The Impact of Heat on Mental Health

With extreme temperatures and heatwaves across the United States this summer, a growing body of evidence links heat exposure with significant mental health risks. From mood instability and cognitive changes to increased emergency room visits, both children and young adults are particularly vulnerable.

Recognizing how climate-related stressors affect mental health can help clinicians provide more effective support. Resources for young people, including comprehensive therapy, can assist them in processing the psychological impact of heat-related challenges.

How Do High Temperatures Impact Mental Health?

Heat directly affects psychological well-being. And people who are managing symptoms of anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or neurodevelopmental conditions are more vulnerable to the impact of hot temperatures.

A 10-year study found an 8 percent increase in mental health–related emergency department visits on hotter summer days compared with cooler days. That includes visits for anxiety, mood disorders, substance use, self-harm, and childhood behavioral disorders.

Heat impacts more than our emotions. It also impairs behavior, physical health, and cognitive functioning. Here are some of the ways hot temperatures affect us on multiple levels.

1. Mental Health

Research on heat and mental health links high temperatures with a variety of mental health symptoms and conditions, including:

• Increased symptoms of mood disorders: Hospitalizations for conditions like bipolar disorder rise significantly during heatwaves.
• Higher suicide risk: Suicide rates increase when average monthly temperatures rise.
• Substance use disorders: Elevated temperatures correlate with increased substance consumption and overdoses.
• Anxiety and stress-related disorders: Both clinical anxiety and generalized stress responses spike during high-heat periods.
• Collective trauma: The consequences of devastating weather events can be individually and collectively traumatic.
• Storm anxiety: Extreme weather events can cause ongoing symptoms of anxiety and stress.

2. Physical Health

Heat affects the body in ways that contribute to psychological distress, such as:

• Dehydration
• Heat exhaustion
• Heat stroke, which can cause neurological symptoms and, in extreme cases, permanent brain damage
• Immediate danger related to increasing environmental emergencies, such as hurricanes, drought, and wildfires

3. Cognitive Abilities

Extreme heat disrupts brain functional connectivity and impairs executive functioning, including problem-solving, focus, and decision-making. This is particularly relevant for people in treatment settings or in work and school environments requiring sustained attention. Cognitive impacts include:

• Trouble concentrating
• Slower processing speed
• Heightened impulsivity
• Short-term memory problems

4. Behavior

Hot temperatures also impact our behavior in ways that can directly or indirectly affect our mental health, such as:

• Reduced ability to exercise or go outside, which takes a toll on well-being
• Changes in eating patterns, which can make people more vulnerable to disordered eating or being “hangry”
• Sleep disruption due to high nighttime temperatures, associated with increased irritability, poor emotional regulation, and cognitive impairment
• Increased aggression and conflict: Research links heat with rises in both interpersonal and intergroup conflict.

What Is ‘Corn Sweat’ and How Does It Impact Well-Being?

“Corn sweat” is a commonly used term for evapotranspiration, the process through which plants release water vapor into the atmosphere. Plants absorb water through their roots, use it for growth, and release excess moisture through pores in their leaves. During periods of high heat and sunlight, this process can significantly increase humidity, making the air feel hotter and more oppressive, especially in regions with large corn crops like the Midwest. 

According to Scientific American, “high humidity and heat raise the risk of heat illness—it is harder for the body to cool itself via sweating because the air is already so full of moisture that perspiration doesn’t evaporate.” So while corn sweat isn’t a direct cause of psychological issues, it contributes to the heat that triggers mental health challenges.

Populations at Risk

Children, teens, and young adults are impacted by heat more than other groups. Several factors contribute, such as:

• Still-developing thermoregulation systems in children and adolescents
• Pre-existing mental health conditions: Untreated trauma, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and neurodivergence can all heighten sensitivity to heat stress.
• Climate-related mental health: Young people deal with more climate-related anxiety than other generations, which amplifies mental health challenges during the hotter months.
• Psychotropic medications: Many psychiatric medications reduce the body’s ability to regulate temperature, increasing heat vulnerability.
• Housing: Lower-income families or young adults often have less access to air conditioning or cool outdoor spaces.

Integrating Climate and Heat Awareness into Mental Healthcare

As temperatures rise, healthcare needs to evolve alongside it. That means actively considering how hotter and more unpredictable weather, as well as climate-related anxiety, show up in daily life and treatment.

Some of the most effective ways to integrate heat-related mental health considerations into mental health treatment include:

• Looking closely at medication impacts: Many common psychotropic medications make it harder for the body to regulate temperature. Regular medication reviews alongside mental health support, especially leading into the hotter months, can help ensure safety.
• Creating safer environments: This includes access to shaded outdoor spaces and indoor air conditioning, as well as making sure young people always have easy access to water.
• Sleep support: Sleep disruption and insomnia from hot nights affects mood, focus, and resilience. Supporting young people with cooling strategies, breathable bedding, and mindfulness techniques for sleep can make a real difference.
• Bringing heat and climate into therapy conversations: Part of managing mental health today is acknowledging the real-world stressors younger generations face, including extreme weather and a sense of climate-related uncertainty. Therapy can offer a space to process not just personal challenges, but collective ones: the trauma of natural disasters, eco-anxiety, and the grief that comes from witnessing the impact of heat on the planet.
• Replacing lost routines: When heat limits the ability to exercise or go outside, that loss can trigger mood dips or restlessness. Offering structured alternatives, like indoor movement, creative expression, and active social connection, helps maintain balance and engagement.
• Planning for community safety: For outpatient clients, treatment plans can include helping families identify local cooling centers or emergency heat resources, especially in communities that may not have reliable access to air conditioning.

By approaching climate-related stress not as a separate issue but as part of the broader mental health picture, care can be more responsive and relevant to what clients are experiencing in their everyday lives.

How Newport Healthcare Supports Climate-Related Mental Health Challenges

Across both Newport Academy (for teens) and Newport Institute (for young adults), programs are designed to support clients in navigating both the physical and emotional impacts of everyday stressors, including heat and environmental issues.

We treat underlying mental health conditions, including trauma and PTSD, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, substance use, and suicidal ideation. We also help children, teens, and young adults learn life skills like resilience and mindfulness to help with anxiety and depression.

Through both individual and group therapy, Newport’s mental health professionals help clients explore not just their personal mental health struggles, but also their past traumas and their fears about the future. That includes support for those who have experienced natural disasters, displacement, or eco-anxiety.

By weaving these elements into care, Newport Academy and Newport Institute help young people build resilience for navigating their stage of life and moving forward with self-awareness and healthy coping tools.

Frequently Asked Questions