The sudden death of a popular actress and singer in Tokyo last week shocked her fans. It’s also spurred multiple warnings in Japanese media urging people to avoid “heat shock” when bathing.
Nakayama Miho was found dead in her bathtub in her home in Shibuya on December 6th. Her death was shocking news, as the star known affectionately as Miporin was only 54 years old and had an extremely active career.
Having started her career as a popular idol, Nakayama balanced both singing and acting careers, releasing dozens of albums and starring in even more dramas and movies, such as 2001’s Love Story. She was busy preparing for her next concert, “Miho Nakayama Christmas Concert 2024 in Billboard Live.”
Nakayama’s management agency didn’t offer many details on her death after receiving the subsequent police report. The agency would only say that her death was “not criminal” and instead resulted from “an unforeseen accident in the bath.”
What is heat shock?
Despite this lack of information, Japanese media is sounding the alarm about “heat shock,” which many suspect was a factor in Nakayama’s death. The warnings are getting louder before the weekend, as temperatures across the country are expected to drop several degrees Celsius in the next few days.
According to TBS News Dig, Japan sees over 20,000 bath-related deaths every year. In 2011, 3.7 times more people died in their baths in Japan than died in traffic accidents.
(Keep in mind that Japanese baths tend to be significantly deeper and taller than, say, baths in America. That makes them very nice to soak in – but also raises the risk of accidental drowning.)
Alcohol and drug use can be a factor in bath deaths. But most happen in colder months – and heat shock is a key factor.
Heat shock occurs due to sudden temperature differences in the body. Moving from a warm to a cold environment – e.g., getting undressed, having a cold rise before entering a bath – causes blood vessels to restrict, raising blood pressure. The vessels then suddenly expand when you enter a hot bath.
In the best case, this sudden temperature difference may result in a mere sense of dizziness. In the worst case, it can cause a loss of consciousness or stroke. This is more likely to happen to people who’ve been drinking, sleep-deprived people, or those with high cholesterol.
Age is also a factor – a significant concern given Japan’s increasingly aging population.
Experts are urging people during the winter to take precautions to avoid heat shock. Safety measures include:
- Warming up the bathroom or changing room before entering the bath (e.g., using a bathroom heater)
- Keeping bathwater below 41C and limiting soaking times to 10 minutes
- Avoiding standing up from the bath quickly
- Avoiding alcohol, medications, and big meals immediately before bathing
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Sources
中山美穂さん死因判明 ドカベンの入浴法が話題に ネット「このシーンを思い出した」「足から温めて…」Sponichi Annex
浴槽での死亡件数「年間2万人以上」ヒートショックは“寒い脱衣所”だけでなく“熱い湯船”にも注意【ひるおび】. TBS News Dig
