A new study presented at the 2025 American Physiology Summit suggests that simply watching a hot virtual environment can trigger the body’s cooling responses during exercise. The finding points to a practical, room-based method for heat acclimation that could benefit athletes, military personnel, and outdoor workers in Thailand and worldwide.
In Thailand’s rising heat, safer acclimation methods are increasingly important. Bangkok’s sweltering climate and heat advisories are well-known, and the country has faced record high temperatures in recent years. Outdoor laborers, soldiers, and endurance athletes face greater risks as temperatures climb. A virtual-reality approach could offer a cost-effective path to safer pre-exposure training without leaving a single room.
The study tested five young women who cycled for 40 minutes while viewing different VR environments. When participants watched a scene titled Red Earth—a hot, arid landscape—their core body temperature rose less than when viewing White Winter, a cold, snowy setting, even though the room temperature stayed the same. A small increase in sweat was observed in the warm VR scenario. While the findings are preliminary due to the small sample size, they indicate that warm-colored VR scenes may enhance the body’s natural cooling mechanisms.
Lead researchers from a Boston University program described the potential impact: athletes and service members could train for extreme environments without traveling to them. Viewing a hot environment might be a powerful trigger for thermoregulatory processes and could play a larger role than previously thought.
The experiments used simple equipment: a stationary bike, a VR headset, an insulated tent, a heater, and a dehumidifier. This straightforward setup implies that VR-based acclimation could be accessible in Thai training centers, schools, factories, and community facilities where advanced heat chambers are not available. For Thai footballers, Muay Thai athletes, or communities preparing for outdoor ceremonies, VR could reduce risks of heat illness.
Data from Thailand’s health authorities show heat-related illness remains a concern during hot seasons. The possibility that VR can induce sweating and teach the body to manage heat without dangerous exposure offers a safer training approach for workers and athletes. Historically, heat acclimation relied on actual heat exposure, which can be logistically challenging and risky. VR-based methods could democratize access to acclimation, bringing safer training to local gyms and workplaces.
A Thai sports physiologist commented that if larger trials confirm these results, VR could transform how not only professional athletes but also the broader workforce prepares for intense heat—from construction workers under Bangkok’s midday sun to rural soldiers in field drills. More research is needed, but the initial evidence is encouraging.
Thailand’s huge agricultural sector, employing a sizable share of the population, often confronts outdoor heat. VR-assisted acclimation could reduce heat stroke and downtime, benefiting workers’ health and productivity. A labor safety official noted that in a warming climate, scalable tools to safely acclimate bodies—especially in remote or underserved areas—could help address health disparities between urban and rural communities.
Color and imagery in Thai culture may boost VR effectiveness. The study used warm colors associated with heat and sunlight, aligning with cultural cues that could enhance the experience for Thai users, who are accustomed to rich color symbolism in Buddhist rituals, festivals, and everyday life.
Looking ahead, researchers aim to test larger, more diverse populations, including men, older adults, and people with health conditions. Future work may explore interactive VR experiences and whether cultural background influences how people process virtual heat. If validated, VR could become a standard component of health and safety training nationwide.
Practical steps for Thailand include:
- Encouraging schools, sports clubs, and workplaces to pilot VR-based heat acclimation programs for at-risk groups
- Supporting Thai research to tailor VR content to local climate health challenges
- Raising awareness among coaches and safety officials about VR’s potential
- Fostering collaborations among the Ministry of Public Health, universities, and tech developers to expand access
For further reading, researchers point to contemporary climate-health reporting and related studies from major national outlets and health authorities. Data from Thailand’s Department of Disease Control highlights ongoing heat-health challenges, underscoring the value of innovative training methods that enhance safety and resilience.