Heat, humidity, climate changes impact on mental health

Kirikiriroa - Extreme heat, humidity and other climate changes have impacts on mental health in terms of depression and anxiety, a new study by Lancet Planetary Health has found.

Scientists at Georgetown University and colleagues at George Washington University and the World Bank in Bangladesh examined 43 weather stations across the world’s seventh most vulnerable country to climate change for humidity over a two-month period which experiences extreme flooding and cyclones.

The researchers have established a high-water mark that, alas, could soon be eclipsed for how climate can impact mental health in a highly vulnerable country, such as Bangladesh. This should serve as a warning for other nations.

The study showed that the overall prevalence of depression is 16.3 per cent, compared to the global rate of 4.4 per cent.

Anxiety rates were also higher in the country compared to the rest of the world, 6 per cent to 3.6 per cent respectively.

The researchers said previous global research has found a link between climate-related phenomena and adverse mental health outcomes in terms of depression or anxiety.

Results also showed that individuals who experienced a one Cdeg temperature rise during the two months have a 21 per cent high probability of an anxiety disorder and a 24 per cent higher likelihood of co-occurring depression and anxiety.

As climate change worsens, temperatures and humidity will continue to increase, as will natural disasters, such as extreme flooding, which portends worsening impact on our collective mental health, globally.

However, scientists say this research is not long enough to see major climate change impacts, and such studies can take years to show events linked to climate change can impact mental health outcomes.

Going forward, researchers claimed that by 2050, the temperature in Bangladesh is expected to increase by 1.4 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, London has told its skyscrapers turn dim their lights in the Square Mile’s empty offices to cut visual pollution and save energy.

City officials said efforts to tackle light pollution needed to be balanced with the needs of people working through the night.

London wants its cluster of skyscrapers to dim their lights at night as part of a new strategy to reduce visual pollution and save energy.

City officials are concerned about energy wastage and light pollution caused by the unnecessary use of lights in office buildings that have few or no workers after a certain time of night.

Over time, London will transform the approach to lighting in the city. Buildings must turn off or dim all external lighting other than that required for safety or crime prevention.