WHY YOU CAN'T FOCUS IN THE HEAT

At 45°C, heat makes you moody, distracted and forgetful — here’s what you should do

- BY LAKSHANA N PALAT

You probably know the feeling: asking someone to repeat something simple, not because you’re distracted, but because your brain just isn’t keeping up.

No, you’re not dim, it could just be the unbearable heat muddling your thoughts.

The truth is, your brain is reacting to heat stress. So, you walk out of a scorching commute and forget what you had to do. You snap at a coworker for no reason.

As Dr Eleni Margioti, Neuropsychology Lead at The Brain & Performance Centre, explains, when temperatures soar, the body works overtime to regulate itself.

Yet, that effort, coupled with dehydration, disrupts sleep and too much sun exposure chips away at the cognitive performance.

"Thinking becomes slower, moods more unstable, and focus harder to maintain," says Dr Margioti. And while anyone can feel the effects, she warns that children, older adults, and those with preexisting conditions are even more vulnerable.

HOW HEAT AFFECTS THE BRAIN

Scientists are still piecing together exactly why heat messes with our mood and mental clarity, but several compelling theories have emerged. One widely supported idea: Your brain is just too busy trying to keep you cool.

"When the body overheats, blood flow gets redirected to the skin to help cool it down," explains Dr Margioti. "That means less oxygen and fewer nutrients are reaching your brain." Throw in even mild dehydration, and suddenly you're struggling to form a sentence or remember what you walked into the kitchen for.