Poor sleep, menopause flare-ups: health in warmer world
Extreme heat is the world's biggest weather-related killer but it's also responsible for a host of other health and wellbeing niggles that are not as well understood.
Bad sleep, worse productivity and exacerbated menopausal symptoms are among common complaints during heatwaves.
University of Bristol climate change and health expert Eunice Lo has been looking beyond hospital and mortality data for deeper insights into the health and wellbeing implications of extremely hot, humid weather.
Using the world-renowned Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children - a UK cohort who have been been filling out questionnaires since the 1990s - Dr Lo surveyed about 3400 participants about their experience during a seven-day heatwave in 2023.
Presenting the findings at an Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society conference in Cairns this week, she said many respondents experienced slightly poorer or much worse sleep than normal.
A clear drop-off in productivity was reported but mood was mixed, with some in higher spirits in the hot weather.
Others felt anxious and worried about the future in a warming climate.
Dr Lo was visiting Australia as parts of England faced fresh heat alerts and temperature forecasts above 30C, challenging conditions in a country with poorly ventilated buildings designed for cold weather.
Women were more likely to report negative impacts than men, especially those who were pregnant or experiencing menopause.
"It really highlights women-specific health issues or experiences that probably deserve a lot more research than what we currently do," Dr Lo told AAP.
Mothers and babies have been studied in the context of climate change, with the World Health Organization linking high temperatures to preterm birth and stillbirth as well as hypertension and gestational diabetes.
In 2024, climate change was responsible for adding about 10 extra days of heat extreme enough to be considered harmful for pregnant women in Australia, according to Climate Central.
Research continues to reveal links to climate change and and a range of worse health outcomes, including mental health concerns and more common and severe sleep apnea.
Climate change might also exacerbate eczema and lengthen pollen seasons in some Australian cities, in bad news for hay fever sufferers.
Dr Lo said Australia faced a host of unique climate challenges for health, including exposure to bushfire smoke.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Aussie inventor's valuable secret hidden beneath pile of rocks in outback
Pictures showing what appears to be a simple pile of rocks lying in Australia's remote Pilbara region hide a secret. Deep underneath is a purpose-built 'den' designed to protect one of the region's rarest creatures from Australia's most destructive predators. The Australian-made invention is being used to stop feral cats burrowing into the homes of northern quolls — a creature pushed to the edge of extinction and now listed as endangered. Ecologists deem this tiny, spotted native carnivore more valuable than any of the resources mined from the region, like iron ore, copper, nickel, gold, or lithium. Development of the 30kg synthetic Marsupial Den began in 2021, and they were first placed in the field in 2024. But few details about its success in protecting northern quolls have been made public until now. Related: Aussie plan to genetically engineer new super species of wild animals Habitat Innovation and Management was funded by mining giant Fortescue to design and manufacture the purpose-built structures to replicate the dimensions of a natural den while providing added protection. Mick Callan, a founding director of Habitat, told Yahoo News the dens are too shallow for a cat to be able to turn around in, so their natural instinct is to avoid the space. But there's an extra measure that's designed to stop even the most curious cat from entering. 'The entrance size was developed using the skull morphometrics of feral cats, so a full-size adult won't be able to get in there,' Callan said. Fortescue has reported early monitoring results from its den project appear 'promising'. Like the nest boxes, they've remained cool in the desert heat with maximum internal temperatures up to 16.5 degrees cooler than outside. It has also supplied images and video to Yahoo showing quolls exploring the inside of the dens, a precursor to using them as shelter and breeding sites. Since the dens were created, they've been used in projects designed to protect other threatened quoll species, including eastern quoll, spotted-tailed quoll, and western quoll. Habitat's small team is notable for overhauling the composition of artificial bird and possum nesting boxes, which are needed because most of Australia's hollow-bearing trees have been felled. Historically, they were made from wood that tended to fall apart after a few years. They also regularly overheated to more than 50 degrees in the summer, a temperature that most wildlife can't survive. But Habitat's injection-moulded, glass-reinforced polymer invention remains cool and lasts for decades. 🌙 Australia's sky could change forever after winter ends ⛏️ Gold prospector's incredible find in 'remote' Aussie bush 👙 Jellyfish find could change the way Aussies visit the beach With products designed and manufactured in Australia, Callan said his artificial habitat business isn't a big money spinner, but more of a 'passion' project, that's subsidised by ecology consulting work and investors. 'We're always open to taking on new projects. We're at the point where we need species experts coming to us and saying we don't have a solution and we need your help,' he said. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Make healthy food more appealing, government tells supermarkets
Food businesses must make it easier for customers to buy healthy food, under new government plans announced on Sunday. Supermarkets and food manufacturers in England will partner with the government to tackle obesity rates by encouraging people to make their weekly shop healthier. Ministers say it will be up to food retailers to decide how they do that, but it could involve offering promotions on healthy food, tweaking loyalty points to incentivise healthy options, or changing shop layouts. It may also involve changing products to make them healthier. It is hoped the plans will help to make healthy eating more accessible to customers and relieve pressure on the NHS. The policy will see major food retailers report on healthy food sales in a bid to increase accountability, but it does not impose specific targets. The plan is part of a raft of measures aimed at improving the health of the nation that will be included in the 10-year plan for the NHS in England, which is expected to be published next week. "Unless we curb the rising tide of cost and demand, the NHS risks becoming unsustainable," Health Secretary Wes Streeting said. "This government's ambition for kids today is for them to be part of the healthiest generation of children ever. That is within our grasp." The upcoming report will show that more than one in five children are living with obesity by the time they leave primary school, rising to almost one in three in the most deprived areas. A recent report found a basket of healthy food costs more than double that of less healthy options. The Food Foundation reported that 1,000 calories of healthy food such as fruit and veg costs £8.80, compared to £4.30 for the equivalent amount of less healthy food, such as ready meals and processed meats. Andrew Opie of the British Retail Consortium said the news is "really positive" but said "all food businesses" must work together to drive down obesity. "Engaging all food businesses makes a difference," Opie told the BBC. "It can't just be about supermarkets- we consume about a quarter of our calories outside the home, so unless we get all supermarkets, food retailers, and restaurants on board, we won't move the dial on obesity." Opie said that he agreed with the government's flexible approach on the standards, as businesses have "a lot of insights and data" into how we shop for food and what would be best for their customers. Katharine Jenner, director of the Obesity Health Alliance said: "The government has rightly identified the root cause of obesity-related ill health: a food system that makes healthy eating difficult." She said it was encouraging to see the government putting the spotlight on businesses "rather than placing the burden on individuals who are already struggling to get by." Alongside the new partnership, the government said it will also: Offer shopping vouchers to customers in return for being active and eating healthily, via a new app Double the number of spaces on the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme, which supports obese individuals with either diabetes or high blood pressure Introduce stricter rules on advertising alcohol to in line with current regulation on promoting junk food It is hoped the new guidance will reduce people's sugar and calorie intake overall. The government cited research showing that cutting just 50 calories a day would lift 340,000 children and two million adults out of obesity. If everyone who is overweight reduced their calorie intake by just 216 calories a day, which is equivalent to a single bottle of fizzy drink, obesity would be halved, researchers said. This is not the first time the government has sought voluntary partnerships with industry. Over the last 20 years there has been numerous food reformulation programmes aimed at reducing salt, sugar and calories in certain foods. Success has been mixed with a push to reduce sugar in certain foods by 20% between 2015 and 2020 falling well short. Sarah Woolnough, from The King's Fund think tank, said while welcome, the impact of the scheme may be limited. 'A lot of less healthy food and drink is purchased from local convenience shops and takeaways. 'The stark fact remains that unhealthy food is far cheaper and more readily available and so unless this change is part of a wider, comprehensive strategy it will not be enough.' Support not shame to tackle obesity - health chief
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Billionaire's death after swallowing bee raises questions about rare cardiac reaction
On June 12, a prominent billionaire from India, Sunjay Kapur, died suddenly at the age of 53 in Windsor, England, according to multiple reports. Kapur was the chairman of Sona Comstar, an Indian automotive components manufacturer. His close friend, business consultant Suhel Seth, confirmed Kapur's death in a post on X that same day. Man's Blood Used To Create Antivenom For 19 Deadly Snakes "Deeply saddened at the passing of @sunjaykapur: he passed away earlier today in England: a terrible loss and deepest condolences to his family and to his colleagues @sonacomstar …Om Shanti," Seth wrote. In the following days, it was revealed that Kapur died while playing polo. Multiple outlets reported that he collapsed after swallowing a bee mid-match, potentially triggering a fatal heart attack. Read On The Fox News App No official source for the billionaire confirmed that a bee caused the heart attack. Fox News Digital reached out to Sona Comstar for comment. "It's not possible to comment with any specificity about this particular case without a thorough review of the forensics," Dr. Nishant Kalra, an Ohio cardiologist and regional chief medical officer at VitalSolution — an Ingenovis Health company that offers cardiovascular and anesthesiology services to hospitals — told Fox News Digital. Poison Fruit In 'White Lotus' Comes From 'Suicide Tree' Swallowing a bee can, in very rare cases, precipitate a heart attack, he confirmed — "but only through specific mechanisms." The primary risk is not from the act of swallowing itself, but from the possibility of a bee sting to either the upper airway or the oropharynx (the part of the mouth that includes the back of the tongue, tonsils and soft palate), which can introduce venom into the body, according to Kalra. If the individual is allergic, this can trigger anaphylaxis, which may cause "profound hypotension, arrhythmias or even acute coronary syndromes," Kalra said — a phenomenon known as Kounis syndrome. This syndrome can result from a coronary event (any adverse medical event related to the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart) occurring in combination with anaphylactic or allergic reactions. This can pose a risk even to individuals who do not have pre-existing coronary artery disease. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology notes that cardiac anaphylaxis can cause reduced blood flow to the heart (myocardial ischemia) and irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias) when triggered by an allergy to insect venom. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter However, these cases are incredibly rare, according to experts. "The general population should not be concerned about this as a common risk," Kapur told Fox News Digital. "Fatal cardiac events following bee stings are rare and typically occur in individuals with known venom hypersensitivity or underlying cardiac disease." For more Health articles, visit Most bee stings, even in the oropharynx, result in local reactions, though airway compromise is a concern if significant swelling occurs, he added. Those who experience allergic symptoms following a sting should seek immediate medical article source: Billionaire's death after swallowing bee raises questions about rare cardiac reaction
