Why does hot weather make me feel so bad? | Well actually

RRecently, my husband and I started doing what should be a fun springtime activity: walking to the local farmer’s market. But the passing heatwave had made it unseasonably hot outside. I cut him off on the side of the road and he yelled at me, so I grabbed him with a gun. We spent the whole trip sweating, in complete silence. When we were about to get home, he sadly said: “I’m sorry, it’s too hot.”

Our grouchiness was not just a weakness of spirit. “The heat doesn’t just affect your body,” said Dr. Susan Albers, a psychiatrist at the Cleveland Clinic. “It affects your emotions too.”

Studies have shown that on hot days, levels of violence tend to increase, as do incidents of road rage, violence and even visits to emergency rooms for mental health issues, Albers said.

Why does excess heat make us so hard, and how can we better control it? We asked the experts.

How do hot temperatures affect the body?

“Hot temperatures have negative effects on the body,” said Dr. Craig Sawchuk, a psychologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

When it’s hot, your body kicks into overdrive, working harder to regulate your core body temperature to stay in a safe range – usually between 97F and 99F (36.1C and 37.2C).

One of the first things that happens is that your vascular system (vessels that carry blood and lymph fluid, such as veins and arteries) expands to allow more blood to flow quickly throughout the body, Sawchuk explains. This brings more blood to the surface of the skin, reduces swelling and allows heat from inside the body to dissipate. (When it’s cold, the opposite happens: your vascular system thaws, and blood moves to the surface of the skin, which keeps your internal heat contained.)

Your heart has to pump more blood to cool the body, which leads to a higher heart rate.

Dilating blood vessels also causes your sweat reaction. And while sweat can help cool you down, Sawchuk warns that excessive sweating can put you at risk of dehydration, which can lead to muscle cramps, headaches, fatigue, problem focus and emotional changes.

But not all people deal with heat in the same way, notes Albers. And there is no universal agreement about what “hot” means. In general, he says, when temperatures climb into the high 80s and 90s (or 30s in celsius), the heat puts more stress on the body.

Some people are more sensitive because of how their body regulates their temperature, or how and where they were raised. Conversely, those who grew up in tropical climates tend to be better adapted and have greater heat tolerance.

Older adults and young children have a more difficult time regulating their internal temperatures, Albers said. Additionally, some medications, including antidepressants, stimulants, antihistamines and blood pressure medications, can make it harder for the body to heal itself.

“People with chronic health conditions, pregnant women, and anyone who works or exercises outdoors are also at great risk,” he said.

Other personality traits, such as neuroticism, also appear to increase the likelihood of a more severe emotional reaction to hot temperatures, said Dr. Kim Meidenbauer, an assistant professor of psychology at Washington State University.

Why do hot temperatures make (some) crazy?

“Discomfort is a big part of it,” Meidenbauer said. It’s hard to be in a good mood when you feel a hot, wet lump. This discomfort is not pleasant in nature, but it can also affect our arousal responses, because the body’s response to heat – increased heart rate, sweating and shortness of breath – can feel like emotional stress.

For example: if you feel your heart rate increase and someone says something offensive, you may take your increased heart rate as a sign of irritation or anger rather than your body’s response to uncomfortable heat. “If your body wasn’t working hard and your heart rate was low in that situation, you could just roll your eyes and close them like a rude person, and you wouldn’t have this state of anger,” he said.

The heat can also lead to poor sleep, which can destroy our ability to tolerate stress and anger, Sawchuk says.

How do we best manage hot temperatures?

“Diligence and awareness are important,” Meidenbauer said. Be aware of how you react to heat, and track weather conditions.

Some tips include:

• Avoid the hottest part of the day. This is usually between 10am and 6pm, so experts suggest planning outdoor activities outside of those times. Sawchuk suggests getting up early and taking care of some tasks in the morning, when it’s cooler.

• Reset your nervous system. Albers says: “Excessive heat can make your brain feel overstimulated. So if you find yourself getting anxious or irritable when it’s hot, try going into air conditioning, sitting in a dark room for a few minutes, or splashing cool water on your face. If you don’t have air conditioning at home, he suggests looking for public places like supermarkets, libraries, movie theaters or community cooling centers.

• Carry a cooling kit. Whether it’s in your bag or your car, Albers suggests keeping heat management essentials on hand, such as a reusable water bottle, portable fan, cooling towel, sunscreen and electrolyte packs.

• Tune in to those around you. If you have small children, older adults or others who don’t regulate their temperature as well, keep an eye on how they are doing. If you experience symptoms such as dizziness, headache, irritability or confusion, take them to a cool place as soon as possible. Albers also suggests looking out for neighbors, older relatives and friends who live alone during heat waves. “A quick phone call or visit can make a big difference,” he says.

Finally, remember that there is only so much you can do.

“Elements are elements, and there may be times when we have little, if any, control over this,” Sawchuk said. “Lack of self-control can play havoc with our emotions.”