Many Austrians suffer from complaints during heat waves

According to a recent survey, a third of Austrians suffer from physical complaints during heat waves. Almost a quarter feel psychologically affected. Women and men under 30 are more frequently affected. This was the result of the survey conducted by marketagent on behalf of Allianz Austria, as stated in a press release on Thursday.

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The most common complaints include reduced physical performance (43 percent), difficulty sleeping (33 percent) and reduced work performance (31 percent). Five percent of respondents reported depressive moods. A total of 1,000 people were interviewed for the survey between May 29 and June 5. The results from marketagent are representative of the Austrian population.

Women particularly affected by heat

The man-made climate crisis is leading to ever warmer temperatures. According to experts’ forecasts, hot days will occur more frequently in the future than before. According to the survey, women are particularly affected by the heat. Almost 60 percent suffer severely to very severely from it. For men, the figure is almost one in two. At 65 percent, the under-30s age group complains the most about high temperatures.

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Heavy sweating (41 percent), difficulty sleeping (33 percent) and circulatory problems (30 percent) were the most common complaints. Other symptoms include weakness and exhaustion (29 percent), headaches and severe tiredness (28 percent each). 25 percent of respondents reported excessive thirst, followed by difficulty concentrating (21 percent) and loss of appetite (13 percent).

“The high temperatures represent an extraordinary strain on the human body. Vulnerable groups such as babies, small children, the elderly or people with chronic illnesses are particularly at risk,” said Dragan Dokic, health expert at Allianz Austria.