The extreme heat that has made headlines around the world may impact dementia, according to a new report from climate researchers.
The team from the University of Bristol spoke to 30 experts to better understand how extreme temperatures may impact our health.
One of the important findings was that hot weather can affect sleep. This is no surprise to anyone who has tried to get some rest during the height of summer with no air conditioner. Long-term, a lack of good sleep can have a myriad of effects and prior studies have shown that poor sleep may be linked to neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s.
The researchers from the University of Bristol found relatively few peer-reviewed studies on extreme heat and sleep disorders from the United Kingdom. They had more information available on climate and health concerns like infectious diseases, lung disease, and heart disease.
While the study focused on the UK the researchers say they hope this initial information can help other countries study the connection between climate and health as conditions vary wildly around the globe.
