Lauren suffers with anxiety that gets worse when temperatures rise, owing to the sensation of not being able to breathe
ByEllie Cleverley
South of England
"When it's hot the air feels different in your lungs. Your brain just starts going, 'Something's different - and therefore bad' even though it's not."
The hot weather and high temperatures can trigger anxiety and other mental health problems, according to new research from Oxford University.
Lauren Murphy, from Southampton, has anxiety and agoraphobia, a disorder defined by an intense fear of feeling trapped.
The heat can trigger this feeling of panic, making her feel "really isolated" and like she cannot breathe.
"You end up overthinking every single sensation, even if it's a regular everyday occurrence," she says.
The 34-year-old has had anxiety for about a decade, but noticed it became worse after she became a parent and was diagnosed with ADHD.
"When you're an anxious person, especially with health anxiety, you're so much more in tune with your body," she says.
Image caption,Lauren's dog, seven-year-old Diego, often calms her when she is about to panic by putting his head on her
Then her anxiety also got worse as the heat got stronger, which she first noticed when she went on holiday abroad a few years ago, and the high temperatures made her feel like she could not breathe.
When similar conditions arrived in the UK, she says those fears returned.
"It really brought it all back. This year has probably been the worst." she said.
A fourth heatwave of the year is affecting parts of the UK, with a drought declared across large parts of England and the whole of Wales.
"Your heart might be beating faster, you're sweating more, and all of that feels so alarming when you're anxious," Lauren says.
She says those physical sensations - including a heavy feeling in her chest, a racing heart and difficulty concentrating - can reinforce the symptoms of anxiety, creating a cycle that is difficult to break.
"It's like anxiety's the main character and you're the ensemble."
Lauren is not alone - a 2022 study from the University of Bath estimated that about 4.6% of people in the UK had climate anxiety.
Image caption,Professor Ciara McCabe is a neuroscience, psychopharmacology, and mental health expert at the University of Reading.
It is a form of mental distress recognised by professional bodies and the NHS, with young people and women among the groups most at risk, according to a 2025 study.
"Heat stress might to feel like anxiety, they have the same physiological response," says Professor Ciara MaCabre, who works at the University of Reading and specialises in mental health.
"So the anxiety feelings are due to the heat, and then anxiety can kick in.
"The more heatwaves we have obviously more and more people are going to experience this."
Image caption,Lauren has found tapping rhythmically can help bring her back to the present
Lauren says she has since found ways to calm herself when she starts to panic.
"Journaling helps - your mind can think so much faster than you can write. Writing slows everything down," she says.
She says tapping techniques help "ground" her as well as breathing exercises, yoga and being in nature.
Her advice to others experiencing anxiety is to ask for help.
"I always underestimate my ability to cope," she says.
"Being brave isn't the absence of fear. It's having that fear and doing it anyway."
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