As the temperature climbs, our brains have to work harder and harder to regulate our bodies - and our psyches, says Lisa Jarvis for Bloomberg Opinion.
A woman cools off at The Barcaccia Fountain in Rome on Jul 27, 2024, ahead of an expected substantial increase in temperatures across Europe in the coming days. , breaking a record set just one day before. This year is expected to be the hottest in centuries. Heatwave s are hotter, longer and more frequent than they were in the 1960s.
On an oppressively hot day,"one of the first things that seems to go is higher cognitive functioning", she says, making it harder to pay attention and impairing working memory .For some, that cost is high. The elderly, young children, people taking certain medicines for schizophrenia or depression, and those with certain medical conditions or disabilities have a harder time thermoregulating.
Understanding what is driving those visits - and who is at most risk - is critical for preparation and prevention. A symptom of schizophrenia is an unawareness of one’s bodily status - it’s hard to tell how hot or cold you are. Moreover, people with schizophrenia are often taking medication that can compromise the body’s ability to thermoregulate.
We all can make a difference, too. “More and more research is finding that social isolation is a huge factor” in predicting someone’s risks amid extreme heat, Yoon says.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Commentary: Blackpink singer Lisa's new song defies international stereotypes of 'Thainess'Blackpink singer Lisa's new music video is a far cry from the internationally recognised Thai iconography of silks and lotus flowers, says a professor from University of Nottingham.
Read more »
Commentary: Why is Sweden paying grandparents to babysit their own grandchildren?Compensating people to care for their grandchildren may seem absurd at first, but there are good economic reasons for it, says Tyler Cowen for Bloomberg Opinion.
Read more »
Commentary: If Trump-Vance prevail in November, expect even more American isolationismIn choosing JD Vance as his running mate, former US president Donald Trump is going all in on framing the election as the opportunity to Make America Great Again (MAGA), says US politics expert Steven R Okun.
Read more »
Commentary: Meaningful conversations with seriously ill patients are about livingSerious illness conversations are not just end-of-life conversations. They are also conversations about the treatment or care options that best align with a patient’s priorities, say Duke-NUS Medical School’s Alethea Yee, Shirlyn Neo and Gillian Phua.
Read more »
Commentary: How to deal with being the youngest in the officeYounger workers might feel their talent or experience is undermined, but they should remember that they bring unique assets to the workforce, say academics from University of Southampton and University of Brighton.
Read more »
Commentary: Trump rally shooting - what drives a solo assassin to kill?While different assassins and lone-wolf terrorists clearly act on a range of different motives, there appear to be common elements, says this psychologist from Edge Hill University.
Read more »