What Happens to the Body During a Heat Wave?
What can we expect as global warming intensifies
Hiya!
I try not to focus too much on the doom and gloom of climate change in this newsletter because I think we are well aware and in need of a break from disaster. Especially when there are so many catastrophes occurring at once. It’s important we don’t become consumed with dread, but it’s also important to keep our heads out of the sand.
Learning what to expect and how environmental impacts can affect us helps combat our fears of the unknown and allow us some measure of control. So I apologize if this week is a little worrisome, but the information is essential.
Increased Heatwaves
When it comes to the impacts of global warming, it’s the freak storms, hurricanes, and wildfires that are thought to be the most dangerous. This makes sense considering how powerless we feel compared to them, and how destructive these events can be in wiping away homes, schools, and entire towns, requiring billions of dollars to rebuild and many years to do so.
Extreme temperatures don’t destroy buildings like hurricanes or flooding, nor do they poison the air with smoke the way fires do, but they can be just as deadly. Between 1980 and 2016, heat-related deaths increased by 74 percent.
This year we’ve already had extreme heat waves in several places worldwide, especially in India and Pakistan, where temperatures reached up to 116 degrees F (47C) in April. This week, half or more of the United States is due to be engulfed by a heat dome.
Don’t forget, humidity can make high temperatures even more dangerous by making it harder or impossible for the human body to cool itself. Humidity can also cause additional health issues, including muscle cramps, dehydration, fainting, and heatstroke.
Of course, heat waves aren’t a new phenomenon. The first comprehensive worldwide assessment of heat waves, a report released during the summer of 2020, revealed that the frequency and duration of heat waves have increased since the 1950s worldwide.
We know extreme heat devastates crops and leaves the environment at risk for fires, but what about people? Sure, it’s uncomfortable to be hot, but how does extreme heat impact our health?
Technology advancements such as air conditioning (AC) absolutely aid in keeping people cool, but millions don’t have access to AC. Besides, while AC units may be an immediate solution, they create additional climate problems and aren’t a long-term solution to combating the increasing heat.
Impacts of Extreme Heat on The Human Body
Before researching for this newsletter, I figured that heatstroke, heat exhaustion, and dehydration were the most common and deadly culprits of prolonged exposure to extreme heat. However, my assumption appears to be wrong. According to the World Economic Forum, such experiences account for only a “relatively small fraction of the total health risks associated with days of extreme heat.”
Still, all three — heatstroke, heat exhaustion, and dehydration — have devastating impacts on the body. Heat exhaustion can leave us feeling weak, dizzy, and nauseous, but it isn’t deadly so long as we cool down within 30 minutes.
If we can’t, heat exhaustion can turn into heat stroke, requiring immediate help as the person could die. Heat stroke impacts our mental states, increases our pulse, can make us nauseous to the point of vomiting, give us migraines, and make us disoriented.
Boston University recently published a helpful article that goes into further detail about the effects of prolonged heat exposure. In it, professor of environmental health at Boston University, and director of BU’s Program on Climate and Health, Gregory Wellenius, helps break down some lesser-known effects of prolonged heat exposure on our bodies and minds.
In the article, Wellenius points out other health conditions which heat exposure can cause that, on the surface, don’t seem related to heat. Such as kidney issues, preterm births among pregnant women, and skin infections. He also references some studies that have found links between prolonged high temperatures and spikes in several human behaviors.
This study found that hot days correlate with more substance abuse-related emergency room visits and higher risks of mood and anxiety disorders, dementia, and schizophrenia. This one links hot weather to lower performance on standardized tests, higher chances of work-related injuries, and errors in judgment.
More research is needed, but so far, evidence shows that extreme heat influences our cognition, mood, and other vital aspects of our mental health and well-being. We must be aware of these effects to notice and address them in ourselves and others.
What Can We Do?
The obvious answer is that we must try to stay as cool as possible when the temperature rises. For many, this means staying indoors, preferably with AC. But for many others, air conditioning isn’t an option. And like I mentioned before, air conditioners create additional problems for the environment. Unfortunately, we’ve yet to find a widespread alternative solution to replace them.
Long-term change is needed, but we also need short-term solutions. After all, it’s hot right now, and it’s only June. So aside from blasting air conditioning, what can we do?
Well, for starters, we should stay out of the sun as much as possible, which might mean staying inside or using an umbrella for shade if you must go out. Of course, we should also stay hydrated. Most of us drink less water than we think. I mean, I’m prone to substituting water for coffee during the week, but coffee dehydrates us, so I know I need to be mindful of my intake this week when local temperatures are due to climb.
Also, now that we know the symptoms heat can have on us, we can keep an eye on friends and family. Maybe even check in with elderly neighbors, other high-risk people such as pregnant women, and those without access to AC.
Perspective Shift
Look, I know we’d all rather put horse blinders on when it comes to our lives and only focus on what’s right in front of us. Our lives have enough going on without stressing over the devastating impacts of global warming, let alone every other catastrophe around us.
But often, avoiding the topics that scare us, or make us feel helpless, only ends up compounding our fears and can leave us feeling paralyzed. Frightening as it may be to learn about the impacts of what’s to come, the knowledge we gain can help us overcome them. We can understand the signs, become proactive instead of hiding, and create positive change together.
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