Physical and Mental Health Risks in an Intense Heat Climate

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Nature walks, jogging, outdoor sports, listening to bird songs, gardening—these are just a few of the relaxing ways we can break away from the ever-increasing stressors we face in a high-stress, complex world. However, with record-breaking heat becoming a common health warning, it’s important to find balance between what relieves our stress and what exacerbates it.

Extreme Heat and Physical/Mental Well-Being

According to NASA, 2023 was the warmest year on record, and 2024 is gearing up to be another record-breaker. While I frequently write about nature-based activities being powerful forms of stress relief, these same opportunities can present a double-edged sword, especially at this time of year when extreme temperatures present very real physical and psychological safety concerns.

Although we've all heard of the physical dangers of extreme heat, those who value the health benefits and inherent joy of outdoor activities sometimes ignore or minimize these risks. Just last year, there were five incidents of heat exhaustion within my relatively small tennis community, several of which required emergency room care. In short, outdoor enthusiasts don't always recognize or attend to the beginning signs of heat-related illnesses, even though these experiences are readily preventable if you take simple steps to prepare and stay informed (Centers for Disease Control).

Risk Reduction Strategies

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• Schedule your outdoor activities at the coolest times of the day.
• Choose lightweight, light-colored, and loose-fitting clothing.
• Apply waterproof, high SPF sunscreen 30 minutes before sun exposure and reapply regularly during your activity.
• Hydrate early and often, meaning the day before and throughout the day of your activity.
• Avoid hot and heavy meals before your activity.
• Avoid sugary and alcoholic drinks.
• Consider drinking sports drinks to replace the salt and minerals that you lose when sweating.
• Check local news and heat alerts for the best times to avoid being outdoors.
• Find intermittent cool spots when feeling overheated. For example, if you're jogging and start to feel the effects of heat, take respite in a nearby store or shopping mall to cool down your body before you return to the heat. If there are no airconditioned spaces nearby, find shaded areas to rest and allow your body to recover.
• Use cool towels or ice packs to lower your body temperature.
• Higher humidity increases risk, so consider both temperature and humidity when planning your outdoor activities.
• Take a cool shower or bath to cool off after being outdoors.
• Familiarize yourself with the signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses and how to treat them. (See CDC's Signs and Symptoms of Heat-Related Illnesses.)
• Do your outdoor activities with a buddy.
• Recognize your limitations and adjust accordingly. Older individuals, young children, individuals with medical and psychiatric conditions, and those who take certain medications are more vulnerable to experiencing heat-related problems. However, even healthy and physically fit individuals can be affected.
• If you begin to experience any symptoms of heat-related illness, immediately start measures to cool yourself down (get into the shade, apply ice and/or cool towels, sip water, loosen tight clothing, remove unnecessary clothing).
• Don't hesitate to call for medical help if your symptoms don't improve. Heat-related illnesses can be life threatening. (According to the CDC, approximately 1,220 people in the United States die from extreme heat every year.)

• If you see someone who seems to be struggling, ask them if they're okay. One sign of heat-related illnesses is confusion, so they may not be fully or immediately aware that they're having problems. Get the person into the shade, use the above cool-down measures, and call for medical help if necessary.

Physical health, however, isn't the only risk brought on by extreme temperatures. Researchers have found that high heat can significantly affect our mental health.

Dr. Amruta Nori-Sarma, whose research is directed at understanding the impacts of interrelated extreme weather events on mental health, reports a significant relationship between high temperatures and the rates of emergency room visits for a wide range of mental health conditions, including anxiety, stress-related conditions, mood disorders, substance use, and suicidality, suggesting that "extreme heat is an exogenous stressor that’s exacerbating people’s underlying mental health symptoms" (Mills, 2024).

The American Psychiatric Association also warns of the increased risk of heat waves and extreme heat on our mental health, citing increases in irritability, depression, sleep disturbances, aggression, domestic violence, substance use, suicidal thoughts, and suicide as significant problems associated with rising temperatures (2023).

The bottom line is that higher temperatures are increasingly becoming a factor in our daily lives, and that is only likely to worsen as our climate is changing at alarming rates. Therefore, we need to start accommodating for these inevitable changes.

One way to do this is to be cognizant of your physical health and safety when taking advantage of the many stress-relieving aspects of outdoor activities. By being mindful of your energy levels, pacing yourself accordingly, and listening to your body's signals, your risk of experiencing a heat-related episode is significantly reduced.

In addition, don't forget about your mental health! Research has consistently found that high heat contributes to and exacerbates mental health symptoms, and it's an aspect that isn't as widely known or covered in the media as physical symptoms are. This means that it's incumbent upon us to prepare for and be aware of changes in our mood and behaviors as heat becomes an important factor that we can no longer afford to ignore in our increasingly active and complex lives.