Thirty-year-old Vaishnavi Sharma works at an advertising agency in Gurugram and travels nearly 90 kilometres daily to reach her office from her home in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. She says travelling doesn’t drain her as much as the heat does.
Detailing a recent incident, Sharma tells Asian Dispatch: “It was around 8:30 in the night, I left the office and reached the [Sikanderpur] metro station. By the time I reached, I felt drained because of the heat. I could not take the stairs or elevator. I had to sit there for five minutes and ask somebody to get me a bottle of water.”
Sharma says she has been travelling long distances for work for years but now the sun feels harsher and unbearable. “You can't sit without covering your face. Earlier, I was able to easily sit in an auto for a longer duration but now even if the temperature is comparatively lower, I feel I can't step out.”
Sharma also spoke about developing skin allergies, experiencing hair loss, and pigmentation around her face, hands, and feet due to the heat.
A 23-year-old student from Dhaka, Bangladesh, Fariha Tasnim, studies at the University of Asia Pacific (UAP). She says, “I have developed rashes on my body, I am unable to sleep at night because of the heat. My body feels dehydrated, and in some cases, when the heat becomes extremely intense, blister-like spots appear.”
Fariha Tasnim, a 23-year-old student studying at University of Asia Pacific (UAP) in Dhaka in Bangladesh.
Tasnim spends nearly six hours on an average in the heat every day. She travels to her university to attend classes and then to the homes of the students she teaches. She mentions that going outside in the heat is unavoidable because of college and work.
Sharma and Tasnim’s experience highlight the impact heat has on people’s health. While these are anecdotes, studies also note that heat increases health risks such as heat strokes and makes non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension worse.
However, these cases are not limited to India or Bangladesh, the pattern is consistent across Asia.
According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Asia has warmed up faster than the global average in the recent decades.
It also accounted for 45% of the global heat-related deaths between 2000-2019.
So, why is Asia warming up so fast?
Gautam Menon, a professor of physics and biology at Ashoka University, said that the greater rise in temperature is because of the region’s larger landmass.
“The impacts of climate change are not uniform across the globe, even as there is a general increase in global temperatures. The large continental landmass of Asia means that higher temperatures can be sustained over longer periods, and Asia has warmed significantly faster than the rest of the world. The experience of heat depends on several local factors, among them [is] built urban environments, as cities in Asia increasingly urbanize”, Menon says.
Menon also explained how this heat puts a burden on the human body. “Extreme heat places increased demands on the body, calling on greater resources. Unless one is well hydrated, increased demands are placed on the kidneys, among other organs, while heat stress affects every organ in both direct and indirect ways.”
The heart
“To keep the body cool, blood-vessels will start dilating, and they become warmer. So, the sweating increases. Sweating is also a part of the body’s mechanism to cool down. Whenever there is sweating, there is a loss of salt and electrolytes from the body. It can cause a decrease in the total body water as well as the electrolytes. Now, suppose somebody is healthy, all these things are manageable. But when somebody who has got heart disease or is a patient of heart failure, or has blocked arteries, or high blood-pressure, this can cause issues with the heart.” - Dr Rahul Gupta, Director and Head of Cardiology and Structural Heart Program, Gleneagles Hospitals
Dr Gupta said that the water and electrolyte imbalances can cause:
- Blood pressure to come down.
- Side effects of medicines (if the patient is already on medication) can become pronounced.
- If there is persistent electrolyte imbalance, it can lead to rhythm problems.
A study published in 2022 said that “a 1°C increase in temperature was positively associated with cardiovascular disease-related mortality across all considered diagnoses. The overall risk of cardiovascular disease-related mortality increased by 2.1%.”
The brain
“The bad impact on the brain - especially for the neurological side - is that these heat waves can increase certain neurological disorders because the brain as well as the nerves are very sensitive to high core temperatures. It can damage the nerves, which are present in the brain as well as the spinal nerves. It can also damage the blood-brain barrier.” - Dr Puneet Agarwal, Vice-Chairman of Neurology, Max HealthCare
Dr Agarwal said that if the core body temperature goes beyond over 40°C or 104°F, then the nerves in the body and blood-brain barrier gets affected and damaged. This can lead to swelling in the nerves and brain.
The usual symptoms are:
- Irritability
- Disorientation
- Weakness in the arms and legs of individuals
- If the situation is not corrected, it can go to the next level where one can experience more disorientation, drowsiness, and seizures.
Multiple studies have concluded that long-term exposure to extreme high temperatures can lead to cognitive decline.
The liver
“When the core [body] temperature goes above 40°C, it causes hepatocyte [damage], meaning liver cells damage and necrosis. There could also be dehydration. Dehydration would lead to reduced blood flow. That will cause an ischemia-reperfusion injury because of the sluggish flow or reduced flow.” - Dr Chetan Kalal, Associate Director, Hepatology and Liver Transplant, Gleneagles Hospital
Dr Kalal said that the liver is among the first organs to fail in these extreme heat conditions.
A research paper published in January 2026 also highlighted that the liver is one of the earliest organs to be damaged in case of a heat-induced multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. The paper said that the liver is particularly vulnerable to temperature fluctuations. Acute liver injury (ALI) and acute liver failure (ALF) are serious complications and are direct causes of patient death.
The kidneys
“People who have pre-existing hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease or at risk of developing further worsening of kidney functions. This is because of the excess volume depletion due to profuse sweating causing further kidney injury. People who do not have any previous kidney problems also are at risk of developing acute kidney injury.” - Dr S Sathiyan, Senior Consultant, Nephrology, SIMS Hospital
He said that extreme heat can also lead to:
- Heat stroke, which can cause muscle injury and release toxins potentially causing further kidney injury.
- Increased incidence of urinary tract infections.
- People with kidney stones may experience increased incidence of stone-related cases.
A research paper published in March 2026 noted, “Multiple studies across diverse settings have shown increased hospital admissions for acute kidney injury on days of high ambient temperature and during heatwave.”
Who is most affected?
People who work outdoors during peak hours such as construction workers, farmers, and gig workers are the most vulnerable group to illnesses related to rising temperature. People with pre-existing medical conditions, elderly, children, and pregnant women also come under this category.
I met Yogendra Prasad, 33, who hails from Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India works for a company that conducts surveys in Delhi. He travels everyday via bus to meet people and takes photographs of shops in Delhi to collect data for his company. Prasad says he faces difficulties in summers and sometimes experiences dizziness but he has to do his work.
Yogendra Yadav, 33, carries a cloth over his head to protect himself from the heat. Photo: Shivansh Srivastava/Asian Dispatch
There are many more like Prasad.
Pappu Yadav, 36, runs a paratha shop in Jasola Vihar, Delhi, in India. Photo: Shivansh Srivastava/Asian Dispatch
Dr Subarna Goswami, a public-health administrator based in West Bengal, argued that the construction workers, people working on the roads under the sun, and the working class are the “people who contribute the least to this global warming but are the worst victims.”
Sharma’s battle with heat and responsibilities don’t end with her work shift either. She mentioned that after completing work and reaching home, she cooks dinner for herself and her family. “I stand in the kitchen, even if there is ventilation, I have to stand in front of the gas. So again, I have to stand in heat. I don't think I am able to relax in the AC again until 11pm”, she says.
The future that lies ahead
Menon argues that given the pace of climate change, there is almost nothing that can be done over a short period of time.
"Given the pace of climate change, historical emissions, and the inertia of the climate system, there is almost nothing that governments can do that might make a difference over the short to intermediate term. Over the long term, over a century or more, an immediate reduction in emissions will have an impact, but it will again take a long time to stabilize. It should be an absolute priority to reduce carbon emissions to levels of about a century ago, through the use of renewables", Menon says.
He suggests that the governments across Asia should mitigate and adapt. Some of the long-term methods to deal with the rising temperature and climate change, at large, could be:
- Planting trees
- Conserving fresh water
- Protecting against extreme events through better data and spatial modeling
- More responsive and fast disaster management
- Restoring mangroves in coastal areas
The ‘cool’ tips that can help you beat the heat
- Hydration is the key
- Avoid stepping out during peak hours (11am to 4pm) as much as possible.
- Wear light clothing
- Eat fresh and homemade food
- Take enough electrolytes in the form of fresh juices and coconut water
- Most importantly, don’t self-medicate. Always consult your nearest doctor
Abhishek Anand is the associate editor at Asian Dispatch. With additional reporting inputs from Al Soad.