Record-breaking heat waves around the world have caused thousands of deaths this year. Researchers have found that, in addition to extreme temperatures, large daily temperature swings can also increase health risks and add to the death toll.
What's happening?
"How many degrees the temperature swings within a day — the daily temperature variation — itself poses health risks," reported the Conversation.
Researchers discovered that larger swings can exacerbate serious health issues like asthma, respiratory problems, and cardiovascular diseases, contributing to a higher death rate.
There are vast areas that experience larger night-to-day swings, like the U.S. Southwest region, but also a lot of variation between smaller areas that are close together.
Neighborhoods on the coast, for example, will get the benefits of the ocean's ability to regulate temperature changes, while an area not far inland will see higher temperature variation. The urban heat island effect can also cause an increase in daily temperature swings.
Research shows that temperature variations have been growing since the 1990s and will continue to do so as global temperatures rise.
Why are daily temperature swings important?
Large temperature variations can negatively affect systems of the human body, like the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and immune systems.
Studies have also shown that racial minorities and low-income neighborhoods experience larger daily temperature variations.
In their review of NASA's satellite data from 2000-2017 and the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey, the Conversation found that Rhode Island has the largest temperature swing disparity between different ethnic, racial, and income groups.
"Hispanic and Black populations experienced, on average, daily temperature swings of 31.2 degrees Fahrenheit (17.3 degrees Celsius) in May, while the average daily temperature variation for white populations was 25.8 F (14.3 C). That's a 5.4 F (3 C) difference between the groups," detailed the Conversation.
Low-income communities in the state experienced greater variations by 4.1 degrees compared to high-income populations. The review also included the difference among age groups, but the results were negligible.
While our planet gets warmer as a result of toxic gases, it's increasingly important to understand the negative effects of our changing climate and how we can lower the impacts, especially for vulnerable communities.
What's being done about rising temperatures?
Within cities and neighborhoods, the installation of more green spaces can help reduce temperature variations. A 2023 study found that doubling tree cover in European cities would result in a 40% decrease in premature heat deaths.
In the meantime, cities and hospitals are trying new methods to cool bodies when heat is overwhelming. For instance, Phoenix, Arizona, has adopted cold-water immersion to fend off heat stroke. If you find yourself overheating during high temperatures, try these five tips to stay cool.
At home, consumers can make green updates in their daily lives by switching to an induction stove, driving an electric vehicle, and composting food scraps. By reducing toxic gases, we can help cool down the planet.
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