Heatwaves worsen mental health conditions
Laurence Wainwright, University of Oxford and Eileen Neumann, University of Zurich
Heatwaves have a huge impact on our physical and mental health. Doctors usually dread them, as emergency rooms quickly fill up with patients suffering from dehydration, delirium and fainting. Recent studies suggest at least a 10% rise in hospital emergency room visits on days when temperatures reach or exceed the top 5% of the normal temperature range for a given location.
Soaring temperatures can also make symptoms worse in those with mental health conditions. Heatwaves – as well as other weather events such as floods and fires – have been linked to a rise in depressive symptoms in people with depression, and a rise in anxiety symptoms in those with generalised anxiety disorder – a disorder where people feel anxious most of the time.