Extreme heat can trigger irritability, decrease productivity: Experts
By Ghadeer Ghloum
KUWAIT: High temperatures can have a significant impact on people’s behaviors. As global warming intensifies, extreme heat events become more frequent and intense, leading to numerous challenges for individuals and societies, especially in a country like Kuwait that experiences high temperatures during the summer months that can exceed 45 degrees Celsius. Kuwait Times spoke to Senior Specialist Psychiatrist Najat Al-Saidi and international certified coach Zahraa Abdulsalam to learn more about the effect of Kuwait’s heat on people’s psyche and behavior.
Saidi said the discomfort and frustration caused by excessive heat can trigger irritability in individuals, making them more prone to engage in conflicts or violent outbursts, as the heat can amplify tensions. “The continuous increase in temperatures usually leads to quick anger and feelings of stress, fatigue and unease,” she explained. Individuals may struggle to make rational decisions, assess risks and react appropriately to different situations. Hence, they may risk their safety and well-being.
“There is no doubt that the weather has a significant impact on improving or affecting a person’s mood swings. We also notice tension and quick anger while driving due to the high temperatures, which can reach 50 degrees,” Abdulsalam said. Moreover, due to the extreme heat during the day in summer in Kuwait, people’s daily routine is disrupted, which in turn can compound feelings of irritability and impatience and disturb their overall mood, thus negatively impacting their productivity and mental health.
They are also less likely to engage in physical activities or exercise often. “A person becomes weak and exhausted, facing difficulties in the simplest work tasks or movements, which negatively affects their behavior and interactions with others,” Saidi said. The overwhelming heat can make it uncomfortable and even dangerous to do some activities, limiting opportunities for recreation. “Many people do not prefer to spend the summer in Kuwait due to biological clock disturbances.
The majority of people who remain in Kuwait prefer going out at night, knowing that high temperatures can cause lethargy and a lack of desire to engage in daily activities during the day. Additionally, many people lose body fluids, which leads to dehydration, making individuals more cautious about maintaining a constant balance in their bodies, unlike winter, where people feel warmth, tranquility and relaxation, all of which improve their mood,” Abdulsalam said. Thus, high temperatures can have a detrimental impact on people’s physiological comfort and lead to increased aggression.
It is essential to acknowledge the hot weather’s impact on our emotions in order to avoid being exposed to any triggers of misbehavior. “To avoid feelings of anger and tension, we try in various ways to overcome these problems by being flexible in scheduling and prioritizing according to the weather conditions in Kuwait,” Abdulsalam said. By doing so, we can minimize the negative impact of high temperatures on people’s behaviors and enhance overall quality of life in a hot country.
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