Dr Amir Khan has issued a heat warning for women, stating that they feel the heat more than men and are not being dramatic. The doctor, known for his appearances on ITV, explained on Instagram that factors such as hormones, body size, sleep, and nutritional deficiencies can make the heat harder to tolerate for women.
UK Heatwave and Health Alerts
The Met Office has issued a red extreme heat warning for Wednesday and Thursday, with highs of 37°C forecast for southern England and 35°C in southeast Wales on June 23. The peak of the heatwave is expected on Wednesday and Thursday, when temperatures could climb to at least 39°C, with a chance of being exceeded in places. By Friday, conditions will be less hot, with highs of 32°C forecast across eastern areas. The UK Health Security Agency has also issued a series of heat health alerts, highlighting potential health and social care impacts.
Why Women Feel the Heat More
In an Instagram video, Dr Amir Khan said: “Listen, it's going to be hot over the next few days and I'm going to tell you women feel the heat more than men. They're not being dramatic, they are being factual and it's really fascinating in terms of the reason behind it.” He explained that hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone can affect how the body regulates temperature, and menopause and hot flushes can make things worse.
However, hormones are not the only factor. Dr Khan noted that women tend to have smaller bodies and less blood volume than men, meaning when temperatures rise, the body has less circulating blood available to move heat from the core to the skin where it can escape. This process takes longer. Additionally, women often have smaller hearts and narrower blood vessels, making it less efficient to shift blood around the body to get rid of excess heat.
Skin Temperature and Dehydration
Research suggests that women often have a higher skin temperature but a lower core temperature than men, so even when their body isn't actually overheating, they can feel hot and more uncomfortable. Women may also get dehydrated more easily. Dr Khan said: “Women are generally smaller than men, losing the same amount of fluid through sweat can have a bigger impact, they can become dehydrated quicker. A litre of sweat lost affects a petite woman much more than a large man.”
Iron deficiency is another factor, as women are more likely to be low in iron due to periods. Low iron levels can leave women feeling wiped out, dizzy, and exhausted in hot weather. Sleep disruption during perimenopause and menopause also adds to the difficulty, with hot weather exacerbating poor sleep and reducing the ability to cope with heat the next day.
Advice and Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion
Dr Khan advised women to complain about the heat if they need to, as it is due to biology. The NHS recommends moving someone with heat exhaustion to a cool place, removing unnecessary clothing, giving them plenty of water or an isotonic sports drink, and cooling their skin with water or cold packs. If someone shows signs of heatstroke—such as being unwell after 30 minutes of cooling, a very high temperature, hot skin that is not sweating, fast heartbeat, fast breathing, confusion, seizures, or loss of consciousness—call 999 immediately.
