The World Health Organization is sounding the alarm: climate change has led to a significant increase in the number of people suffering from the effects of heat. Between 2000 and 2016, the number of people affected increased by 125 million people each year - and this figure is increasing every year.
The human body spends significant resources on maintaining a stable body temperature of approximately 37°C. At rest, we produce as much heat as a 100-watt light bulb. When the external temperature exceeds the comfortable threshold, the body activates cooling mechanisms: sweating, rapid heartbeat, and reduced physical activity.
In the heat, the heart starts working harder—about 10 beats per minute faster. This helps pump blood to the surface of the skin so the body can cool itself through sweat. But excessive sweating leads to a loss of water and salt balance, which causes muscle cramps, headaches, nausea, and weakness.
When the air is too humid, sweat cannot evaporate and the body cannot cool itself effectively. Therefore, a hot day before rain or during fog is much more difficult to endure than a dry heat.
The most vulnerable are people with overweight, cardiovascular diseases, lung diseases, as well as those over 45. Physically unprepared individuals and those who drink little water are also at greater risk. Congenital features also affect: the ability to sweat, thermoregulation, electrolyte balance.
Interestingly, women usually tolerate heat worse due to a smaller body surface area and less sweating, but with age this difference is erased, as more men face heart problems.
Studies show that heat can exacerbate mental illnesses such as anxiety, schizophrenia, and dementia. There is also an increase in drug abuse. High temperatures affect concentration, reduce intellectual abilities, and increase the risk of errors at work.
Even a moderate increase in temperature can affect the course of chronic diseases, provoke premature birth, skin infections, and kidney problems.
After a rainy weekend, warmth returns to Ukraine. The temperature will rise to +29°C. Partly cloudy weather is expected in most of the territory. Short-term precipitation is expected in the west, center, and north.
