It’s getting hotter here in Dallas, and while it’s raining at this very moment, it is going to come close to 100 degrees over the next few days. We often talk about the weather’s effect, good and bad, on our physical health – our sunburns, our vitamin D, our dehydration, and the exercise as we spend more time outdoors.
But hot weather can affect mental health as well, and not just a little bit. The effects of weather on mental health can be profound, and can affect us in ways that can last even as the weather cools.
How Hot Weather Creates Mental Health Challenges
Hot temperatures are hard on the body, no matter how much we may love the outdoors. When left unchecked and untreated, it’s also possible for those issues to compound into other issues that could affect you later in life as well. Examples of mental health issues that heat can create include, but are not limited to:
- Increased Irritability – High temperatures can lead to increased irritability and mood swings. The body’s effort to regulate temperature puts stress on physiological systems, often resulting in heightened emotional responses. This can make individuals more prone to frustration and anger.
- Sleep Disruptions – Hot weather can interfere with sleep patterns, leading to poor quality sleep or insomnia. The inability to cool down at night can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep, contributing to fatigue and exacerbating stress and anxiety levels.
- Dehydration and Cognitive Function – Dehydration is a common consequence of hot weather, and it can negatively impact cognitive functions. Even mild dehydration can impair concentration, decision-making abilities, and overall cognitive performance, which in turn can affect mood and productivity.
- Increased Anxiety – The physical discomfort of being too hot can increase anxiety levels. Individuals with pre-existing anxiety disorders may find their symptoms worsening during heatwaves, as the stress of physical discomfort compounds their mental health challenges.
- Social Isolation – Hot weather can limit outdoor activities and social interactions, leading to feelings of isolation. Staying indoors to avoid the heat can reduce opportunities for social engagement and physical exercise, both of which are important for maintaining mental health.
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – While often associated with winter, Seasonal Affective Disorder can also occur during the summer. This condition, sometimes referred to as “summer SAD,” can cause symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and changes in sleep patterns and appetite, driven by the prolonged exposure to heat and light.
As the weather cools, these issues could in theory go away on their own. But the problem is that people get used to their mental health. A person that is struggling with anxiety in the heat, for example, may still feel anxiety as the weather cools. A person isolated socially or irritable during the summer may find that their loneliness affects them in the fall and winter, and so on.
In many cases, the issue may also be that the challenge was present already and just made worse by the
Managing Mental Health in Hot Weather
Some of managing mental health in the summer relies on simply taking care of yourself. Staying hydrated, making sure your AC is on and working, trying to find time to still do activities with your friends, going to sleep at a reasonable hour – all of these can help prevent mental health issues.
Still, it may also be a good idea to reach out to someone that can help you manage your mental health. Psychiatrists like Dr. Sehdev can provide support for patients that are struggling with their mental health for any reason, and can help with issues like insomnia or anxiety if
