Why heatwaves hit women harder

Image source, GoodLifeStudio By Emily Atkinson Published 11 minutes ago Overwhelmed, irritable, dizzy, bloated, exhausted. These are the words coming up frequently in comments sent to the BBC by women who, having barely recovered from the record-breaking heat in June, are bracing for more hot weather. Extreme heat can affect anyone. But heatwaves are a "stress-test" for women's cardiovascular systems, and hit them harder than men, Dr Nighat Arif, an NHS GP who specialises in women's health, told the BBC. Women may also be marginally more vulnerable to heatwave-related death than men, though more evidence is needed, said Dr Cat Pinho-Gomes, an academic public health consultant at UCL's Institute for Global Health. So as climate change drives increasingly intense and frequent heatwaves to the UK, experts are calling for better awareness of the risks to women and more targeted efforts to protect them. Hormone levels and body response to heat Biologically, it comes down to two things: the natural rise and fall of women's hormone levels and our body's response to heat, which are different to men's, Dr Arif said. Women produce less sweat and start sweating at a higher temperature, research – including this 2025 study , external – shows. This impairs our ability to quickly shed excess heat and makes it harder to judge when our bodies are under burden, simply because we can't see as much sweat on our skin or clothing. The same research found , external that women also have a higher core body temperature and body fat percentage than men, which acts like an extra insulating layer. Now combine this with the natural fluctuations of women's hormones, which already put our brain's temperature regulation systems "out of kilter", according to Dr Arif. Our levels of oestrogen and progesterone shift most substantially during the menstrual cycle, perimenopause, menopause, pregnancy and while breastfeeding – which can make you less able to regulate your temperature. All of this is hard work for our cardiovascular systems, especially in hot weather. But it's not just biology that puts us more at risk, said Dr Pinho-Gomes, co-author of a review into sex differences in heatwave-associated deaths , external . Our socioeconomic circumstances – such as being lower paid or the most likely caregiver to loved ones – can have an even greater impact on how well we are able to look after ourselves in hot weather, she said. Age is another factor. The older you are, the more vulnerable you are to heat – and since women live longer on average than men, we are more at risk of health impacts, Dr Pinho-Gomes explained. Elderly people are also more susceptible to dementia, which can limit the ability to recognise thirst , external , or conditions that require diuretics, used to lower blood pressure – both of which can further expose you to heat-stress, she said. Your period might feel more uncomfortable As hormone levels dip and rise throughout your menstrual cycle, so d