Extreme heat & your mind

When it’s very hot, your body works hard to shed heat. Heat can also make existing health conditions worse, which adds to stress.

Weakness, dizziness and feeling unwell are early signs of heat exhaustion. Feeling “off” in the heat is worth taking seriously.

The American Psychiatric Association notes that sleep problems from extreme heat can feed into and worsen mental health symptoms.

Ready.gov advises drinking plenty of fluids during extreme heat. Many people don’t notice thirst until they’re already behind.

Heat waves can mean staying in, skipping outdoor exercise and spending more on cooling. Homes without cooling can feel tense and crowded.

Ready.gov also warns that heat waves can knock out power, which can add fear and disruption.

Ready.gov suggests covering windows and sealing gaps around doors and windows to block heat at home.

Ideas

• Close blinds or curtains on sunny windows early in the day
• Limit oven use on hot days
• Open windows only if it’s cooler outside than inside
• Sleep in the coolest room, often the lowest floor

Ready.gov suggests cool showers or baths and light, loose clothing during extreme heat.

Try

• A lukewarm or cool shower before bed
• Light cotton sheets and sleepwear
• A damp cloth on your neck or wrists
• A glass of water by the bed

The CDC says to use fans only when it’s below 90°F indoors. Above that, a fan can raise your body temperature. Find air conditioning instead.

If you can’t sleep after a while, get up and do something calm in the coolest spot you have, then try again. Worrying about sleep tends to push it further away.

Ideas

• Do your hardest tasks in the cooler morning
• Take a short rest somewhere cool
• Skip big decisions if you can
• Tell people close to you, “I slept badly, so I may be short today”

Common signs

• A clenched jaw or tight shoulders
• Feeling hot in the face
• Little things suddenly feel huge
• Snapping, sighing or slamming doors

Naming it helps: “I think the heat is getting to me.” Saying it out loud gives everyone a bit more patience.

A hot-day reset

1. Step away for 10 minutes. Say you’ll come back.
2. Get somewhere cooler and drink some water.
3. Splash cool water on your face or wrists.
4. Breathe out slowly, longer than you breathe in, five times.
5. Come back and pick up the conversation more gently.

Ideas for families

• Agree to save hard talks for cooler evenings
• Give each person some space, even a corner with headphones
• Take turns going somewhere cool, like a library
• Plan simple meals that don’t heat the kitchen

The APA lists increased substance use among the ways extreme heat affects behaviour. The CDC lists people with substance-use disorders among those at higher risk on hot days.

Ready.gov and the CDC recommend water and nonalcoholic drinks during heat. Choosing water first is a kind choice for both your body and your mood.

Ideas

• Study in the coolest part of the day
• Use a cool library or community space
• Break work into short chunks with water breaks
• Tell a teacher if heat is making it hard to focus

The CDC lists people who work in outdoor and indoor heat among those at higher risk from hot days. Ready.gov advises avoiding strenuous outdoor work in the middle of the day.

Protecting yourself and coworkers

• Drink water often, before you feel thirsty
• Take breaks in shade or cool areas
• Watch each other for signs of heat illness
• Speak up if conditions feel unsafe

If heat slows your reactions, it’s worth extra care when driving or using tools. Take breaks and keep water with you.

Try

• Write things down, so you don’t have to hold them in your head
• Do focused tasks when it’s coolest
• Lower the bar on hot days: “good enough” is enough
• Double-check important messages before sending

The American Psychiatric Association says people with existing mental health conditions are especially vulnerable to extreme heat. They may also be more likely to face money stress, which makes it harder to stay cool.

During Chicago heat waves in the 1990s, the CDC found that people with mental illness, and people who lived alone, faced a higher risk of dying from heat.

The CDC notes that some treatments can make you more likely to get dehydrated or overheated on hot days, and some need to be stored away from heat. It advises not stopping or changing anything without talking to your clinical provider first.

The CDC encourages clinical providers to make a heat action plan with patients, including what to do on orange, red and magenta HeatRisk days.

The APA notes that people with dementia face a higher risk of hospital stays and death during heat waves.

If you care for someone with dementia

• Offer drinks regularly rather than waiting for them to ask
• Check room temperature yourself
• Dress them in light, loose clothing
• Watch for new confusion or unusual tiredness

The CDC lists people who lack housing, quality housing or access to cooling among those at higher risk. On HeatRisk red days, unhoused people are among those at major risk.

Dialling 2-1-1 can help you find a cooling centre and local help with food, housing and utilities.

Ideas

• Dress them in light, loose clothing
• Feel their skin often, and notice if they seem unusually fussy or sleepy
• Keep them in shade or the coolest room
• Ask your paediatrician how to keep your baby hydrated in hot weather

Never leave a child in a parked car, even with windows open. The National Weather Service reports that 31 children died in hot cars in 2025.

The CDC lists people who do strenuous outdoor activities, including athletes, among those at higher risk on hot days.

Ideas

• Move practices and play to early morning or evening
• Build in shade and water breaks
• Let kids sit out if they feel unwell, without shame
• Check the HeatRisk forecast before big events

Hot, tired kids have less patience, just like adults. A cool drink, a cool bath and a quiet rest often help more than a lecture.

Help them name it

• “Your body feels really hot and that’s making everything feel harder.”
• “Let’s cool off first, then we’ll sort it out.”
• “It’s okay to feel cranky. It’s not okay to hit.”

Heat waves can stir up worries about the future. Listen without brushing worries aside, and help them find small, real actions they care about.

CDC suggestions

• Yellow: stay hydrated and cool. Heat-sensitive people can ask their clinical provider about extra steps.
• Orange: stay in the shade, take breaks, use air conditioning or a cooling centre, and check on others.
• Red: think about moving outdoor activities to a cooler day.
• Magenta: stay indoors with air conditioning if you can. Fans may not cool you when it’s this hot.

Ready.gov suggests finding places nearby to cool off, like libraries or malls, or asking your local health department. The CDC says you can dial 2-1-1 to find a place with air conditioning.

Ready.gov warns that heat waves can cause power outages. The CDC suggests planning ahead for anything that needs to stay cool and for medical devices that need power.

Ideas

• Know where you’d go if your home gets too hot
• Keep phones charged and a backup battery ready
• Agree with a neighbour to check on each other
• Ask your clinical provider what to do if something needs to stay cool

211 connects people with local help, including with utilities. Ask what help with cooling bills or equipment may be available near you.

Spending the hottest hours in a free cool place, like a library, can ease both the heat and the bill.

Ideas

• Agree on a daily call or text with a friend or relative during hot spells
• Spend the hottest hours somewhere with people, like a library or community centre
• Keep a list of who to call if you feel unwell
• Tell a neighbour you’d welcome a knock on the door

Asking for a check-in isn’t a burden. It’s exactly what the CDC recommends.

The CDC advises checking on family, friends and neighbours, especially those who have chronic health problems or live alone. The National Weather Service adds people without air conditioning.

When you check in

• “Is it cool where you are right now?”
• “Have you had water today?”
• “Do you need a ride somewhere cooler?”
• “Can I call again tomorrow?”

Notice if they seem confused, unusually tired or not themselves. Confusion can be a sign of heat stroke, which is an emergency.

Ready.gov advises keeping pets hydrated and in the shade, and warns that hot pavement can burn their paws. Never leave pets in a closed car.

Signs

• Heavy sweating and pale skin
• Muscle cramps
• Weakness or dizziness
• Nausea, or fainting

Ready.gov advises moving to a cooler place, removing extra clothing and sipping water. Contact a health care provider if symptoms get worse or last more than an hour.

Signs

• Body temperature above 103°F
• Hot, red, dry skin with no sweating
• A fast, strong pulse
• Confusion, or passing out

Ready.gov says to call 9-1-1 right away, move the person to a cooler place, and cool them with cold, wet cloths or ice packs.

Some signs of heat illness, like a fast pulse, dizziness and nausea, can feel like anxiety. In the heat, it’s safest to treat them as heat first: get cool, sip water and rest.

If you feel confused, faint or very unwell, or symptoms keep getting worse, get medical help. Don’t talk yourself out of it.