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How Extreme Heat Affects the Brain + How to Prevent Any Damage

The AHA! Team — Fri, 24 May 2024 08:06:04 +0000

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: Practice extreme temperature contrasts (in a safe environment while listening to your brain and body). This means exposing yourself to high and low temperatures for a limited period to build up your resilience. For example, if you are at the gym, use the sauna or steam room for a few minutes, then take a cold shower or use the cold plunge pool for a few minutes. When possible, keep your home cool, especially at night to help you sleep. Use the AC or fans to do this. Suck on ice when you feel too warm or need to spend some time outside in the heat. Take cold showers for 1-3 minutes when possible. If you can, take an ice bath. If you have access to a pool/lake/river/ocean/swimming area, enjoy some time outdoors in the water, but make sure to wear a lot of sunblock and don’t stay outdoors too long if the temperatures are very high! 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: Make sure your children are eating healthy so that the brain gets all the nutrients it needs. But don’t just make them food—get your children involved in preparing their meals! A fun way to do this is to make frozen yogurt together with friends and family. Add frozen berries, bananas, nuts, granola and so on. These are all great foods to help boost their metabolism and blood flow to the brain, and help cool their body temperature down. When you are ready to eat, read a great story together out loud that stimulates your child’s imagination, which in turn helps recharge the brain from the draining heat. In fact, reading a book that’s above your child’s grade level—in a cool room—can help revitalize their brain as it challenges their creativity and imagination. Start a new indoor hobby like painting, wall art, or learning a new language to help keep your children’s brains stimulated and active while indoors. Manage your kids’ time online amid high temperatures. Encourage them to read, play with their toys, build blanket and pillow forts and so on instead of just spending time on social media or watching TV all day. Make sure their sleeping environment is as cool as possible, so that they get enough rest. If they want to play, find places that have indoor play areas (such as indoor trampoline parks), or places that offer indoor sports (like basketball). You can even take them to the gym with you if they have a kid-friendly area or pool. 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.

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The Mental Fatigue You Feel Is Called ‘Cognitive Dulling’ and You Are Not Alone if You Are Experiencing It

AHA Publisher — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 07:00:01 +0000

University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston via Newswise – Someone asks you a simple question and you snap. Common tasks, like washing the dishes, feel impossible to accomplish. Constant virtual meetings on camera leave you feeling drained and make it difficult to concentrate on other duties. If you’ve experienced any of those scenarios, or simply a shift in emotional state and decline in performance, mental health experts at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) said you could be experiencing “cognitive dulling.” What Is Cognitive Dulling? Cognitive dulling is a form of mental fatigue that leads to difficulty concentrating, decreased productivity, and a decline in emotional and mental health, according to Jennifer Bahrman, PhD, assistant professor in the Louis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. She said it is the result of our bodies being in “survival mode” for the past year during the COVID-19 pandemic and enduring heightened stress levels, changes in routine and environment, and fear of the future. “March marked the one-year anniversary of stay-at-home orders across the country,” Bahrman said. “We thought the pandemic precautions would last for two weeks or even two months, but they’re still going on in various ways a whole year later. There’s been glimmers of hope with the vaccines and recent drops in case numbers, but many are still worried about the economy, whether we will see another COVID-19 wave with the new variants, and whether enough precautions are being taken. Many people are living in a constant state of fear wondering, ‘Am I going to become sick? Will I get someone else sick?’ People are adapting to new work and school environments while trying to emotionally process the huge amount of lives lost over the past year. It all takes a toll.” “Cognitive dulling is a combination of decision fatigue and Zoom fatigue, plus all of the other new things we’ve been experiencing during the pandemic,” said Vineeth John, MD, MBA, professor and vice chair for education in the Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. “It’s also the result of our regular experiences and daily routines constantly being altered. And dealing with constant isolation from the pandemic can prevent us from being present, productive, and creative.” Cognitive dulling can be caused by: Social isolation New routines Poor boundaries between work and home life Juggling having children at home while working Countless decisions about safety – for example, “Should I go to the store or order curbside groceries?” Video conference meetings – having to constantly focus on the computer screen and what you look like on-screen Heightened stress levels Worry about the future Emotionally processing loss of life What Does Cognitive Dulling Affect? Cognitive dulling can affect performance at work and at home. “If you are working from home, do you stop working at 5 p.m.? Many are working longer hours because they work through the time they would typically be commuting home. ‘Am I ready to end the day or could I be doing more?’ becomes another decision that needs to be made. If you are working additional hours, are you working at peak performance levels during that extra time? It can be difficult to focus for so long and many people feel guilty about not performing at a high level. There’s a sense of ‘I’m fortunate to have a job, so I need to do my best.’ And with our minds and bodies already going through so much, it can be difficult to manage it all,” Bahrman said. Mental fatigue can also leak into many other areas of life, including how we spend our free time. “Now we have to think twice about things we used to enjoy on the weekend or in our spare time. You have to question, ‘Am I going to feel comfortable playing tennis with a friend or getting takeout from a restaurant?’ We’re constantly in survivalist mode and that affects how we function across the board,” Bahrman said. What Can I Do to Combat Cognitive Dulling? Self-care, self-care, self-care: Bahrman noted that the term has almost become taboo, but self-care is something everyone needs to strive to do to give themselves a break. Options include practicing mindful meditation, meal-prepping so you can maintain a good diet, doing a hobby you enjoy, going on a vacation or staycation, taking a bath, playing with your kids or pets, going for a walk, or reading. Bahrman said just taking some time every day to not have to think can do wonders for your mental health. She noted the importance of encouraging self-care habits in children, too. Check in with yourself: Bahrman said it is critical to know your limits, and be kind to yourself when you reach them. “It’s okay to say no,” she said. “I talk about the importance of saying ‘no’ to my patients often. We don’t always need to agree to another meeting or opportunity – there will always be more meetings and opportunities. It is better to turn an opportunity down than to commit to it, but not be able to give it your all.” Manage stress in one area of your life: “Focusing on one area of your life, like work or a certain relationship, that you can control your stress in, can help you feel empowered,” Bahrman said. “It can give you a sense of normal in one area that you can build upon in other areas.” Take pressure off perfection: “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. With so much going on, just do your best and strive for good rather than perfect,” Bahrman said. Reduce the amount of decisions you have to make: For example, to make meal planning easier, prepare enough meals for the week over the weekend, Bahrman said. Other ideas include planning your outfits out in advance, simplifying your wardrobe so you don’t have so much to choose from, and helping your children pick their outfits in advance as well. Ask for help: Talking to a friend or loved one and seeking help from a professional can improve mental health significantly. “Everyone can benefit from therapy,” Bahrman said. If you or a loved one are feeling overwhelmed, there are resources available, including the Crisis Text Line. Simply text HOME to 741741 to reach a professional counselor. If you are experiencing a crisis, please contact the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK. To make an appointment with a UT Physicians mental health specialist, call 888-4UT-DOCS. To read the original article click here.

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