2023-07-12 02:10:17
Wed 12/July/2023 – 05:10 AM
A new study has found that high temperatures cause poor mental health, according to the Imperial College London website.
Temperature association with mental health
The study showed that increasing global temperatures and heat waves may be associated with poor mental health.
The researchers discovered that increased ambient temperature, temperature variability relative to mean temperature and heatwaves, associated with climate change, may be associated with increased hospital attendance or admissions for mental health disorders, non-medical impairment, mental health and well-being in the community, as well as Increase in suicides.
Climate change leads to heat waves
The researchers note that more high-quality, standardized research is needed to improve our understanding of these effects, as not all evidence has been strong enough to yield firm conclusions.
The researchers stressed that, given that climate change is likely to lead to higher temperatures and more frequent heat waves, the association indicated by the new study may be concerning, as mental health disorders are already a major cause of the burden of disease globally.
Dr Rhiannon Thompson, co-lead author, said: “A lot of people don’t realize that there are mental health risks associated with heat, as well as physical health risks, although when you think regarding some of the potential ways this might happen, such as disrupted sleep and increased stress. Well, that makes a lot of sense.
He added in a press briefing: Physiological changes, such as changes in blood flow or serotonin levels, can also be affected by elevated temperatures, which may disproportionately affect individuals with pre-existing mental illnesses.
He stressed that it is important to raise awareness of these connections so that healthcare systems, public health systems and professionals can respond and prepare during hot weather, and so that we can take care of ourselves and each other during these increasingly common periods.
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