The nights are getting warmer  

And this hides health risks

A new study by the Gillings School of Public Health confirms what we already understood. How the nights are getting warmer and warmer. We may not yet know what the planet’s average temperature will be in the near future, but the research offers best- and worst-case scenario estimates by 2100.

Using historical data from 1981 to 2010 and applying it to climate models, the researchers also tried to estimate the rate of deaths due to nighttime heat in 28 cities in east Asia, as they work to expand their predictions globally.

They found that hot nights will be 75.6% more frequent by the end of the century, while average temperatures will range from 20.4 degrees Celsius to 39.7 degrees Celsius. The death toll is expected to increase sixfold compared to 2016, even with the most optimistic projections of future global warming.

Hot days tire the body, specifically the lungs and the heart, which tries to cool down at night with sleep. If temperatures remain high at night, preventing us from sleeping properly, the risk of death increases by 50%. Heat stress can even lead to strokes, while restless sleep weakens our immune system, affects our mental health and causes a range of unpleasant health conditions.

Populations unaccustomed to such high temperatures, such as in northern Europe, are most threatened by the heat as people have not learned how to protect themselves from it. Recall that the heat wave in England this summer is responsible for 948 deaths, according to a new analysis .

Until now, the risk of rising temperatures at night has often been overlooked. This has to change. States must warn people to take precautions in the heat of the day, but systems must be designed to include the dangers at night. Especially for people with health problems or low-income communities that may not have air conditioning.

The research was published in The Lancet Planetary Health .