@anxiety_fitness
Anxiety FitnessWhy a heatwave can make anxiety symptoms feel worse (not medical advice) When it’s hot, your body works harder to keep you cool, and that can amplify the physical sensations you might already notice with anxiety: Racing heart: your heart pumps faster to move heat to your skin. Dizziness: breathing faster shifts your CO2 and oxygen levels. Breathlessness: hot, heavy, humid air can feel harder to breathe. Sweating: your body’s way of cooling itself down. Feeling unreal: you may notice this more when you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed. In general these sensations are your body working as it should in the heat, and are not necessarily a sign that something is wrong. Understanding the mechanism can take some of the fear out of them. As always, follow the usual hot-weather guidance: stay hydrated, keep out of direct sun during the hottest part of the day, find shade and cool down. And a doctor or therapist can help you understand and manage anxiety around the heat. You’re not alone in finding it harder when it’s hot. Sources: Cleveland Clinic, How the Heat Can Affect Your Heart - https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-the-heat-can-affect-your-heart StatPearls (NCBI), Hypocarbia (fast breathing lowers CO2, leading to dizziness) - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493167/ UKHSA, Why some people suffer during heatwaves - https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2018/07/23/why-some-people-suffer-during-heatwaves/ Merck Manual, Depersonalization/Derealization - https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/mental-health-disorders/dissociative-disorders/depersonalization-derealization-disorder #anxietyfitness #anxiety #anxietyrecovery #panicattack #heatwave
On the profile · Jun 25, 2026