How to beat the summer heat with simple tricks
Dealing with extreme heat warnings? These easy hacks will help you stay cool all summer long.
There’s a fine balance between enjoying the summer warmth and avoiding heat exhaustion for those taking medication for their mental health.
With the heat index surpassing 100 degrees on Thursday, July 24, the National Weather Service in White Lake stated: All of southeast Michigan will experience hot temperatures, and high humidity may cause heat illness.
Though extreme heat can be dangerous for many different groups, those who take certain mental health medications have an increased risk of heat-related ailments.
These experts break down similarities and differences between a variety of medications used to treat mental health conditions, and how extreme heat can impact them.
Heat intolerance
Heat intolerance typically occurs when your body is having a hard time regulating its temperature, and in turn, people can develop a sensitivity to heat and experience discomfort.
While stimulants like Adderall and Concerta affect dopamine, newer antidepressants such as Lexapro or Prozac affect serotonin. Both, however, can lead to heat intolerance.
Stimulants are typically used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It increases dopamine in the brain, said Kristen Ward, clinical associate faculty member at the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy. She emphasized how dopamine is important for the frontal lobe since it’s responsible for executive functioning, which is the mental processes that help someone set and carry out goals.
Hot weather can affect people on stimulants because their executive functioning is impaired by the heat, in addition to experiencing heat intolerance.
Warning signs for this can look like confusion, a harder time making decisions, and trouble with emotional regulation, Ward shared.
“If you’re around friends and family, especially if you know they’re on some of these meds, and they start to act a little more confused than normal, that might be a warning sign.”
Newer antidepressants have a little bit of anticholinergic activity, but not to the same degree as older antidepressants, according to Vicki Ellingrod, dean of the College of Pharmacy at the University of Michigan.
“The newer antidepressants also work primarily through serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter. And serotonin also works in the hypothalamus part of the brain, which is involved in kind of energy regulation,” Ellingrod continues. “That can cause is excessive sweating, so someone might notice that they’re sweating a lot more.”
Lack of sweat
Countless medications impact the body’s ability to regulate its temperature; older antidepressants and antipsychotics are no different.
Sweating is how your body cools itself down, and it prevents you from overheating, according to Cleveland Clinic. It’s an incredibly important function.
Older antidepressants that don’t get used as often today, such as Tofranil and Norpramin, tend to block acetylcholine within the body, and that impacts the body’s ability to sweat, Ellingrod shared.
“Acetylcholine is part of the parasympathetic nervous system. When you block it, it can cause lack of sweating, and it can cause you to be way more sensitive to heat.”
Along with older antidepressants, antipsychotics can influence how much you sweat, because they affect the hypothalamus, which controls the body’s temperature.
“When you use an antipsychotic, you don’t sense heat like you should, and you might be getting overheated … pay attention to the temperature, if it’s 90℉ outside and you’re not sweating, get inside and cool down,” Ward said.
Best practices
Ward recommends staying off the health blogs.
“I know it’s tempting, but you have no idea what’s going on in the lives of people posting. There might be five other medications contributing.”
Instead, she recommends information from the National Alliance for Mental Illness, the Cleveland Clinic, and Mayo Clinic, which are all free and accessible to the public.
It’s crucial to know how medications influence the body during hot weather to avoid the possibility of heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke or heat exhaustion.
Ellingrod advises people to stay hydrated, not to stay outside for extended periods of time, stay in the shade, and bring a fan.
“We tell everyone, know how the medications affect you, and if you have any concerns, ask a pharmacist. We’re always willing to answer any questions. Especially in this heat, try to take care of yourself as best as possible,” Ellingrod said.