it try to avoid the heat and isolate themselves at home for days or weeks.
Research shows that heat can affect mental health in a number of ways.
TO Study 2022 The hottest days of the year were found to have an 8% increase in mental health crises leading to a hospital emergency room visit compared with the coldest days. Conditions included substance use disorders, anxiety, stress, schizophrenia, delusions, self-harm and childhood-onset conduct disorders.
The researchers found that there were higher rates in the Northwest, Northeast and Midwest, possibly because homes in those regions were less likely to have air conditioning than other areas, such as the South.
The importance of staying cool
Regarding the relationship between mood and climate, Albers recommends a series of self-care measures that people should adopt.
Whenever possible, do errands or chores outside before 10 a.m. and stay indoors during the hottest parts of the day.
“I also tell my clients to take cold showers, take a cold washcloth, put it on their forehead or behind their neck, and this will help cool them down instantly and helps with some of those cognitive factors that go along with excessive heat,” Albers said.
Experts say nearly all psychotropic medications, with the exception of benzodiazepines, can further reduce the body’s defenses against heat, increasing the chance of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, according to the American Psychological Association.
It’s also important to pay attention to children, as they can easily overheat, leading to tantrums and frustration that parents may assume are simply bad behavior.
“Heat affects neurotransmitter production, our sleep, and the quality of our hormonal regulation,” Albers said. “So, those three factors significantly affect our mood, and the interaction between those two factors can either improve or worsen our mood. In the short term, we can manage heat symptoms, day by day, by staying home and staying cool.”
People who are already struggling with aspects of their mental health can be especially vulnerable during a prolonged heatwave, and Albers says that’s the best time to stay connected with loved ones.
“Some warning signs that you’re really going through a difficult time emotionally are changes in your daily functioning,” Albers told Nexstar. “You’re having difficulty getting to work, changes in appetite, sleep. Those are some of the major warning signs, and it’s time to check in with your mental health provider or your doctor.”
