We have been throwing off the bedclothes at night time and listening to whirring fans as we try to get some sleep in the heat this month. We live in a warming world, and climate change brings more heatwaves. It is essential to keep your cool and not get hot-headed because experts have confirmed that heat does affect the brain.

World warming has increased

World warming is not the same across the planet however according to the NOAA 2023 Annual Climate Report, the combined land and ocean temperature has increased at an average rate of 0.11 degrees fahrenheit per decade since 1850. The rate of warming since 1982 is more than three times as fast, 0.36 degrees per decade.

The body has a built-in heat-coping mechanism

Our bodies acclimatise when we get used to the heat from high temperatures and have coping mechanisms when we start to overheat. The body has a built-in heat mechanism that helps us cool down. We sweat as blood flow increases, carrying heat away from the body’s core but sometimes the heat is too much and that is when serious health issues can develop.

Hot summer temperatures can make you anxious and irritable and dull your thinking

Heat to the brain interferes with cognition. Research has shown when temperatures rise, activity in the parasympathetic nervous system, the anti-stress system that normally keeps us calm and relaxed is reduced. When we get overheated, it affects our productivity and leaves us lethargic and moody.

Overheated bedrooms reduce our ability to do simple tests

Researchers in Boston studied young adults living in college dormitories during a heatwave. Some students had air conditioning and slept at a temperature of 71 degrees and others had a room temperature of 80 degrees. Every morning for two weeks the students had to perform some tests, simple addition and subtraction. Those who slept in the hotter bedrooms did worse.

Getting overheated can cause health risks and you can get seriously ill or die

Getting overheated can cause health risks and you can get seriously ill or die. The risks are worse for those people with ailments, people on medications, the elderly or those with addictions. People who work outside in the heat are also at high risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Residents in top-floor apartments can suffer as heat rises in a building.

What signs should you look out for when your body is overheating?

• Tiredness
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Feeling sick or being sick
• Excessive sweating
• Pale and clammy skin
• Heat rash or bumps
• Cramps in the arms, legs and stomach
• Fast breathing or a fast heartbeat
• Having a high temperature
• Being very thirsty
• Experiencing weakness
• Feeling confused
• Being lethargic
• Having a lack of coordination

Staying hydrated in the heat is essential and here are the rest of our top tips to help you stay chilled out this summer:

• Keep out of the heat
• Stay in the shade from 11 am-3 pm
• Wear sunscreen
• Wear a hat and light clothing
• Avoid exercise or activities that make you hotter
• Eat cold food and consume cold drinks
• Take a cool shower
• Put cold water on your skin or clothes
• Keep your living areas cool
• Close windows during the day to keep the heat out
• Open the windows at night when it is cooler temperatures
• Use an electric fan
• Turn on the air conditioning

For fatigue and other brain conditions, we recommend our product CNS peptide (Cerluten). The natural product normalises the brain and central nervous system. It regulates the metabolism processes in the brain cells and restoration of the central nervous system function.

For better sleep, the experts recommend:

• Avoid napping during the day to save the sleepiness for bedtime
• Keep to a routine, hot weather can make you change habits that can disrupt sleep
• Keep the bedroom as cool as possible
• Draw curtains and blinds
• Close windows on the sunny side of the house
• Use thin sheets
• Try a hot water bottle filled with ice
• Wear cool socks that have been kept in the fridge

Rising temperatures and the Paris 2024 Olympics

Not only are swimmers from the triathlon being sick and missing other competitions due to contracting E-Coli from the River Seine, but athletes are also struggling with days where temperatures are well over 30 degrees.

Extreme heat impairs athletic performance in a wide range of sports resulting in cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stress. Dehydration is the biggest issue, athletes can lose 2-6% of their body weight through sweating.

The heat from the sun isn’t the only problem, when there are large gatherings of people such as the audience in the athletics stadium more humidity is created due to the crowd’s perspiration making the stadium hotter.

Since the last Paris Olympics in 1924, the city has warmed by 3.1%. 2023 was the deadliest year with 14,800 excess heat-related deaths in France.

We hope that our Olympians are keeping their cool.