"Most heatwave advice assumes the body will warn us when something is wrong. You feel thirsty, notice overheating, recognize exhaustion, and you seek water, shade, or rest before things become dangerous. But what happens when the brain interprets those internal signals differently?"
"Interoception refers to the brain's perception of internal bodily states. It includes signals such as thirst, hunger, pain, heartbeat, nausea, fatigue, and body temperature. In many ways, it is the nervous system's internal monitoring network, the brain continuously asking: What is happening inside the body right now?"
"A dry mouth prompts us to drink water, dizziness tells us to sit down, and overheating pushes us toward shade or cooling. The body sends signals, the brain interprets them, and we act. But neuroscience research suggests that these processes are not identical across people."
"Some autistic individuals may experience differences in thermoregulation, the body's ability to maintain internal temperature"
Heat vulnerability is often framed around external hazards like heat exposure, housing, work conditions, and healthcare access. Another layer involves how the brain perceives internal bodily warning signals. Interoception is the brain’s internal monitoring of states such as thirst, hunger, pain, heartbeat, nausea, fatigue, and body temperature. Normally, these signals guide actions like drinking water, seeking shade, or resting. Neuroscience indicates these processes can differ across people. Some autistic individuals may experience differences in thermoregulation and interoception, including delayed or inconsistent awareness of overheating. Public health guidance often assumes warning signals are experienced similarly, which may overlook heat vulnerability dimensions in autism.
Read at Psychology Today
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