This is the first time that the effects of the weather on mental health have been measured. Published in the September 2022 edition of the magazine Science Directa new study reveals that exposure to heat can trigger severe symptoms of mental disorders. (source 1)
To reach this conclusion, researchers analyzed weather data from New York State as well as from hospital emergency departments. This information allowed them to assess how the temperatures affect people with mental disorders.
The most affected men
Risk of mental health symptoms increases, study finds as temperature, solar radiation and humidity increase. It is during the summer transition months, from September to October, that the effects are most felt.
Men, Hispanics and African-Americans seem particularly affected by this phenomenon.
The researchers hope that their analysis will lead to better patient care.
“As extreme heat becomes more intense and frequent due to climate change, we can expect these changes to have negative physiological effects…