CIESAL researcher warns of the effects of winter weather on stress levels among older adults

12/09/2026

Alexies Dagnino, a researcher at CIESAL and a neuroscientist and academic at the Faculty of Sciences at the Universidad de Valparaíso, contributed to an interesting newspaper article on the effects of a harsh winter, such as the one we are currently experiencing, on the health of older adults.

The article, recently published in the ‘Life, Science and Technology’ section of the newspaper El Mercurio, states that older adults who are forced to disrupt their daily routines due to rain or other adverse weather conditions reduce their contact with other people. As a result, they spend more time being inactive, which can have negative emotional and cognitive consequences.

This increased vulnerability is due to the fact that we become more susceptible to stress as we age. As researcher Dagnino explains, “People release higher levels of cortisol, a hormone which, when elevated over a long period of time, can contribute to neuroinflammatory processes”.

As became evident during the pandemic, the loneliness that arises from social distancing, combined with exposure to news of harm and misfortune, can lead to increased stress. “This sustained exposure can affect areas of the brain linked to emotions, memory, and stress regulation,” explains Dagnino.

In this situation, the specialist recommends that older adults balance their exposure to negative information with activities that allow them to take their mind off things and experience positive emotions.

Although socialising with others brings irreplaceable benefits to physical and mental health, the CIESAL researcher recommends “making phone or video calls, or sharing an activity remotely with family members” on days when isolation is unavoidable due to the weather. He also advises maintaining regular physical activity by doing household chores, as this can help to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.

With regard to the CIESAL multidisciplinary team’s approach to this field of study, Dagnino believes that incorporating analyses from other perspectives is very important in order to gain further insight into the effects of climate change in Chile and its impact on increased stress levels amongst older adults.

Alexies Dagnino explains that “in a country like Chile where the population is ageing dramatically and where we are particularly vulnerable to isolation due to our geographical conditions and climate change, such as prolonged rainfall, storms and road closures, older people are particularly affected by loneliness and isolation. This has consequences for their mental and cognitive health”.