ENGLAND — University of East Anglia researchers published a study on June 30, 2026, in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry finding that daily weather conditions, including temperature and sunshine, affect demand for mental health services in the UK.

The research indicated that demand for mental health services increased with rising temperatures up to approximately 18 degrees Celsius. Additionally, reduced hours of sunshine correlated with higher demand for mental health services.

The study utilized national surveillance data from the UK Health Security Agency and weather data from the Met Office covering January 2014 to December 2022. This data included more than 4.6 million mental health-related healthcare contacts, encompassing emergency departments, family doctor out-of-hours services, and the NHS 111 telephone advice line. Weather exposures analyzed in the study included mean daily temperature, hours of full sunshine, and total daily rainfall; however, rainfall did not consistently show an association with mental health-related healthcare contacts.

Fewer sunshine hours were specifically associated with an increase in General Practitioner (GP) out-of-hours and emergency department contacts for conditions such as anxiety and depression. Calls to NHS 111 that indicated mental health problems included those related to deliberate self-harm, alcohol intoxication, and sleep difficulties. GP out-of-hours contacts also included anxiety, depression, self-harm, and sleep difficulties, while emergency department attendances for mental health conditions covered anxiety, depression, self-harm, and alcohol intoxication.

Adults over 64 years old demonstrated increased use of emergency department services during both colder and warmer conditions. Lead researcher Richard Elson said: "One of the important findings from our research is that everyday weather conditions influence mental-health and when and how people seek support, not just extreme weather such as heatwaves." He added: "Understanding factors that influence fluctuations in mental health–related healthcare demand is an important public health priority, and may help planning and preparedness efforts for mental health services under current and future climate conditions."

The study received funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) through the Health Protection Research Unit in Emergency Preparedness and Response. This unit operates as a collaboration among the UK Health Security Agency, King's College London, and the University of East Anglia. The research team included members from the University of East Anglia's School of Environmental Sciences and Norwich Medical School, along with the UK Health Security Agency.