2023-09-08 09:27:58
In the more or less long term, the consequences of global warming are disastrous. But we don’t always know that, through heatwaves, climate change also has an impact on our mental health. Explanations.
Heatwave and health do not go well together
It can be nice to feel the warm caress of the sun on your skin. We know only too well the risks linked to exposure to too much heat. Exposed to heat, the human body activates thermoregulation mechanisms which allow it to compensate for the increase in temperature. In the event of three strong heat events, “it can, however, happen that these thermoregulation mechanisms are overwhelmed and that heat-related pathologies manifest themselves, the main ones being headaches, nausea, muscle cramps, dehydration. The most serious risk is stroke heat, which can lead to death., recalls the Ministry of Health and Prevention. But our physical health would not be the only thing endangered by excessive heat. Recent work shows that mental health could also be affected by the heatwave.
In question ? The impact of heat on the brain’s neurotransmitters because when the human body is dehydrated, it focuses primarily on the proper functioning of the heart and lungs while the brain becomes more dehydrated leading to an increased risk of loss of consciousness …
What influence does the heatwave have on our mental health?
Recent scientific data highlights a link between heat waves and increase in mental disorders. It was thus proven that a 1°C increase in temperature was associated with a 2.2% increase in overall mortality as well as a 0.9% increase in mental disorders.1. What does rising temperatures cause?
- worsening of symptoms people suffering from mental disorders (depression, anxiety disorders, etc.); a phenomenon that is also observed in the case of other meteorological phenomena and which is referred to under the termeco-anxiety,
- increased manic episodes in people with bipolar disorder
Among the many causes of bipolarity, we know in particular that there is a link between neurotransmitter imbalances and bipolar disorders.2. And since heat acts on neurotransmitters in the brain…
- reduction in efficiency et Side effects when using certain medications, particularly used for the treatment of psychiatric illnesses,
- alteration of the reasoning ability,
Heat reduces the cognitive functions of our brain3. More concretely, subjected to too much heat, our brain would slow down and we would have more difficulty developing and solving cognitive tasks.
- increase in violence
Just as striking, according to a meta-analysis carried out by researchers from the Universities of Berkeley and Princeton in the United States, a simple increase of 1°C compared to seasonal normal is enough for the number of violence such as domestic violence, murders or even rapes, increases by 4%, and the risk of civil war by 14%4. It is estimated that by 2090, climate change could cause a 5% increase in all categories of crime globally…
Sources :
1. “Neurotransmitters and signal transduction processes in bipolar affective disorders: a synopsis”, M. Ackenheil.
2. “Is there a link between hot weather and poor mental health outcomes?”,Jingwen Liu a,Blesson M. Varghese a,Alana Hansen and,Jianjun Xiang a b,Ying Zhang c,Keith Dear a, Michelle Gourley d., Timothy Driscoll v., Geoffrey Morgan v., Anthony Capon and, Peng Bia.
3. “Extreme heat linked with reduced cognitive performance among young adults in non-air-conditioned buildings”, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (A study of students in Boston (US) found that those who were in rooms without air conditioning during a heat wave performed 13% lower than their peers on cognitive tests. They also had a 13% slower reaction time).
4. “Quantifying the Influence of Climate on Human Conflict”, Solomon M. Hsiang , Marshall Burke, Edward Miguel
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