Women ‘struggle more’ in heatwaves due to scientific reason

A GP has explained why heatwaves can “feel harder” for women. Dr Nighat Arif is a women’s health GP, medical educator and broadcaster, known for her TV and radio appearances on shows such as Loose Women and This Morning. According to the doctor, summer heatwaves can affect women in different ways, reports the Mirror.

Posting on Instagram, Dr Arif said: “Ever noticed you feel worse in the heat than anyone else and thought that you’re just being dramatic? Well, I just need to let you know that you’re not being dramatic.

“Women’s bodies actually cool differently, and it’s known as the thermoregulatory divide, and yes we’ve only just started looking at this because we never seriously research women’s bodies, but we do know that women are hit harder by summer heatwaves, as we’re seeing at the moment.”

The GP explained: “It’s not just lifestyle, it’s actually biology. Women are more affected by heatwaves due to differences in body fat, hormones, and how they regulate heat, so we actually sweat later and less than men. Did you know that? I didn’t know that until recently.”

She added: “So instead of releasing heat, the body shifts the blood to the skin, and that can drop your blood pressure, which leaves you feeling dizzy or even faint, and for some women, a heatwave can be a real cardiovascular stress test.

“So we should be taking a heatwave more seriously as we are going to be globally expecting more heatwaves and they will last longer and here’s why: because studies show women often begin sweating at a higher core temperature and produce less sweat overall, which can make evaporation cooling less effective in the heat, so instead of losing heat through sweat the body relies more on moving blood to the skin.”

Concluding her video, Dr Arif said: “Now, the moving of the blood to the skin might sound helpful, but it also increases the cardiovascular strain, and in vulnerable women, that can contribute to dizziness, low blood pressure and, fainting. Just think about the fact that we never consider cardiovascular issues in women anyway, add into that higher body fat than men, this added adipose tissue is acting like this insulation, and suddenly, the heat has nowhere to go.

“Now on top of that add hormones, progesterone in the second half of the menstrual cycle can raise core temperature and after menopause, lowering estrogen impairs that vascular function and the skin blood flow making temperature control less stable, and this matters because heat exposure has been linked to higher cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and reviews suggest that women may have higher susceptibility to heat-related cardiovascular death in some settings.

“So the takeaway is simple, and this is why I thought I’d want to discuss this, because in a heatwave, don’t just think about the comfort, think about hydration, circulation and the heart strain. We need to be thinking about it, and if you’re in the lateal phase or you’re perimenopausal or you’re pregnant, then treat heat like the cardiovascular stress test, treat it like a medical trigger.

“Use cooling strategies and seek assessment if you feel dizzy, if you get palpitations, heart symptoms, or unusual fatigue. Don’t just brush it off and go, it’s because it’s really hot, and it’s the heatwave, and it’s the weather. That is actually your body talking. Listen to it.”

According to the NHS, a very high temperature, a fast heartbeat, and fast breathing or shortness of breath can all be symptoms of heatstroke. Call 999 now if you or someone else has signs of heatstroke.