Today’s big topic: Researcher: Heat waves also affect our mental health
Heat waves make us irritable and unhappy, and it’s important that we don’t ignore it, says Ásthildur Árnadóttir, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Copenhagen.
What’s happening?
As lightning and thunder rolled across Denmark on Saturday, you may have found it hard to fall asleep. The sheet stuck to your body, the air was dead still, and no matter how much you tossed and turned, your body would not settle down. The past few days’ heat wave has turned Danes’ bedrooms into little saunas. And even if we do everything we can to cool our bodies down, it isn’t only our physical health we need to keep an eye on. Because the heat strains not just our sleep and our bodies but our mental health, too.
»A heat wave puts the body under physical stress. That can also take a mental toll«, says Ásthildur Árnadóttir, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Copenhagen who has studied how climate affects health. The physical stress can develop into discomfort if the body isn’t cooled down. And that can make you react differently, Ásthildur Árnadóttir explains.
»Heat waves affect our mood and can cause mood swings. During a heat wave, for example, you might find you have a shorter fuse, are more irritable, or more impulsive than usual«, she says.
Why it matters!
Beyond affecting mood, heat waves can also worsen mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. Several international studies suggest that heat waves can raise the risk of suicide because of the heat, as well as increase mortality among people with substance-use disorders, particularly involving alcohol.
»However, the reasons why heat waves impact the psyche have not yet been determined. Still, a link has been seen in several countries«, Ásthildur Árnadóttir says, adding:
»We need to be attentive to it and talk about it when we notice a change in our mental well-being. With each other, but also with health professionals. And I also believe it should be part of an emergency plan for dealing with heat waves«.
Still curious? Read the full article here.
In other news
– Cyclist Magnus Cort to end his career after the season
One of the most winning Danish cyclists in history is ending his career after the current season. For 33-year-old Magnus Cort, 2026 will be his final year in the professional peloton. This is reported by his team, Uno-X, on its website.
Magnus Cort has won one stage in the Giro d’Italia, two in the Tour de France, and six in the Vuelta a España. The prestigious hat-trick was completed in 2023 on stage 10 of the Giro. Only four Danes can boast of having won stages in all three Grand Tours, writes Ritzau.
– Five hearts for Michael Williams at Roskilde Festival
Roskilde Festival’s warm-up days are in full swing, and it’s already a party. And the young shirtless men finally got their hip-hop concert, writes music critic, Simon Lund, after attending a concert by Michael Williams.
»Rappers don’t otherwise take up much space in the otherwise impressive line-up for Roskilde’s warm-up days. But on Monday evening, Michael Williams from Copenhagen arrived with such force that people were pulled over the barrier with nosebleeds running down their chins and ankles screaming for an ice pack«, writes Simon Lund. On Wednesday, the concert days begin, when the Orange Stage also opens.
– Make the perfect cold-brew iced tea with raspberries and mint
It is important to drink fluids in the heat, and we have the perfect iced tea recipe for you. When the tea is cold-brewed, it turns out exceptionally mild and light — with none of the bitterness. It’s a great choice on hot summer days as a nonalcoholic alternative.
Read the recipe here.
Talk of town: »They’re good friends and allies, but just look at what it does to our environment«
Aleqa Hammond, 60, was Greenland’s head of government from 2013 to 2014.
Americans have left old scrap, oil barrels, and toxic chemicals in many parts of the Greenlandic landscape, and Denmark is doing too little to hold the United States accountable.
That is the view of Aleqa Hammond, leader of the Social Democratic party Siumut, which earlier this year withdrew from Greenland’s government, Naalakkersuisut.
»America’s sudden surge of interest in taking over Greenland and being more present here is prompting Denmark to do what it can to stand up and say it stands with Greenland and wants to contribute to ensuring that Greenland itself has the opportunity to decide our own future, but they still do nothing to remind the Americans that ‘you’re already in Greenland’«, Aleqa Hammond says.
»If Denmark wants to stand with Greenland, then at a minimum, these are the kinds of places where we should stand together to make sure Greenland is treated with respect«, she says.
In some places, Greenlanders are discussing whether to leave some of the debris in place as tourist attractions and memorials. Aleqa Hammond calls it a kind of dark humor.
»It has gone on for so long that people are actually starting to discuss: Should we see it as part of our shared history with Denmark and the United States? As proof of how they treat our country?«, she says.
»It’s a stain. And you can see it. This is how our country is treated. They’re good friends and allies, but just look at what it does to our environment«.
Still curious? Read the full article here.
Edition newsletter on summer break in July
Summer has arrived, and the Edition newsletter will be on a break throughout July. You can still visit our website, where we’ll be sharing guides and recommendations for spending the summer in Denmark – including cultural experiences and dining tips.
The newsletter will be back in your inbox on Monday, 3 August. Until then, the Edition team wishes you a great summer. Thanks for reading along!
This newsletter features stories originally published in Danish. AI was used to shorten and translate the articles into English, after which a member of the editorial staff reviewed and refined the content.