You have probably seen a lot of talk in the news about climate anxiety, and we see it in our practice too. Older people worry about the future of our planet for their children and grandchildren. Young people, especially, worry about climate change and how it will affect their own futures. But as we have seen in recent summers, there is a lot more to the impact of climate change on mental health. Extreme heat can affect your mental health in damaging ways.
Mental Health and Extreme Heat
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published a report in 2022 concluding that climate change has had an adverse effect on mental health in many parts of the world. The IPCC expects mental health problems to increase as temperatures continue to rise, especially anxiety, stress, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
What the research shows about how extreme heat affects your mental health:
- Research shows that during heat waves, there is an increase in suicides and psychiatric hospitalizations, and there is mixed evidence of worsening mental health symptoms in high temperatures.
- In addition to increased risk of suicide and ER visits for mental health reasons, a 2019 study in the Journal of Health Economics found an increase in self-reported “poor mental health days” in extreme heat. They also found that high temperature tended to increase negative mental health outcomes while cold temperatures reduced them. These results held even when researchers controlled for factors such as a person’s baseline climate, air conditioning penetration rates, and access to mental health services.
- According to a 2024 study in the Journal Psychiatric Research, people with mental illness are more likely to suffer negative physical health effects from extreme heat than are people with no mental health diagnosis.
- A 2023 study in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine found that irritability, aggression, and violent attacks increase on extreme heat days, which in turn affects the mental health of crime victims.
How Can Extreme Heat Affect Your Mental Health?
When it’s very hot outside, people tend to feel more tired and cranky. Being hot is uncomfortable, and this increases our vulnerability to intense emotions. When the heat just doesn’t let up for long periods of time, like during the recent heat wave, it can feel overwhelmingly oppressive. So what is at play here? How, exactly, does extreme heat affect your mental health?
- Stress: Heat stress occurs when your body can’t cool itself down. This can lead to psychological symptoms like irritability, stress, and agitation.
- Sleep: If you’ve ever tried to sleep in a hot room with no air conditioning, you know that heat can make it extremely difficult to sleep. Sleep is crucial to mental health. A good night’s sleep supports brain health and has a positive impact on mood, memory, cognitive functioning, and more. Sleep deprivation can lead to depression, emotional dysregulation, irritability, poor cognition, and other mental health problems.
- Cognitive issues: Prolonged exposure to extreme heat can cause cellular damage, inflammation, and oxidative stress in your brain. This can negatively impact tasks that require attention, memory, and reasoning. Heat can also slow reaction time and accuracy.
- Mood changes: Very high temperatures can increase levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood. When serotonin levels are too high, this might cause mood swings, aggression, and irritability. This can be especially true for people who are already depressed or drink alcohol frequently. Extreme heat can also increase levels of cortisol, the “stress hormone.” This can make people feel more irritable and stressed-out.
- Behavioral changes: When your body is very hot, it uses energy from the brain’s prefrontal cortex (PFC) to cool itself down. This can disrupt the connection between the PFC and other brain regions. Our PFC is responsible for executive functions such as self control, rational decision making, flexible thinking, working memory, task initiation, planning, and prioritization. When the PFC is “turned off” during extreme heat, our behavior gets more impulsive and less rational.
What Can You Do If Extreme Heat Is Affecting Your Mental Health?
All of this might sound pretty disheartening. The good news is, there are things you can do to protect your mental health when the temperature starts to rise.
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- Drink lots of water: When you are dehydrated, stress levels increase, and this can make your anxiety and irritability even worse. Dehydration can worsen stress, anxiety and irritability. It can also change the effects of certain medications. When you drink plenty of water, you are giving your body what it needs to cool itself down in high temperatures.
- Take care of your body: When your body is less healthy, you are more vulnerable to intense emotions. So eat balanced meals, exercise, get enough sleep, avoid drugs and alcohol, and treat physical illness when you’re sick.
- Practice mindfulness: Mindfulness is a superpower that can help you stay in the present moment, reduce anxiety and stress, and engage your prefrontal cortex for better brain health.
- Socialize: Resist the urge to isolate yourself from friends and family when you start to feel down or depressed. This will only increase your negative emotions. Spending time with loved ones boosts your mood and improves mental health.
- Stay cool if you can: Stay inside during the hottest times of day, generally from 2:00-4:00PM. When you do go outside, stay in the shade or in the water. You can also wear light fabrics, use fans and air conditioning, and cool off in a cold shower.
- Seek mental health treatment if necessary: If you are feeling down and depressed, anxious, or panicked, especially if these symptoms are making it difficult for you to function in daily life, it might be time to see a mental health provider. If you are already being treated for mental illness, be sure to continue taking your medications as directed, and let your prescriber know if they seem to be affecting you differently in the heat. Keep your therapy appointments, and tell your therapist if you are having thoughts of suicide or self harm.
- Take emergency action when needed: If you are experiencing a suicidal crisis, you can always call the 988 to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
How Can I Find Mental Health Care Near Me?
If you are in Maryland and in need of mental health care, Gladstone Psychiatry and Wellness can help. We have a fantastic team of psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and therapists. We also have a comprehensive, full-fidelity DBT program that is certified by the DBT-Linehan Board of Certification. Call us at 443-708-5856 or email new.patient@gladstonepsych.com to schedule an appointment today.