As the world grows hotter each year, heat is no longer just an occasional discomfort. In Singapore, the impact is already evident: 2024 was among the warmest years on record, alongside 2019 and 2016.

The establishment of a new Heat Resilience Policy Office by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment marks an important step in strengthening Singapore’s response to rising temperatures. Nevertheless, strengthening heat resilience at the community level through awareness, preparedness and collective action plays an important role too.

How extreme heat affects our health and well-being

While heat is often associated with outdoor exposure, its effects are increasingly felt indoors — in classrooms, homes, and workplaces where access to cooling may be limited.

Prolonged exposure to high temperatures can place significant strain on both physical health and mental well-being, and understanding the health impacts of extreme heat is becoming increasingly important.

Physical Strain

• Headaches and heat-related illnesses: Intense sun and dehydration can trigger headaches, cramps, and in severe cases, heatstroke — a life-threatening condition where body temperature soars beyond safe limits.
• Skin and kidneys: Prolonged heat and sweat can cause skin rashes, eczema flare-ups, and strain on the kidneys, with chronic dehydration linked to kidney disease among outdoor workers.

Mental and Cognitive Effects

• Impaired focus: High heat affects concentration, decision-making, and memory.
• Emotional strain: Rising temperatures can heighten stress, irritability, and worsen pre-existing mental health conditions.
• Severe risks: Studies have linked prolonged heat exposure to confusion, mood disorders, and even suicidal behaviour.

Impact on Work and Safety

• Reduced alertness: Dehydration and fatigue increase the risk of accidents, especially for outdoor workers.
• Productivity loss: By 2035, heat could cost Singapore billions in lost productivity across construction, services, and manufacturing.

The role of heat acclimatisation

As climate change continues to drive rising temperatures, understanding how to manage heat exposure and building heat resilience can help our bodies adapt better.

Several practical strategies can help individuals build resilience to heat:

• Stay fit: Aerobic fitness improves how the body regulates temperature.
• Get heat-acclimatised: Gradual exposure to heat helps the body adapt, reducing strain.
• Cool from the inside: Ingesting ice slurry or cold drinks can lower body temperature.
• Use exertional cooling: Cold baths or showers after activity speed recovery.
• Hydrate well: Adequate fluids support circulation and prevent heat illness.

Each strategy helps on its own, but combining them creates a stronger, cumulative effect. In Singapore’s climate, such approaches are essential for maintaining health, productivity, and overall well-being.

Training programmes such as the Singapore Red Cross Academy’s Heat Health Resilience  and Heat Health Resilience for Migrant Workers courses also help learners understand how heat affects the body and how to respond effectively to heat-related illnesses.

By strengthening knowledge on heat prevention and response, we can help individuals and communities better adapt to rising temperatures and remain prepared in a warming climate.