Latest news with #KieranTurner
BreakingNews.ie
10-07-2025
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
Why does hot weather make you feel tired?
As temperatures rise significantly across Ireland, you might find yourself yawning more often at your desk and finding it harder to stay focused. This sense of tiredness and sluggishness isn't just the result of a poor night's sleep – it could actually be your body working harder to cope with the shift in temperature. Advertisement We spoke with experts to uncover how hot weather impacts our bodies and why it often leaves us feeling drained and tired. What physiological changes happen in the body when it's hot that contribute to feelings of fatigue? On a hot day, your body has to work hard to keep cool 'When it's hot, the body must work harder to maintain homeostasis, which is defined as the process by which the body maintains a stable internal environment,' explains Kieran Turner, a health and wellbeing physiologist. 'In order to do this, the heart has to exert more effort to circulate blood flow towards the skin so that heat can radiate away, contributing to an increased workload and therefore feelings of fatigue.' Dr Lalitaa Suglani, psychologist and author of High-Functioning Anxiety, agrees and adds: 'Psychologically, your body being under heat stress can cause a low-level survival response. 'The brain perceives the heat as a physiological stressor, leading to a dip in energy, motivation, and mental stamina – so your body is working harder. This can then impact on concentration and staying focused.' Advertisement What role does dehydration play in heat-related tiredness? 'Dehydration plays a significant role in heat-related fatigue by disrupting multiple physiological systems,' says Turner. 'It impairs the body's ability to thermoregulate through efficient sweating, compromises nutrient transport, and hinders ATP production, all of which reduce physical energy.' How does high temperatures impact brain function? Heat can reduce our alertness 'High temperatures negatively impact brain function and alertness by causing thermal stress that disrupts neurological functions,' says Turner. 'This effect is intensified by dehydration, which reduces blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain, impairing attention, memory and mental clarity. 'Additionally, heat often interferes with sleep quality, leading to increased daytime fatigue and decreased executive function.' Emotional fatigue can also set in during heatwaves, adds Suglani. Advertisement 'We become more irritable, less patient, and more mentally taxed simply because our body is trying to stay cool,' says Suglani. 'Emotional regulation takes more effort when the body is overheated, as this is not the body's priority.' Are some people more vulnerable to heat fatigue than others? 'The elderly have a less efficient thermoregulatory response which is amplified by their tendency to have lower levels of thirst, which can contribute to heightened dehydration and therefore fatigue,' explains Turner. 'Similarly, children have a less efficient thermoregulatory response, and because they have a greater surface area to body mass ratio, they may gain heat faster.' People with certain health conditions are also more vulnerable to heat fatigue. 'Those with cardiovascular diseases will have impaired blood flow, thus reducing their capability to thermoregulate through heat radiating away from their blood near the surface of their skin,' says Turner. 'Whilst those with diabetes may have damaged blood vessels and nerves, potentially inhibiting the person's sweat response if the nerves that control their sweat glands are damaged.' Advertisement Can hot weather disrupt your sleep patterns, and if so, how does that affect fatigue during the day? A heatwave can disrupt sleep, leaving you feeling sluggish 'When it's too warm, people often experience restless sleep, frequent awakenings, or difficulty falling asleep at all or do not enter into the deeper sleep where we process,' says Suglani. 'This leads to cumulative sleep debt, which has a direct impact on mood, attention, and daytime energy levels. 'Many people report feeling sluggish, unmotivated, or even more anxious during heatwaves due to this disrupted sleep.' Are there times of day when heat fatigue is more pronounced? 'The body's natural temperature typically peaks in the late afternoon, which often coincides with the hottest part of the day, making heat fatigue more pronounced when these two factors combine,' says Turner. Here are some ways to stay energised during a heatwave… Advertisement Stay hydrated Sip water throughout the day 'Hydrate often, even mild dehydration impacts mental clarity and mood,' says Suglani. 'Keep on top of water, have it next to you and keep sipping.' Take breaks 'Take micro-rests throughout the day, not just physically but mentally too,' advises Suglani. 'Step away from screens, overstimulation, demanding tasks and your phone.' Try some cooling techniques 'A cold compress on the wrists or neck can reduce body temperature and ease overstimulation,' says Suglani. Modify expectations 'Understand that your energy will naturally dip, and give yourself permission to slow down and not put these high expectations on doing all your things, as most likely you won't be able to,' suggests Suglani. 'Offer compassion to yourself.' Avoid overstimulation 'Loud noise, bright lights, and high demands drain more energy when you're already heat-fatigued,' says Suglani. Practise breath work Take short, slow breaths 'Short, slow breathing helps reset the nervous system and regulate fatigue, especially as our breathing can be impacted too by the heat,' says Suglani. Eat lighter meals 'Lighter meals help prevent additional internal heat production,' notes Turner.
Glasgow Times
05-06-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Clyde Metro possible routes and cost known by 2027
Consultants are currently developing a case for investment which is seen as an 'essential' step towards providing a 'mass transit' system. Glasgow Labour has claimed the Metro scheme is a 'stalled plan dressed up as progress' — with no start date and no funding committed. READ NEXT:Glasgow's drug consumption centre is working says health secretary Transport spokesman Cllr Saqib Ahmed said: 'Clyde Metro should be Glasgow's next great infrastructure revolution — but right now, it's just another SNP soundbite.' A spokesman for the city's SNP group said the cross-party Glasgow City Region cabinet has allocated £12m to advance the business case, which Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) is progressing. 'That's a considerable amount of spend and effort for a soundbite,' he added. The funding, which will support the development of the case for investment (CFI), is from the City Deal, a more than £1bn infrastructure programme funded by both the UK and Scottish governments. Council officials have said the CFI will identify the funding strategy for 'subsequent stages of the Clyde Metro programme'. READ NEXT:'Don't blame us': Taxis hit back in Glasgow city centre transport row They also said 'one of the key objectives is to improve the sustainable transport access to Glasgow Airport' and this will 'continue to feature as a key priority in all the options we are exploring.' At a council meeting on Tuesday, Cllr Kieran Turner, Labour, asked whether there would be potential routes and costs at the end of the CFI process. An official said: 'Yes, absolutely. At the moment, as part of the initial engagement, we have four network options which were presented. 'Those network options will then get synthesised into a preferred network.' The process will involve deciding on which modes of transport will be included, such as heavy rail or tram, as well as a recommendation on 'what the first move needs to be'. Cllr Turner added: 'Until people start to see something that is a little more concrete, even in terms of option selection, there are still going to be questions in our constituents' minds around if any of this is ever going to happen. 'Is lots of money just getting spent on consultants? And will anything come of this?' The official said there will be answers at the end of the case for investment, including potential timelines. It will be 'absolutely critical' for securing 'a commitment from government to give funding', he said. Public consultation on the project could be held in spring or summer next year. After the meeting, Cllr Ahmed said: 'Communities have waited too long for transformation. Instead, they've been left behind by a government more focused on branding than building. 'Glasgow Labour will keep fighting for real investment in our transport network.' Labour want a commitment from the Scottish Government to fund phase one of the Metro project and a 'clear, costed and deliverable' construction timeline. The SNP spokesman said Clyde Metro is 'an agreed national transport priority'. 'Labour's failure to deliver the type of modern transport system developed by our peers during their time in power in Glasgow is why we have decades of missed opportunities to catch up on. 'If Labour councillors want to start being constructive perhaps they can insist from their party colleagues that we received a share of the £15bn the Chancellor is allocating to English cities for major transport projects.'
