We have had really summery weather in the Netherlands for many days. Some people really like the heat, while others absolutely can’t stand it. What could be the cause of this big difference? They did research on this at the University of Arizona.
One of the possible causes can be found in habituation. The research has shown that people generally have the opportunity to get used to changing weather conditions. If you don’t like hot weather, or don’t seem to be able to handle it well, it can help to stay in a warm area. This way the body gets used to it and can tolerate it better. The speed with which one adapts can differ from person to person. The reason for this is probably in the genes. It may be that someone has a predisposition to deal with changing weather conditions and therefore adapts more easily to climate extremes.
When someone has started living in a different climate, he or she has to adapt to the ‘new’ climate. It has been found that the next generations that grow up in ‘the new’ climate are increasingly better adapted to the climate. This means that adapting to the climate is a form of the evolution that occurs.
Some general things that influence how well you can handle heat are: the possibility of sweating, skin pigmentation, strength of the heart and also how close the blood vessels are to the surface of the skin.
With depression or other mental problems, it is often more difficult to regulate body temperature. This means that you are less able to withstand extreme weather conditions.
We have collected the tips from Omnigen employees, what to do against the heat:
