Is it normal to feel anxious about hotter summers?

[Cookserella]

Is it normal to struggle with climate anxiety?

We live in the south east and summers have definitely got hotter over the last 10 years. I’m looking at the forecast for this coming week with dread.

Does anyone else suffer from anxiety around this sort of weather?

I get really anxious about any upcoming spells of heat and find myself checking the weather obsessively.

I’m worried what life will be like for my kids in 20 years time (perhaps they’ll all move to Scotland!).

How can I rationalise this? Am I going totally mad?

I get a bit anxious about it, I’m not keen on it so hot as is forecasted. Also SE and commute into London.
i make sure I drink plenty, open windows in the evening, no cooking etc. wear cool clothing. There’s not much else I can do, I also enjoy evenings in the garden so make sure I get the best of it

You are not alone. I keep hyperventilating about the next heatwave. I'm working tomorrow, but thankfully not the four days after. The grass turning brown makes me worse. Its a physical manifestation of how I feel, so to minimise:

I keep the grass watered, drink lots of water and have invested in an aircon unit for the bedroom. This takes away the anxiety around going to bed in the heat. Turn it off just before I get into bed. Layer the bed with the duvet cover, so its a sheet, and then the 3.5 tog duvet, which can be thrown off. Everything shut up and closed during the day and opened in the evening. 2 of these things are not environmentally sound, but its how I cope with the anxiety around the heat. I suspect we won't be the only two! Try to leave the weather reports alone and think about the present, not the future. Easier said then done, I know, but its fueling the anxiety.

In my head, my kids in primary school and nursery are going to get sent home and my work is going to go to shit and everyone will be moody and tired. Hopefully i will be pleasantly surprised!

I enjoyed hot weather much more before having kids.

Am I worried about climate change?
Yes!

I worry about all extremes of temperature. I think it’s basically because it’s something we have no control over

I'm worried about my son who works outside. Seriously worried 🙁

You are right that climate change is very dangerous and alarming. But we all have to find ways to continue living with it. Joining a group of like minded people who are planning ways to mitigate the worst effects might help you.

@PinkHollyhocksdoes he take precautions, like wearing a cap/hat and cover up?

Is it normal to struggle with climate anxiety?
Yes if you are paying attention.

How can I rationalise this?
Let me know when you work it out
Am I going totally mad?
No

Yes op I get worried also about fools who act stupidly and start fires!

Looks like 39 near me

I’m really worried about it this time too, my youngest doesn’t cope well at all in hot weather and this will be the first time he’s at school in these sorts of temps. I’m tempted to keep him off school because I hate the way school always seem to have them all out in direct sun, no real regard for staying indoors or in the shade when it’s very hot

Yes. Not just about the heat but about the extreme fluctuations, erratic weather and as a po said the fact that we're essentially powerless to stop it. 10 days ago it was hailing, now it's nearly 30°.

Moved house last year and a huge part of the motivation was that we lived on a flood plain and I just didn't feel confident that we could comfortably live there for decades without it flooding. Even if it didn't, the anxiety that it might was too much.

Then on the flipside when we need water there isn't enough. Was reading today that reservoirs are losing something like 7% of their capacity every 10 years due to silt build up, which then matched with the fact that there haven't been any built in this country in 30 years, during which time the population has increased by about 20% is just building a bleak picture.

What's wrong with Scotland?

He wears sunblock. No hat. 🙄

I do, because our house is insulated up the wazoo and has huge 1970s size windows so heats up like a furnace. My office is in one of the bedrooms and becomes unbearably hot - it’s been over 30degrees in past heatwaves. I just can’t cope beyond about 25C, and am menopausal and hormonal. I can’t sleep in heat and our bedroom gets up in the high 20s. So I end up not functioning properly. I’m also supposed to have an operation next week and am dreading coming home to the furnace to recover.

Agree with this, they don't see it as a risk at all.

I worry about it in a theoretical way but we don't seem to get the heatwaves down here in the south west in the same way. It is predicted to be warmer next week but is hard to believe at present as it's still quite chilly.

@SlightFerret must be school specific. We've had messages in advance of and on the day of any high-ish temperatures reminding parents about suncream and hats. Everyone had ice lollies one day and on Friday the younger kids had a paddling pool out in the shade. Older ones were encouraged to play in the shade rather than high energy games on the sunny field

I'm in the north of England, it's a good few degrees cooler than down south!

When I lived in the south though kids were allowed to wear cooler non-uniform clothes and closed toed sandals rather than school shoes when it was +30°, and again had ice lollies!

Yes, I’m very worried about next week. We’ve got a conference planned for Tuesday/ Weds in central London - no AC. Forecast 36 degrees. Should we cancel? I’m worried that attendees will be baking in 30s heat and travelling on baking public transport to get there.

@Bubblewrapartthat's really good!

no

No.

Out school pay lip service to it and have sent a message saying they can wear pe kit, don’t forget hats and sunscreen etc, but I do find they have a total disregard for the fact that staying inside or in the shade is the safest option, and having sunscreen on doesn’t mean you can be in the blazing sun all day.

Just before my stress vicariously passes on to anyone else. I’ve seen in the small print there is AC. I’d anxiously drummed it in to my head that there was none, when I should’ve just double checked in the first place. Doh!

hope everyone stays safe and cool next week!