What does the heat do to our minds and bodies?
Studies show a correlation between hot days and an increase in hospital visits for mood and anxiety disorders.
On a physical level, heat extremes have an impact on the human body, which has an average temperature of about 36.5 degrees Celsius. Anything beyond that, and we start sweating to help the body stay cool.
If that water loss is not replenished, we get dehydrated and our organs start to struggle with their essential tasks.
The heart is forced to pump harder as it tries to regulate the body’s temperature.
Blood vessels thin as more blood is brought to the skin to aid in the sweating process, but this lowers blood pressure, leading to the risk of a heart attack.
Dehydration also decreases oxygen supply to the kidney, responsible for removing extra waste and extra fluid from the body. This can lead to chronic kidney disease.
Prolonged exposure to intense heat can also escalate to heat stroke, which is marked by an elevated body temperature, a rapid strong pulse and the loss of consciousness.
This can be fatal if the victim is not taken to a medical facility quickly.