How Extreme Heat Affects the Brain + How to Prevent Any Damage
Dr. Caroline Leaf – In this podcast (episode #508) and blog, I talk about keeping our brains and bodies healthy when it’s extremely hot outside.
Although there still needs to be more research on how extreme temperatures affect the brain, they definitely have a negative impact with prolonged periods of heat exposure.
Why?
Temperature is one the main driver of chemical reactions, so changes in temperature affect the biochemistry of the brain and body.
Short bursts of high heat exposure, like having a sauna, are good for you
Short bursts of high heat exposure, like having a sauna, are good for you and can even build up your resilience and improve your focus.
However, longer periods of extreme heat are potentially problematic as the changes in brain chemistry can cause neurons to either fire too fast or too slowly, sometimes even going “silent”, which can affect how a person thinks, recalls, feels, and sleeps.
This, in turn, can make someone more tired, overwhelmed, aggressive, and irritable, and can further drains the energy from the brain and body, making us feel even worse.
This can happen to anyone, including our children. If they are exposed to extreme heat, they can become tired irritable, and the weather can affect their concentration, memory, processing, and sleeping patterns. They may also feel more lethargic, flat or depressed.
Here are some ways we can all try to keep a ‘cool head’ in the summer heat, improving our mood and memory:
When it comes to our children, we need to acknowledge how vulnerable they are to extreme temperature changes.
We to need think of ways we can keep them cool and safe inside, while making sure they have plenty to do so their mental and physical health isn’t impacted by being indoors for long periods of time.
Some ways to do this are:
For more on keeping cool and staying healthy in extreme heat conditions, listen to my podcast (episode #508).
Podcast Highlights
0:15 Extreme temperatures & the brain
1:00 What extreme heat can do to the brain & body
1:28 Ways to keep cool during a heat wave
4:30 What happens in the brain when we are exposed to high temperatures for long periods of time
7:00 Ways you & your children can cool down in the summertime
10:29 How to keep your child’s brain stimulated while spending time indoors
This podcast and blog are for educational purposes only and are not intended as medical advice. We always encourage each person to make the decision that seems best for their situation with the guidance of a medical professional.
To read the original article click here.
