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The UK has faced temperatures this week that are unheard of for the month of May. Temperatures have reached 35 degrees in some parts of the country, whilst others have experienced strong humidity levels. While warmer temperatures can be enjoyable and the sun a source of healthy vitamin D, hot weather also has its problems.
One of the lesser-covered effects of extreme heat is how it affects mental health. A report produced by the American Psychological Association and ecoAmerica states that heat has a severely negative impact on the mental health of developing brains.
The El Nino cycle that is unfolding in the Pacific Ocean is expected to get stronger in the coming months, thus increasing the chance of a super El-Nino in Autumn. This super El-Nino could drastically affect weather patterns and could lead to the hottest year in history in 2027.
El Nino is Spanish for “The Christ Child”. It describes the warming of the Ocean surface or when there are above average temperatures in the central and eastern pacific ocean. It is caused by the weakening of low-level surface winds blowing from east to west along the equator.
Sometimes, the winds change direction and blow from West to East. This also contributes to El Nino.
Heat and Medications:
Certain medications can affect the ability of the body to respond to heat. These include several antidepressants, stimulants, and antipsychotics. Extreme side-effects created by certain psychotropics such as dry mouth and sweating can be amplified by extreme heat.
Heat and Mental Health:
Evidence shows that extreme heat can negatively impact mental health. In Canada, heat waves are connected to a 9.7% uptick in mental health related hospital visits. In the UK, a 10% increase in mental health related A and E visits during times of extreme heat has been recorded.
Some studies out of the US and Canada reveal a one percent to two percent increase in suicide rates when there is a one degree increase in mean monthly temperature. Another study found that the risk of suicide doubles when the temperature is at 22 degrees versus 32 degrees. According to Dr Lawrence Wainwright of Oxford University, heat also has a detrimental effect on sleep: “Heat can make sleeping difficult – particularly when coupled with poor quality housing.
“Less sleep and broken sleep are strongly linked with an exacerbation of existing mental health symptoms – or the emergence of new symptoms.” The University of Oxford’s Precision Psychiatry Lab is working on a study that documents the relationship between heat exposure and depression, anxiety, psychosis, and suicidality.
What Can Be Done:
On an individual level, managing exposure to heat is vital, with protective measures such as caps and sun-screen being non-negotiable. On a governmental level, experts have recommended that the Government invest intensely in cooling technologies for workspaces. The Climate Change Committee has stated that the government should prioritise providing air conditioning and other cooling technologies to schools, hospitals, and other vital working areas.
The committee has also warned that over 90% of existing homes could overheat in the next few decades due to climate change induced heatwaves. The government has released guidance for how to manage the warm weather for those who take medication. They advise storing medications at temperatures below 25 degrees Celsius.
UK housing’s heat regulation crisis:
Most UK homes are designed in a way that keeps heat in during the winter. If the heat gets in through unshaded windows, it becomes trapped inside the house. Although it may seem counterintuitive, experts recommend keeping your windows closed on a very warm day.
If you let your windows open, you are effectively letting the hot air in and trapping it inside of your home. The challenge of helping UK homes adapt better to the heat is a very complicated one. The Social Market Foundation, a leading cross-party Think tank on government policy explains that although authorities have a good understanding of the geography of certain houses being affected and the types of properties most at risk, there is not enough understanding of the levels of awareness amongst the population about the risk of overheating in UK households.
Furthermore, the thinktank says that authorities are not certain of what preventative measures the general public is aware of, or what barriers they face in implementing these measures. Authorities also lack clarity on what management opportunities are actually available to certain segments of the population, as research into overheating has been London-centric.
