Heat, menstruation, and mental health in adolescence and young adulthood: Understudied in climate-health research

Ambient heat is an escalating climate-related hazard, yet its implications for menstruation and adolescent and young adult mental health remain understudied. Menstruating individuals face unique physiological and psychosocial challenges that may be intensified in the presence of heat stress. These challenges can be further shaped by stigma, period poverty, and developmental vulnerability, with potential implications for depression, anxiety, and psychological wellbeing. Heat exposure may disrupt thermoregulation, exacerbate menstrual symptoms, and heighten psychological stress, but the combined effects of these processes remain poorly understood. In this critical narrative review, we: draw together evidence from multiple disciplines on biological, psychological, and structural pathways linking heat exposure, menstruation, and mental health. We identify important research gaps and propose a conceptual framework and gender-responsive research agenda to inform equitable climate-resilient health strategies.