A heat wave in Boston during July 2016 gave Harvard researcher Jose Guillermo Cedeño Laurent a chance to study how heat affects young adults’ thinking. He looked at university students living in dorms with and without air-conditioning. He found that students in rooms without air-conditioning did worse on tests during hot days.
Studies show that high temperatures affect our bodies and our cognitive functions. Even a small increase in temperature can make thinking harder. This is a problem for students taking exams in hot rooms. High temperatures can affect cognitive performance, making it hard to focus and think clearly.
Heat is also linked to more anger. People are more likely to be angry and act without thinking in hot places. The brain uses energy to keep the body cool, leaving less energy for cognitive functions. To stay sharp and in a good mood, it is important to stay cool and drink water to stay hydrated.
Vocabulary List
- Heat wave /hi?t we?v/ (noun): A period of very hot weather.
- Air-conditioning /?e?r k?n?d???n??/ (noun): A system that cools the air indoors.
- Dorms /d??rmz/ (noun): Short for dormitories, buildings where students live.
- Cognitive /?k??n?t?v/ (adjective): Related to thinking and understanding.
- Hydrated /?ha?dre?t?d/ (adjective): Having enough water in the body.
