The link between temperature and communication

The recent heatwave hasn’t been easy to manage, especially if, like me, you live in an apartment in the middle of a busy city without consistent air conditioning or cool buildings. Sometimes, just getting through the day can feel exhausting.

If you’ve found yourself becoming more impatient, less focused, or snapping at people this week, you’re certainly not alone. Extreme heat doesn’t just affect our bodies. It also affects the way we think, communicate and interact with others.

It’s not just in your head

When we’re very hot, our brains have to work harder to regulate our body temperature. That means we have fewer mental resources available for concentration, decision-making and emotional regulation.

In simple terms, we have less patience!

As a behaviour analyst, I often remind people that behaviour never happens in a vacuum. We can’t understand why someone behaves the way they do without considering the context they’re in. And right now, for many of us, that context is extreme heat.

How heat can affect communication

During a heatwave people tend to:

• interrupt more frequently
• become irritated by small inconveniences
• misinterpret another person’s tone
• make quicker, more impulsive decisions
• struggle to find the right words
• withdraw socially because conversation feels like too much effort.

This doesn’t mean people suddenly become rude. Sometimes they’re just hot, tired and mentally drained.

We often jump to conclusions very quickly

Think about the last time someone cut you off in traffic, sighed during a meeting or replied with a short message. Our instinct is often to make assumptions about their personality.

“They’re rude.”

“They’re unfriendly.”

“They don’t care.”

But behaviour is rarely that simple.

The person may have had a sleepless night. They may be worried about a loved one, rushing to an appointment, feeling unwell or simply struggling with the heat.

As behaviour analysts, we look for patterns rather than isolated moments. One behaviour tells us very little. Context gives behaviour meaning.

At home and at work

Heatwaves can quietly affect our relationships in ways we don’t always notice.

Parents may find themselves becoming less patient with their children.

Teenagers, who are already experiencing emotional and hormonal changes, may appear even more irritable than usual.

Managers may notice more tension within teams or shorter tempers during meetings.

Couples may find themselves arguing over things that would barely register on a cooler day.

The behaviour is real, but the heat may be amplifying it.

Simply recognising that can help us pause before reacting.

Context is everything

When analysing communication, context is everything.

If a normally calm colleague seems unusually abrupt, or your teenager appears particularly irritable, ask yourself what role the environment might be playing.

Behaviour always needs to be interpreted alongside context. It sounds obvious, but a heatwave can show us that people feel “heated” in every sense of the word!

Three ways to communicate better during a heatwave

Give people a little more time.
When we’re tired and overheated, it can take longer to process information and respond thoughtfully.

Avoid jumping to conclusions.
Instead of assuming someone is being rude, consider that they may simply be exhausted by the heat.

Delay important conversations if you can.
If you’re about to have a difficult discussion, negotiate an agreement or resolve a conflict, waiting until everyone is feeling cooler may lead to a much better outcome.

Behaviour is about probability, not certainty

One of the biggest misconceptions about behaviour analysis is that it allows us to know exactly what someone is thinking.

It doesn’t.

Behaviour provides clues, not certainty.

When I analyse communication and body language, I’m looking for behaviours that are most consistent with particular emotions or psychological states. I always consider the wider context because human behaviour is influenced by dozens of factors, including stress, fatigue, personality, culture, health and even the temperature outside.

That’s why context is every bit as important as the behaviour itself.

The bottom line

Communication is never just about words. Our environment influences how we think, feel and behave.

Sometimes the best communication strategy isn’t saying something differently – it’s recognising when the best time is to have a conversation and that might not be today.

Want to understand behaviour more accurately?

Whether you’re leading a team, managing workplace relationships, speaking in the media, navigating family life or simply wanting to become a better communicator, learning how to observe behaviour more accurately can transform the way you connect with other people.

Through my talks, workshops, coaching and behavioural analysis training, I help individuals and organisations understand the science behind communication, recognise behavioural patterns and respond with greater confidence and empathy.

If you’d like to explore how we could work together, I’d love to hear from you. Get in touch to discuss speaking engagements, corporate workshops, coaching or media consultancy. Email:

And if you have any good tips for staying cool during a heatwave, please send them my way!