Summary: Extreme heat is increasingly affecting mental health across India. Beyond physical health risks, heatwaves contribute to stress, anxiety, irritability, emotional exhaustion, disrupted sleep, and worsening mental health conditions. Vulnerable groups, including outdoor workers, low-income communities, children, elderly people, and those living with mental illness, face disproportionate impacts. Research also suggests links between rising temperatures and increased suicide risk, particularly among agricultural communities. As heatwaves become more frequent and intense due to climate change, mental health must be recognised as a critical part of climate resilience, public health planning, and community support systems.
India is getting hotter. Across cities, towns, and rural regions, heatwaves are becoming longer, more frequent, and increasingly severe.
In May 2026, Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan recorded a scorching 48.2°C, making it the hottest place in the world at the time. Several Indian cities, including New Delhi, Faridabad, Chandigarh, Jammu, Agra, Ayodhya, Gwalior, Kota, and Raipur, also featured among the world’s 100 hottest locations.
The health impacts of extreme heat are significant and growing. A recent study estimated that a single day of extreme heat could lead to around 3,400 excess deaths across India, while a five-day heatwave may result in nearly 30,000 additional deaths nationwide. While the physical effects of heat, including dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke, are widely recognised, the impact of extreme heat on mental health often receives far less attention.
Extreme heat can affect how people sleep, think, feel, work, and cope with daily life. It can increase stress, anxiety, irritability, emotional exhaustion, and worsen existing mental health conditions. The burden is often greatest for marginalised communities, disadvantaged caste groups, outdoor workers, and people in climate-dependent occupations who face prolonged exposure to rising temperatures with limited access to cooling, healthcare, or social support.
How Extreme Heat Affects Mental Health
A recently conducted survey of 10,751 Indian adults found that the vast majority reported experiencing extreme weather or related impacts in the past year. 71% of the respondents said they had faced heat waves.
Research increasingly shows that exposure to high temperatures is associated with worsening mental wellbeing, including higher levels of distress, depression, emotional dysregulation, and psychological fatigue.
Heat and Psychological Stress
During periods of prolonged heat, many people experience:
- Increased irritability and frustration
- Difficulty concentrating
- Emotional exhaustion
- Heightened stress levels
- Reduced tolerance to everyday pressures
Extreme heat places continuous strain on the body. When people are unable to cool down, rest adequately, or escape hot environments, stress accumulates over time. This can affect emotional regulation and daily functioning.
For workers exposed to outdoor heat — including construction workers, street vendors, delivery workers, sanitation workers, and farmers — the psychological burden is often compounded by economic stress and unsafe working conditions.
Sleep Disruption During Heatwaves
One of the most immediate mental health effects of extreme heat is disrupted sleep.
Hot nights make it harder for the body to cool down sufficiently for restful sleep. Repeated sleep disruption can increase fatigue, irritability, anxiety, and emotional distress. Over time, poor sleep can worsen mental health outcomes and reduce people’s ability to cope with stress.
For families living in overcrowded homes with limited ventilation or cooling access, uninterrupted sleep during heatwaves can become nearly impossible.
In many Indian cities, heat exposure continues late into the night because concrete infrastructure traps heat. This “urban heat island effect” means that densely populated neighbourhoods remain significantly warmer after sunset.
A study by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) shows a sharp rise in “very warm nights” across several Indian cities over the last decade compared to the 1982–2011 baseline. Between 2012 and 2022, Mumbai recorded 15 additional very warm nights per summer; Bengaluru saw an increase of 11 nights; Jaipur and Bhopal each recorded seven additional warm nights; Delhi saw six more warm nights, and Chennai experienced four additional warm nights. The study also found that over 70% of Indian districts now experience at least five additional very warm nights annually, with nighttime temperatures rising faster than daytime heat in many regions.
Extreme Heat and Mental Health Conditions
A Lancet study published in 2017 estimated that 197.3 million Indians have a mental illness. Out of these, over 80% of individuals do not receive the care they need. This is commonly referred to as the “treatment gap” in public health.
People living with existing mental health conditions are often among the most vulnerable during heatwaves.
Certain psychiatric medications can affect the body’s ability to regulate temperature or maintain hydration, increasing the risk of heat-related illness. Heatwaves may also disrupt access to medication, healthcare services, and support systems.
People experiencing severe mental distress may face additional barriers during climate emergencies, particularly if they are socially isolated, economically vulnerable, or living in inadequate housing conditions.
For example, people living with schizophrenia can face greater risks due to difficulties with the body’s ability to regulate temperature, challenges in recognising or responding to heat-related danger, and social inequalities that limit access to cooling, healthcare, and other protective resources.
The intersection of climate vulnerability and mental health inequity is especially important in India, where access to mental healthcare remains limited for many communities.
Impact on Suicide Rates
New evidence suggests a troubling link between the escalating climate crisis and rising suicide rates, a burden that falls disproportionately on the Global South's most vulnerable populations.
For instance, a study found that crop-damaging temperatures have contributed to more than 59,000 farmer suicides in India over the past few decades. The study estimated that a 1°C rise in temperature on a single day during the growing season was associated with an average of 67 additional suicides.
Another 2024 study in Global Environmental Change found that droughts substantially increase farmer suicide rates in India, especially in regions with high debt and poor irrigation access.
A Karnataka-based study on farmer mental health found that crop failure and debt were among the leading causes of stress among farmers, and over 25% of surveyed farmers reported suicidal ideation in the previous six months.
Heatwaves are a Social Justice Issue
Extreme heat does not affect everyone equally.
Communities already facing social and economic disadvantage are exposed to the highest levels of climate risk while having the least access to protection and recovery resources.
Those particularly vulnerable include:
- Outdoor and informal workers
- Low-income urban communities
- Elderly people
- Children
- People with disabilities
- People living with chronic illnesses or mental health conditions
Historically, marginalised caste communities in India are disproportionately affected because of their dependence on climate-sensitive livelihoods, hazardous working conditions, insecure housing, and limited access to healthcare and social protection. These overlapping vulnerabilities intensify both physical and mental health risks during climate-related heat events.
Climate Resilience Must Include Mental Health
Extreme heat is no longer an occasional weather event. For millions of people in India and across the world, heatwaves are becoming an increasingly common part of daily life.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) projected that there is a 75% likelihood that average global temperatures between 2026 and 2030 will rise more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. It also noted a 91% chance that at least one of the next five years will individually cross the 1.5°C mark. These rising temperatures will not only intensify physical health risks but also deepen the mental and emotional strain associated with prolonged heat exposure.
Mental health is already recognised as a global development priority under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being. The goal highlights the importance of promoting mental well-being alongside physical health, including strengthening mental health services, reducing suicide rates, and improving access to healthcare.
Recognising heatwaves as a mental health issue is essential for building meaningful climate resilience. As India prepares for a hotter future, mental health must become part of how communities, health systems, and policymakers respond to climate change.
For more resources on climate change and mental health, explore the Keshav Desiraju India Mental Health Observatory and visit our Climate Change and Mental Health Resources.
Sources
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- Extreme heat affects mental wellbeing, increasing stress, anxiety, irritability, and emotional exhaustion.
- Heatwaves disrupt sleep, which can worsen mental health and reduce coping ability.
- Outdoor workers and low-income communities face heightened psychological and economic stress during heatwaves.
- People living with mental health conditions are more vulnerable during extreme heat due to medication, isolation, and limited access to care.
- Rising temperatures have been linked to increased suicide risk, especially among agricultural communities in India.
