This El Niño isn’t just about your grocery bill, it could affect your health too

Most of what’s been written about this year’s El Niño focuses on farms, dams, and power grids.

But health experts warn there’s a more personal risk hiding in the same forecast, one that could affect you and the people you love directly.

Why extended heat is more than just uncomfortable

Prolonged heatwaves place real strain on the body, particularly for the elderly, young children, and outdoor workers, groups already flagged as most vulnerable by public health officials across the region.

Heat exhaustion, heatstroke, and added strain on the heart and lungs all become more likely the longer extreme temperatures persist, and that risk climbs further for anyone managing existing health conditions.

The medication risk most people don’t think about

Here’s a detail worth knowing: certain chronic medications can interfere with the body’s own ability to regulate temperature, making the people taking them more vulnerable during extended heat, even if they’ve never had an issue with hot weather before.

If you or someone in your household takes daily medication, it’s worth having a conversation with your doctor or pharmacist before summer heat really sets in, rather than during a heatwave itself.

Water scarcity brings its own health risks too

Beyond the heat directly, water shortages carry a secondary risk that’s easy to overlook: strained hygiene and sanitation.

Health experts note that periods of water scarcity can increase the risk of sanitation-related illness, particularly in areas where water access already runs tight.

What you can actually do about it

Simple precautions go a long way: stay hydrated, avoid strenuous outdoor activity during the hottest parts of the day, and check in on elderly neighbours or relatives during extended hot spells.

It’s the kind of everyday care that costs nothing but genuinely matters.

It is easy to think of El Niño as something happening “out there,” on farms and in dams, but this one’s a reminder to check in on the people closest to you too. I for one will be checking in on my gran.

Have you or anyone in your family had to think about heat and health together before, or is this a new consideration for you this year?