Hot Temperatures Increase Mental Health Episodes, Study Finds

NEW JERSEY — Call it the summertime blues, dog days or August doldrums: Periods of higher, hotter temperatures really do lead to an increase in emergency room visits for mental health conditions, this report in the Journal of the American Medical Association Psychiatry found this year.

Their study looked at 3.4 ER visits from more than 2 million people and found that higher warm-season temperatures were associated with an increased risk of ED visits for any mental health condition and for specific mental health conditions.

Associations between extreme heat and ER visits were found for specific mental health conditions, including substance use disorders, anxiety, stress and mood disorders, schizophrenia and delusional disorders, self-harm and childhood-onset behavioral disorders.

In addition, associations were higher among men and in the Northeast part of the U.S.

It's also more difficult to sleep in hot weather, and when sleep is disrupted or fragmented, it could trigger episodes of mental health conditions, Dr. Stephanie Marcello, the chief psychologist for Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care, told NJ Spotlight.

“What we have found and what research has shown is people who already have preexisting mental health conditions are extremely vulnerable in times of extreme heat and there’s lots of reasons for that,” Dr. Marcello told NJ Spotlight. “One of the biggest ones, and … typically this is one of the first questions I ask when I am meeting with somebody is, ‘How are you sleeping?’ People’s sleep will tell you a lot about … what’s going on with them. It’s a really important … symptom.”

Extreme heat has been associated increased irritability, increased aggression, incidence of domestic violence and increased use of alcohol or other substances to cope with stress, according to the American Psychiatric Association.

Also, people with schizophrenia can experience difficulties with body temperature regulation and some psychiatric medications, including some anti-depressants and anti-psychotics, can affect the way the body regulates temperature, making it more difficult for the body to naturally cool down.