The heat experienced these days in Spain is unbearable. Temperatures have reached up to 44º in some regions, an oven that never seems to turn off. With 32 provinces on orange alert, sleeping has become a feat. We already know the recommendations: be hydrated and not go outside during the hottest hours. And yet, it is impossible to put an end to this irritability as a result of the oppressive heat wave. Although we will survive as good warriors and warriors, mental health is suffering these days.
More irritable, more aggressive. The heat makes us moody. Basically because we are uncomfortable, sticky, suffocated and still have to go about our daily chores. Science has been linking rising temperatures to changes in our mood for years. Studies show that people honk their car horns more when it’s hotter. Other investigations suggest that police officers are more aggressive in high temperatures.
The consequences can be even more serious. An American study found that the hotter it is, the more assaults and homicides occur. In Spain, not long ago, a report linked heat waves with a 40% increased risk of femicide.
Why? Before getting into the subject, it should be mentioned that our bodies respond to heat with different physiological changes, including: an increase in heart rate, blood circulation, sweating, testosterone production and other metabolic changes. Not only that: according to some experts, heat also produces psychological effects, such as increased anger. That is, science has proven that those additional degrees alter the levels and balance of serotonin and dopaminewhich have an impact on emotions.
More crimes and crimes. Heat waves have doubled. And it is somewhat alarming since a 2014 study calculates that if the trend continues, between 2010 and 2099 climate change will cause an additional 22,000 murders, 180,000 rapes and 1.2 million armed robberies in the US. In fact, research published in Science explains how most armed conflicts tend to occur in the hot months.
In Spain, in 2016 data from the Ministry of the Interior the number of criminal offenses per month was specified. And of course, in the summer months we find more crime.
To all this is added the lack of sleep. If we know that the ideal temperature for sleeping is about 17-18º C. What can we expect from the heat it is now? Nobody can sleep with 41ºC. And even less so who lives in poorly ventilated houses or without air conditioning. In addition, this climate does not motivate us to leave the house, something that significantly punishes our social relationships and creates even more irritability and unstable behavior.
worse mental health According to this report from El PAÍS, heat waves are also noticeable in psychiatric emergencies. A review of scientific literature published in 2021 suggests that for each higher degree, mortality related to mental health grows by 2.2%. Another 2022 study links heat waves with a rise in visits to the emergency room for mental health issues.
Even the weather conditions also play a role in the incidence of self-harm. A study associated higher temperatures with an increased risk of suicide. The heat is going to kill us.
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