This month’s Mental Health Minute discusses the heat’s impact on mental health and tips to reduce overthinking.
As summer temperatures climb, most people think first about physical risks like dehydration or heatstroke. However, extreme heat can also take a real toll on mental health. Research has linked hot weather to increased irritability, anxiety and fatigue, as well as higher rates of aggression and even psychiatric hospitalizations. Heat can disrupt sleep, drain energy and put extra strain on the nervous system, all of which can worsen mood and make it harder to cope with everyday stress. People with existing mental health conditions, older adults and those without access to air conditioning are especially vulnerable.
