Hungary endures heat wave, authorities cite physical strain and rising mental stress

Hungary’s national health service has issued a heat‑alert covering the whole country from June 20 to June 23, warning of the nation’s first major heat wave of the year. Health officials advise simple, cost‑free measures such as cooling key body points—wrists, temples, neck and the back of the knees—to help the body cope with soaring temperatures.

Medical and psychiatric emergency departments are seeing a surge in patients as the extreme heat triggers physical stress (elevated blood pressure, faster breathing, increased sweating) and mental strain. Psychologists explain that heat acts as a stressor, raising cortisol levels and making people more irritable and anxious. The phenomenon of “climate anxiety” is also reported to intensify, with citizens feeling heightened worry about prolonged high temperatures and their broader environmental impacts.