Hot night temperatures may increase risk of deaths by 60 per cent: Study

A recent international study published in 'The Lancet Planetary Health' has shown that excessive hot temperatures at night, caused by climate change can increase the mortality rate around the planet by 60 per cent. 

The study co-authored by researchers from the United States, China, Germany, Japan, South Korea and Japan is the first of its kind to gauge the impact of hotter nights and increased mortality risk. 

Reportedly, for the study, the researchers studied deaths due to extreme heat conditions in 28 cities in China, South Korea and Japan spread over a period of 35 years from 1980 to 2015.

Afterwards, the numbers were fed into two climate change modelling scenarios. The results of the model illustrated that between 2016 and 2100, the risk of deaths due to excessively hot nights may increase by 60 per cent. 

"In our study, we found that the occurrences of hot night excess (HNE) are projected to occur more rapidly than the daily mean temperature changes. The frequency and mean intensity of hot nights would increase more than 30 per cent and 60 per cent by the 2100s, respectively, compared with less than 20 per cent increase for the daily mean temperature." a scientist at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, associated with the study remarked. 

Scientists are of the view that increased night temperatures or ambient heat may interrupt an individual's physiology of sleep. Lack of sleep directly leads to problems such as immune system damage, cardiovascular disease and several other mental health conditions. 

The study advised that government and policymakers ought to consider the extra health impacts of the disproportional intra-day temperature variations and design the systems in a way that addresses the issue. 

 "Locally, heat during the night should be taken into account when designing the future heatwave warning system, especially for vulnerable populations and low-income communities who may not be able to afford the additional expense of air conditioning. Also, stronger mitigation strategies, including global collaborations, should be considered to reduce future impacts of warming." said another researcher.