2026-10-14T06:30:16Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/34025353 2026-09-29T17:16:51Z category_13 category_14 category_15 category_16 category_21 category_873 category_39 category_46 category_734 category_106 category_122 portal_63 item_type_6 month_year_09_2026

Differential Psychological Effects of Daytime and Nighttime Heat Exposures on Anxiety: A Randomized Crossover Trial Jintao Liu (2579539) Cunrui Huang (230994) Yuefang Li (1930855) Yarui Fan (22792060) Li Ling (424480) Xu Wang (28596) Xiaojie Zou (22792057) Xiuxiu Ding (584354) Xiaoyu Jin (8917496) Lijuan Qiu (651900) Yinguang Fan (14292911) Hong Su (415707) Jian Cheng (48763) Genetics Molecular Biology Neuroscience Physiology Biotechnology Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified Ecology Immunology Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified Science Policy Mental Health mediation analysis indicated differential psychological effects different psychological effects derived neurotrophic factor broader psychological effects broader biological alterations 8 h exposures 32 %– 38 32 %– 36 cortisol mediated 14 nighttime heat exposures including increased levels nighttime heat exposure 11 %) increase daytime heat exposure nighttime heat heat exposure higher cortisol 29 %) daytime heat study employed oxidized low oxidative stress neuroendocrine responses lower brain ldl ). elevated levels density lipoprotein control temperature biomarkers related august 2025 Although heat exposure has been linked to adverse mental health outcomes, little is known about the different psychological effects of daytime and nighttime heat exposure. This study employed a randomized controlled crossover trial design. Between July and August 2025, 41 college students participated in 8 h exposures to daytime heat (32 °C), nighttime heat (30 °C), and a control temperature (26 °C). Anxiety, biomarkers related to inflammation, oxidative stress, neuroendocrine responses, and neuroplasticity were assessed before and after each exposure. Daytime heat exposure was associated with a 24.71% (13.32%–36.11%) increase in anxiety scores and was accompanied by elevated levels of the oxidative stress biomarkers malondialdehyde (MDA) and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL). Nighttime heat exposure was also associated with an increase in anxiety scores of 27.80% (17.32%–38.29%) and was linked to broader biological alterations, including increased levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and MDA, as well as higher cortisol and lower brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. Mediation analysis indicated that MDA and cortisol mediated 14.42% and 6.88% of the association between nighttime heat exposure and anxiety, respectively. Heat exposure during the day or at night can adversely affect mental health, with nighttime heat having broader psychological effects and potentially involving distinct biological pathways. 2026-09-29T00:00:00Z Text Journal contribution 10.1021/envhealth.6c00392.s001 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Differential_Psychological_Effects_of_Daytime_and_Nighttime_Heat_Exposures_on_Anxiety_A_Randomized_Crossover_Trial/34025353 CC BY-NC 4.0