June 2023 was the hottest month of June to ever be recorded, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.
This summer has brought record-breaking temperatures across the globe, and Death Valley, Calif., emerges as a potential record-breaker not just within the U.S. — the city could also exceed or match the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth, according to a July 24 report from Psychology Today.
Despite the prominence of wildfires and heat waves this year has seen, the discussion surrounding the impacts of climate change and extreme weather is almost entirely focused on physical health, and very little research is available on how mental health is being impacted as well.
Here are some things to know about prolonged extreme heat and how it affects mental health, according to the report:
Extreme heat is linked to heightened irritability, aggressive behavior and symptoms of depression. Temperature naturally affects the body's level of serotonin, and extreme heat decreases the brain's level of serotonin. Without a balanced level of serotonin, it becomes difficult for individuals to regulate their moods or suppress aggressive tendencies.
Heat negatively affects social interaction, increasing feelings of loneliness. Social isolation increases with the number of warm days, creating dangerous circumstances for those at risk for suicidal ideation. Researchers from Stanford (Calif.) University studied over half a billion posts on Twitter as temperatures changed. The results displayed a rise in depressive language such as "lonely," "trapped," or "suicidal" during heat waves.
Hot temperatures cause sleep disruptions that lead to additional mental health problems. Sleep deprivation results in a higher likelihood of experiencing memory loss and other cognitive deficiencies. Individuals with a preexisting mental illness face increased symptoms, as sleep is a crucial component for mood regulation.
As temperatures rise, so do suicide rates. An increase in temperature is directly related to an increase in suicide rates, according to a study published in August by the French Institute for Health and Medical Research in Paris. Over the course of several decades, researchers from Stanford analyzed data surrounding historical temperature and suicide rates in thousands of U.S. counties and Mexican municipalities, revealing higher suicide rates with higher temperatures.