Heat Waves In 2025: Effects, Causes, and Prevention

Back in the day, summer used to imply mangoes, late sunsets, and afternoon siestas. Now that version feels like a distant memory as heat waves sweep most parts of the Indian subcontinent.

Across the world, cities recorded the hottest temperatures sooner than expected. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) yet again warns of heatwaves sweeping across 6 states in India in the coming week. These latest forecasts indicating above-normal temperatures and an increasing number of heatwave days signal a much larger concern.If 2025 is going to be the hottest year then what would likely be the effects of it, what’s causing the temperature rise, and how can vulnerable groups stay protected?

Read on as we dive into the potential causes of heat waves, their effects, and how we can prepare to combat them and stay safe.

What’s Causing The Extreme Heat Waves?

The increase in the frequency of heat waves and rising temperatures in 2025 warrants deeper environmental and man-made changes. Before we learn how to stay protected, it is extremely crucial to understand what’s causing these extreme weather conditions and identify the main culprits behind them:

1. Climate Change

For decades, human activities like burning fossil fuels, industrial emissions, and deforestation have contributed to the release of massive amounts of greenhouse gases into our atmosphere.

These gases are like a giant thermal blanket around the planet, trapping us into an inescapable hell of our own making. The result? A rapidly heating Earth and deadly heat waves becoming the new normal.

2. Urban Heat Island Effect

The urban heat island effect is when the cities feel hotter than their nearby rural areas and it is something that we all may have experienced of late.

Urban developments are made with concrete materials, asphalt, and glass, all of which absorb heat. At night, these surfaces release trapped heat slowly, keeping cities warmer than rural settlements. Additionally, cities can be 3-7°C hotter than their neighbouring countryside areas.

3. Deforestation

Trees are nature’s most powerful cooling system, helping regulate local climate patterns and keep soil from heating up. Sadly, large-scale felling of trees has stripped us of many green belt regions. The loss of green cover has left vast stretches of land exposed to heat, increasing ground temperatures, and intense heat waves.

4. Changing Weather Patterns

Climate change disrupts the natural flow of weather systems. In addition to causing a rise in temperatures, it also causes stagnant weather patterns. An outcome of this is the formation of heat domes. Heat domes trap hot air over a region for days or even weeks, preventing cloud formation, and airflow, and causing relentless oven-like conditions on the ground.

How Heat Waves Affect Our Daily Lives?

Extreme heat can cause severe health conditions by putting undue stress on our bodies and disrupting our routines. While an increase in temperature might not seem like an immediate risk it can put vulnerable groups like children, the elderly, and outdoor workers at severe risk as their bodies may not be as equipped to handle that kind of pressure. Beyond the health risks, extreme heat waves can also:

• Disrupt food supply chains
• Strain electricity and water systems
• Cause power outages
• Damage crops
• Increase burden on the healthcare system

5 Deadly Effects of Heat Waves That Need Immediate Action

Heat waves are brutal not just because of the discomfort and exhaustion, their impact can even be life-threatening. As the temperature begins to rise beyond the normal range, the effects will start reflecting on our environment, health, and everyday life in unprecedented ways.

However, here are the 5 most critical outcomes of heat waves that we need to pay close attention to:

1. Heatstroke

Our body can go into overdrive from prolonged exposure to heat. And that may lead to a heatstroke. Heatstroke is a serious medical condition that causes confusion, seizures, unconsciousness, and even death if not tended to immediately. A heatstroke can escalate from mild to severe within minutes, critically impacting the elderly, children, outdoor workers, and athletes.

2. Dehydration & Kidney Damage

Heat exposure can lead to extreme sweating and reduce your body’s water retention, which can lead to dehydration. And once dehydration sets in you can feel dizzy, fatigued, and in severe cases experience kidney failure.

A recurring dehydration spell can also increase the risk of chronic kidney diseases and organ damage.

3. Power Cuts & Blackouts

Summers are usually when we face massive power outages and power grids can go into overdrive from excessive electricity load. These power outages and blackouts can trap vulnerable groups in dire situations and without any access to cooling systems.

This ripple effect makes heat waves deadlier in urban areas with poorly planned infrastructure.

4. Wildfires & Air Pollution

Dry and arid conditions are the ground zero for wildfires, followed by the emission of toxic smoke and pollutants in the air. Breathing polluted air during a heat wave can cause asthma attacks, respiratory illnesses, and heart problems. Cities that are heavily surrounded by dry vegetation are at a high risk of wildfires and similar disastrous outcomes.

Read More: Effects Of Air Pollution On Human Health

5. Heat-Related Deaths in Vulnerable Communities

In India, many still do not have the privilege or access to clean water and air-conditioned homes. These marginalised communities, living and working in highly exposed environments, are at a high risk of deadly outcomes during heat waves. They are more likely to suffer from heat-related fatalities and get destabilised by it.

Easy Tips To Stay Safe

Here are some easily doable tips that can be applied in everyday life:

Hydration

Water is the essential elixir for summer. An average human needs to drink at least 3 litres of water every day to stay hydrated and healthy. Most people avoid drinking it till they are extremely thirsty, and by that time the body already gets dehydrated. Staying hydrated during summer can help you naturally regulate your body temperature and prevent heatstroke or kidney failure. If you exert physical pressure, then you can also add electrolytes to your drink. Fresh fruits like watermelon, cucumbers, and oranges are extremely nutrient-rich and can help you stay hydrated.

Avoid drinks like coffee and alcohol that have dehydrating effects on your body.

Read more: 10 Science-Backed Benefits Of Drinking Water

Dress To Beat The Heat

Cotton and linen are your fashion friends for summer. They don’t absorb heat and ensure sufficient airflow. You can also avoid tight-fitted clothes in dark colours for the same reason. Make sure to carry a hat or scarf while stepping out in the sun and don’t forget to put on your sunscreen to protect you from harsh sun.

Redesign Your Home For Summer

Special Care For Vulnerable Groups

Not everyone has the natural resilience to cope with extreme weather. These are the different vulnerable groups that require special care and attention:

Children

• What Puts Them At Risk: Higher body surface area to weight ratio leading to fast temperature change from heat exposure
• What Can Help: Making sure they hydrate plenty and avoid outdoor activities during peak heat.

Elderly People

• What Puts Them At Risk: Reduced ability to regulate temperature where prolonged exposure to heat can have adverse effects
• What Can Help: Make sure they stay indoors and get frequent but light meals throughout the day. Ensure their medication is stored away from heat, and check in on your elderly relatives or neighbours who live alone.

Read More: 3 Important Preventive Health Checkup For Elders To Do

Outdoor Workers

• What Puts Them At Risk: Physical exertion and exposure to direct sunlight can cause severe health issues
• What Can Help: Employers can provide their workers with flexible shifts, access to clean drinking water, and rest areas for reducing heat buildup. Workers should wear breathable clothes and take frequent breaks from physically intensive tasks.

Dietary Tips For Hot Summer Days

What’s Good: Fresh fruits, light meals, and cooling drinks like buttermilk, coconut water, and lemon water.

What’s Not Good: Fried, oily, and spicy food. They increase your body temperature and slow down digestion.

How Communities Can Beat The Heat Together?

Staying safe during heat waves requires collective action. Different types of communities can come together to make this summer a little more bearable. Schools and workplaces can start awareness programs to teach heat safety and first aid.

Workplaces can also offer flexible working to reduce travel during peak heat hours. Government bodies can promote heat-resilient infrastructure like urban forests, public drinking water stops, reflective rooftops, etc. Neighbouring communities can organise tree-planting drives and set up water stations for passers-by, they can also set up community cooling shelters for vulnerable people.

Final Thoughts

Summers are no longer what they used to be a decade ago. The summer of 2025 is going to be challenging in unimaginable ways. By building resilience, staying informed, taking proactive action, and extending support to those around us, we can combat even the harshest summer safely. Let’s stay hydrated and do our bit in making this planet more liveable and sustainable.

Health is the ultimate wealth! Taking care of your mind, body, and soul is THE best form of healthcare you can gift yourself. If you want to learn more practical tips on staying healthy then check out our Health and Wellness section and subscribe for more such content.