Monsoon Isn't Just About Viral Fever, It Can Affect Your Heart Too
Every year, hospitals prepare for an increase in viral infections during the rainy season. What many people don't realise is that these infections, and the lifestyle changes that come with monsoon, can place extra stress on the heart. The rain itself doesn't cause heart attacks. But it can create the perfect conditions for existing heart problems to worsen.
Hidden Chain Reaction
One of the most powerful ideas in behavioural science is that small triggers often create much larger consequences than we expect. The rain lowers temperatures and raises humidity. People spend more time indoors. Exercise routines disappear. Fried snacks become a daily ritual. Viral infections spread more easily. Individually, none of these changes seems dramatic. Together, they create a chain reaction.
“Sudden changes in temperature and humidity affect blood circulation, making the heart and blood vessels work harder,” says Dr Aniruddha Mandal, Consultant Cardiologist, BM Birla Heart Hospital. “Viral infections common during the rainy season cause inflammation in the body, leading to another source of stress. For someone already living with heart disease, that combination can increase the risk of serious cardiac events.”
Your Body Doesn't Read The Weather Forecast
One reason heart problems are often missed during the monsoon is because their symptoms overlap with common seasonal illnesses. You feel unusually tired. You sweat more than usual. You feel breathless while climbing stairs. Maybe your chest feels heavy. Most people blame the weather. They believe a good night's sleep will solve things. That's exactly where the danger lies. Dr. Mandal says symptoms such as persistent chest pain, unexplained breathlessness, palpitations or dizziness should never be dismissed as “just the monsoon.”
Hidden Chain Reaction
One of the most powerful ideas in behavioural science is that small triggers often create much larger consequences than we expect. The rain lowers temperatures and raises humidity. People spend more time indoors. Exercise routines disappear. Fried snacks become a daily ritual. Viral infections spread more easily. Individually, none of these changes seems dramatic. Together, they create a chain reaction.
“Sudden changes in temperature and humidity affect blood circulation, making the heart and blood vessels work harder,” says Dr Aniruddha Mandal, Consultant Cardiologist, BM Birla Heart Hospital. “Viral infections common during the rainy season cause inflammation in the body, leading to another source of stress. For someone already living with heart disease, that combination can increase the risk of serious cardiac events.”
Your Body Doesn't Read The Weather Forecast
One reason heart problems are often missed during the monsoon is because their symptoms overlap with common seasonal illnesses. You feel unusually tired. You sweat more than usual. You feel breathless while climbing stairs. Maybe your chest feels heavy. Most people blame the weather. They believe a good night's sleep will solve things. That's exactly where the danger lies. Dr. Mandal says symptoms such as persistent chest pain, unexplained breathlessness, palpitations or dizziness should never be dismissed as “just the monsoon.”