Summer got you feeling blue? Here’s how you can deal with summer fatigue

If there is one thing that’s plagues us during summers is that why do most of us feel lazy, sleepy and fatigued? The Japanese even have a word for this situation— Natsubate. “Natsu” means summer, and “bate” comes from the word “bateru,” which means having difficulty to move forward because you are so exhausted. So, if you got a case of Natsubate then read on as Dr. Mohsin Wali, former honorary physician to President of India and Dr. R.K Singhal, senior general physician, who explain why you feel tired during summers and what can be done to deal with it.

Why being in the sun feels tiring

Being in the sun can decrease your melatonin production; and melatonin is an integral hormone that regulates our mood. Lower levels of melatonin can be one of the reasons why you may be feeling low in the sunlight. Also, higher the temperature outside and depending on big your body is, your body has to work really hard to keep you cool, which means sweat. This process drains your body of energy. To avoid this, protect yourself from the sun; wear sunglasses, carry an umbrella and avoid stepping out in the day time.

A good night’s sleep is difficult to come by

Talking about melatonin, the role of this hormone is to induce sleep when it gets dark. It’s regulated by sunlight, which indicates our brain to stay awake. In summers, the days are longer; the duration of sunlight is much longer. And this affects the onset of melatonin. Hence, sleep comes to us much late in the night. If you want sleep to come to you easily then turn off lights, avoid your cell phone or TV and read, so your brain can get the signal that it’s time to sleep.

Dehydration leading to constipation

Sweating leads to loss of water, which leads to dehydration; which in turn leads to constipation and bloating. This is one of the main reasons why you feel like a zombie during summers. Always keep yourself hydrated and eat lot of fruits. Also, in order to keep our bodies cool and to avoid overheating, our digestive acid reduces in the summer. This means that our stomachs ability to digest heavy foods in summer is less. Hence eat light and eat a lot of fibre in summer. Opt for fruits like papaya and oranges.

Salt loss also makes you feel lazy

Another reason for your lack of energy levels during the summer season is the loss of salt i.e. sodium. Loss of salt due to sweating can lead to low levels of sodium in the body—Hyponatraemia. This can cause dizziness, headaches and muscle cramps especially if you workout during the summer season. To combat this, drink electrolyte drinks and obviously keep yourself hydrated.

Sudden change of temperature

The sudden change in temperature that occurs when you step out from an air conditioned room to the hot outdoors, is also responsible for making you feel lethargic. Rapid change in temperature can trigger anxiety, which can heat your body up, draining it from energy. If you are stepping out from an air conditioned room then make sure to switch the AC off 5-10 minutes prior and acclimatize.

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First Published:
Apr 06, 2019 13:01 IST

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