Our body and mind like to stay in balance, but heat can throw that balance off.
Well also share strategies for coping with extreme heat.
These strategies helped them manage their anxiety more effectively during the heatwave.
Carles Navarro Parcerisas / Getty Images
In fact, research has shown a connection betweenheat and mental health.
JoAnna Leuck, MD
Extreme heat is a stressor both on the body and the mind.
In addition, mental health issues are often exacerbated by certain psychiatric medications' capacity to increase heat vulnerability.
The extreme heat can have a substantial influence on mood,cognition, and behavior.
With extreme heat, there is… an increase in interpersonal conflict and violence, says Leuck.
It can lead to mood changes, including anger and outbursts.
Your behavior might change tooyou may snap at people more easily or have trouble completing tasks.
Those withbipolar disordermight experience more intense manic or depressive episodes.
The physiological strain of maintaining body temperature can lead to sleep disturbances, which further destabilizes mood.
Other conditions can be impacted by extreme heat too.
Studies have shown that test scores and work productivity can decline significantly in hot environments," explains Kushnir.
Over time, this may lead to problems with memory, learning, and overall brain function.
For example, Carroll tells this story: One of my patients loves gardening, walking, and hiking.
We discussed staying hydrated, getting out of the midday heat, and getting into the shade.
We also discussed changing their summer routine to avoid the worst effects of the heat.
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