New research and UAE neurologists highlight that rapid temperature changes, dehydration, and disrupted sleep during extreme heat may be contributing to more frequent migraines.
As summer temperatures in the UAE regularly exceed 45°C, doctors warn that the country’s climate pattern—intense outdoor heat followed by heavily air-conditioned indoor environments—may be more than just uncomfortable. For people prone to migraines, it could act as a daily neurological trigger.
A 2025 scoping review published in Medpub examined existing clinical and epidemiological research on the link between ambient temperature and migraines.
The study found that exposure to temperature changes—including heat and sudden shifts in temperature—is consistently linked to migraine onset in susceptible individuals.
While the evidence is still developing, patterns suggest that heat stress and disruptions in the body’s ability to regulate temperature may act as potential migraine triggers.
In a country where people frequently move between outdoor heat, cars, malls, and air-conditioned offices, neurologists say this constant shift places unavoidable physiological strain on the body.
Taleb Rooeintan explains how these sudden temperature changes can affect the brain.
“Repeatedly moving between extreme outdoor heat and heavily air-conditioned spaces can trigger migraines in the UAE by causing rapid thermal stress. This sudden shift from 50°C outside to 22°C indoors can lead to rapid constriction and dilation of blood vessels in the head, nerve stimulation, and dehydration—all major migraine triggers,” he said.
He added that women are generally more likely than men to experience migraines due to hormonal fluctuations.
Doctors note that migraines are most common among adults aged 20 to 50, the group most frequently exposed to alternating environments throughout the day, from outdoors to offices, vehicles, and shopping centres.
Rooeintan also said, “Summer heat can impair sleep quality even indoors, and poor sleep is one of the most consistently recognised migraine triggers. Heat-related sleep disruption may indirectly increase migraine frequency. Changes in atmospheric pressure can also trigger migraines in weather-sensitive individuals.”
Rising cases during hotter months
Healthcare professionals across the UAE report a seasonal spike in migraine cases during peak summer.
Poonam C Awatare said clinical evidence increasingly supports what patients experience.
“Many migraine sufferers report more frequent headaches in hotter months, and studies suggest high temperatures can contribute to migraine attacks. Research has found links between rising ambient temperatures and increased emergency visits for headaches and migraines,” she said.
She added that even small temperature increases may raise headache-related healthcare visits among vulnerable individuals.
Awatare advised patients to keep a migraine diary to track triggers such as heat, dehydration, sleep disruption, and environmental changes. She also recommended consulting doctors about preventive treatment before summer begins.
Multiple triggers acting together
Neurologists say migraines in the UAE are rarely caused by heat alone, but by a combination of environmental and lifestyle factors that intensify during summer.
Mohammad Ghatali explained that multiple stressors often interact.
He said high temperatures can directly activate migraine pathways in the brain, while repeated movement between hot and cold environments disrupts neurological balance. Changes in humidity and barometric pressure have also been linked to migraine onset in sensitive individuals.
He added that strong UV exposure, pollution, irregular sleep, and disrupted routines all contribute to lowering the migraine threshold.
“Importantly, these factors often act together, which is why migraines become more frequent and severe in summer,” he said.
Managing migraines in extreme heat
Specialists stress that consistency in daily habits is key during UAE summers. Recommendations include gradual cooling when moving indoors, reducing exposure to direct sunlight, maintaining regular meals, prioritising sleep, and limiting outdoor activity during peak heat hours.
As temperatures continue to rise each year, doctors say awareness and early prevention are becoming just as important as treatment in managing migraine risk across the country.
