Ho-ho-ho! Gather around, my dear friends, for I have a tale to tell that’s as chilling as the North Pole and as warming as a cup of hot cocoa by the fireplace. It’s a story not of elves and reindeer, but of a global concern that’s as pressing as the need to deliver presents on Christmas Eve. Yes, I’m talking about the impact of nonoptimal temperatures on the stroke burden around the world.

In a workshop not made of gingerbread, but filled with data and determination, researchers embarked on an ecological study, sleighing through databases from the Climate Research Unit Gridded Time Series, the World Bank, and the Global Burden of Diseases study. Their mission? To estimate the global burden and distribution characteristics of stroke attributable to temperatures that would make even a snowman sweat or shiver.

As they crunched the numbers, not cookies, they discovered that in 2019, a staggering 521,031 deaths and 9,423,649 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were lost to strokes caused by temperatures that were anything but jolly. It seems that not just the elderly, but also men, were bearing the brunt of this frosty and fiery ordeal, with Central Asia and countries like North Macedonia and Mongolia finding themselves on the naughty list of high stroke burdens.

But wait, there’s more! It appears that low temperatures are currently the main culprit, contributing to more strokes than their hotter counterpart. However, like a bad Christmas sweater, the burden due to high temperatures is becoming more noticeable and uncomfortable, especially among those aged over 10 and in regions with a low sociodemographic index (SDI), such as Africa. Central Asia, too, is feeling the heat, with a rapid increase in strokes due to rising temperatures.

So, what can we learn from this tale? Just like preparing for Christmas, addressing the global stroke burden caused by nonoptimal temperatures requires attention, care, and action, especially in low-SDI countries. It’s a reminder that, in the spirit of giving, we must also give thought to how we can combat the effects of dramatic climate change on health.

And with that, my dear friends, let’s not forget the importance of staying cozy, keeping cool, and looking out for each other, no matter the weather outside. Merry Christmas, and may your days be merry, bright, and at the perfect temperature!