Skip to content
Is climate change ruining our sleep? episode artwork

Jun 21, 2026 25 min

Is climate change ruining our sleep?

from The Climate Question Hosted by BBC World Service

Parts of India have been facing extreme heat - with temperatures soaring past 46 degrees Celsius. But a less familiar story unfolds after dark. When temperatures stay high after sunset, an essential human need is threatened: sleep. Scientific research suggests that hot nights are leading many of us around the world to lose shut-eye already. Our bodies need to cool down to fall asleep – but hotter nights make that much harder. And the impacts go way beyond just feeling tired; disrupted sleep has links to poor cardiovascular health and depression. Women, children, the elderly and those living in hot countries with less income are most affected. As global temperatures rise due to climate change, experts warn that the impact on our sleep – and our health – will only worsen. Presenter Graihagh Jackson speaks to sleep expert Dr Sophie Bostock and BBC Marathi reporter, Janhavee Moole. They explore how rising temperatures are disrupting sleep in India and beyond – and share practical tips on how to stay cool in a warming world. Producer: Graihagh Jackson, Janhavee Moole and Grace Braddock Sound engineer: Ben Andrews and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts

Episode details come from the podcast's RSS feed.

Embed this episode

Ready to play

Is climate change ruining our sleep?

0:00 25:24

No transcript yet.

Requests help us decide what to transcribe next.

Frequently asked questions

How long is this episode of The Climate Question?

This episode is 25 minutes long.

When was this The Climate Question episode published?

This episode was published on June 21, 2026.

Can I download this The Climate Question episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.