An TV doctor and broadcaster has warned that heatwaves feel harder for women.
Dr Nighat Arif is a GP, medical educator and broadcaster known for her appearances on ITV’s This Morning and Loose Women.
In a recent post on Instagram, the doctor explained why women feel worse in the heat.
She said: “Women’s bodies actually cool differently and its known as the thermoregulatory divide, and we’ve just only started looking at this because we never seriously researched women’s bodies.
“But we do know women are hit harder by summer heatwaves … and its not just lifestyle, its actually biology.”
Dr Arif explained women are more affected by heatwaves because of differences in body fat, hormones and the way their bodies regulate heat, adding: “We actually sweat later and less than men.”
She continued that the body’s alternative cooling mechanism can place additional stress on the cardiovascular system.
In vulnerable women – including those who are pregnant, in their luteal phase of their menstrual cycle and perimenopausal – it may contribute to dizziness, low blood pressure or fainting during periods of extreme heat.
While Dr Arif highlights biological differences that may make extreme heat more challenging for some women, academics say the evidence is more nuanced.
Dr Cat Pinho-Gomes, an academic consultant in public health medicine at the Institute for Global Health at UCL, said from the research she has seen there appears to be a slight increased risk for women compared to men.
She explained its likely a combination of biophysiological vulnerability and socioeconomic factors.
She said: “You have the vulnerability of the person and then you have the ability to respond and adapt to the heat.”
Dr Pinho-Gomes emphasised those from lower socioeconomic background living in deprived areas are disproportionately affected because their homes are more likely to be poorly insulated, trapping heat and without adequate ventilation.
In London, rough sleepers and people in settings without adequate cooling including some hospitals and care homes may struggle to cope during heatwaves due to little or no air conditioning.
Dr Pinho-Gomes added women are often more affected because of a combination of longer life expectancy, caring responsibilities and increased likelihood of being in groups where heat risk is higher.
She emphasised there is still a lack of public awareness about the scale of danger with heatwaves often underestimated in the UK.
She said: “Heat is a silent killer, and we really need to ensure that we provide the right messaging to people and there is a change in mindsets and also a change in our built environment.”
She warned that without changes to both public awareness and the built environment, heat-related illness and deaths are likely to rise particularly among women.
She also said women remain underrepresented in global climate negotiations such as Conference of the Parties (COP), which she explained contributes to gaps in how well women’s health risks are addressed in climate policy.
As heatwaves become more frequent experts say the challenge is no longer just understanding the risks, but ensuring those most affected are properly protected.
Featured image credit: Timur Valiev via Unsplash
