The impact of the weather on people has long been subjected to testing as people notice changes in the way they feel and act in their everyday life with the fall and spring onset. Sometimes different weather conditions influence us in a very delicate and harmless way, but sometimes it might bring very serious consequences.

The temperature on Earth is rising and there are more and more hot days during the year, which surely influences our functioning. Extreme heat may lead to heat stroke, heat cramps, exhaustion, dehydration, and even death. Heat‑related deaths in people aged over 65 increased by over 50 percent in the past two decades. It is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, little children, the elderly, and athletes but anyone can be at risk. We can protect ourselves against it by drinking a lot of water, and avoiding outdoor activities at the hottest time during the day. As a society we can plant more trees which provide us with shadow, which decreases temperature.

The rise in temperatures is tiring for people and animals, but it can cause some more serious effects. In extreme situations, heat causes droughts which lead to undernutrition. What is more, hot temperatures make it easier for various diseases to spread. That often happens with the migration of insect‑related diseases, such as malaria, caused by mosquitoes. Some infectious diseases, like those from mosquitoes and ticks, are subject to population increases in warmer weather, which may lead to increased transmission.

It is estimated that about 24 thousand people worldwide die due to lightning strikes. Ten times more survive it, but the consequences are noticeable for a lifetime. Common injuries caused by lightning include muscle pain, burns, broken bones, cardiac arrest, hearing loss, or confusion. Loss of consciousness is a quite immediate reaction. Lighting burns make a very quirky pattern of skin lesions which look like trees. They appear soon after the strike. In the most extreme cases, lung and chest damage is done after the lightning strike by its generated heat.

Thunderstorm asthma is a rare phenomenon that is caused by a perfect storm of weather conditions and airborne allergens. Melbourne is known as a thunderstorm asthma capital of the world with three recorded epidemics. It is a kind of an explosive mix. It happens when the pollen is released and picked up by the winds and taken to the cities. Thunderstorm asthma is an allergic reaction so allergic people should be aware of its dangers but, on the other hand, people who have been affected by it claimed they had had no asthma record before.

Most people prefer warm and sunny days when they feel uplifted and healthier while cold weather is associated with certain pains. There is an old wives’ tale linking weather and back and joint pains. Patients indeed complain about the increase of pain when it gets cold or when it rains. There has been a lot of research conducted on this, but the results were inconclusive. One theory says that a drop in barometric pressure may cause the joint to expand and swell, sending signals to the nerves that might become more sensitive to pain.

Barometric pressure is usually believed to cause head‑related pains. Patients claim that there is an increase in their headaches, which is noticeable when the front comes through. Doctors have observed that 30 to even 70 percent of their patients relate their migraines and the feeling of eye pressure. Weather changing pressure alone does not necessarily cause a migraine but it is more likely to be one of several triggers. There are many triggers combined that cause such pains. That’s why it is important to keep yourself hydrated, stick to regular eating patterns, or get enough sleep.

In some countries humidity painfully affects people, their bodies, and health. Doctors say that it is more difficult for the body to cool off during a heatwave because the sweat doesn’t evaporate. It remains on the skin so the body keeps on sweating, risking dehydration. People may not even realise how tired their bodies are and that they might be more dehydrated than they think. Humidity also affects respiratory issues such as asthma and allergies. It is argued that it even worsens arthritis. It’s not all bad about humidity. It is good for the skin, and some people really enjoy the frizzy hair made by it!

Wind appears as a breeze, gust, gale, or at the scariest situations as a tornado or hurricane with a speed of even 400 km/h. It turns out that people are sensitive to variations in the wind. The wind usually affects people in negative ways, in their comfort. They are more likely to feel irritable, distressed, or lack concentration. Some kinds of wind increase anxiety, fatigue, and sleep disorders. On the other hand, wind might be a positive trigger to start to act as the body's reaction to stress.

No matter if it’s rain or snow, wind or sun, all weather conditions have their bright and dark side. People need to respect the law of nature and its forces and understand how they can be affected by it in order to remain healthy.

The governments of European countries are aware of the impact of weather on health and create policies for weather‑related conditions. Analyse the chart and ask yourselves the questions.