#heat-stroke

#heat-stroke

The UK Health Security Agency reported around 1,504 heat-associated deaths in England during summer 2025, roughly half the predicted 3,039, despite the season being the warmest on record.

Research shows that summertime conditions can lead to cognitive impairments, particularly in memory and concentration. Factors such as sleep disruption, heat, dehydration, and smoke exposure are significant contributors to these effects.

Not only will temperatures break March monthly records, but this heatwave will even break April records. Over the next week, around 800 high temperature records are forecast to be neared, tied or broken at 165 locations in Western and Central states - some by more than 10 degrees - with unusual warmth set to linger into late March.

A total 5,722 people died as a direct result of the summer heat in 2025, the third hottest summer on record and one which featured two severe extended heatwaves in late June/early July and in the middle of August, a Santé Publique France report shows. Of those fatalities, more than 1,900 were attributed directly to heat exposure - which represented 12 percent of all deaths during the periods of high heat.

Because the past three years have shattered temperature records, researchers have been exploring whether global warming is accelerating, and if so, why. Many scientists agree that the rate at which it is increasing has picked up. This is mainly because of a reduction in air pollution following the introduction of fuel regulations for international shipping (which has resulted in fewer pollutant particles that reflect sunlight into space and seed insulating clouds).

"Today's [the] beach, tomorrow's golf, Wednesday recuperate," said Carl Bergonzo, 67, of Gravesend, Brooklyn. "I'm Sicilian, so I don't need to put any [sunscreen] on."

"So whenever people think about hot weather, they always talk about the temperature," he says. "There's two issues with that. First of all, most people don't realise that the temperature is measured in the shade. So if you're in direct solar radiation, the amount of heat stress you're exposed to is much greater as it will stress your body out a lot more."

There's a glorious smugness that can only be experienced by exercising outdoors in winter conditions. The fresh air, the endorphins, the reduced risk of heart disease they're all nice bonuses, but nothing beats that knowing nod from another rain-drenched runner, or the horrified faces of nearby dog walkers as you stride confidently into the sea for a winter dip.

I think this is a fairly recognized phenomenon,