Tips When You Feel Tired in Summer
Have you ever wondered why you feel sleepy after enjoying a hot day under the scorching sun? Even just chilling on the beach makes you yearn for a nap.
The temperature outside directly affects your body's condition.
If you leave the house on a hot day, it may not take long for you to start feeling tired. But why does being outside in the heat cause you to feel sleepy?
Why this happened? Your body is working hard to keep you cool, and this extra work can leave you feeling tired.
Your body, especially in the sun, must work hard to maintain a normal, consistent internal temperature.
On hot days, your body makes several adjustments to maintain its temperature. For example, your blood vessels widen, a process known as vasodilation, which allows more blood to flow closer to the surface of your skin. This allows the warm blood to cool down, releasing heat as it flows near the skin.
Sweating is another process your body goes through in order to keep you cool. Sweating makes your skin cool as sweat evaporates. However, on the inside, sweating causes a person's heart rate and metabolic rate to increase, which can take up a lot of energy. Excessive sweating can also make you tired and drowsy. (scientificamerican.com)
The hypothalamus is the part of the human brain that controls bodily functions, and works with the rest of the body, including the skin, sweat glands, and blood vessels, to keep temperature under control.
Dehydration
When your body loses more fluids than you are taking in, you become dehydrated. When you sweat, you lose fluids at a faster rate, and if you don't replenish them, you're more likely to become dehydrated. One of the effects of dehydration is tiredness.
Dehydration can also lead to more serious health conditions, including heat exhaustion, kidney and urinary problems, and hypovolemic shock.
Humans are susceptible to the dehydrating effects, but are more harmful to children and older adults.
Emotional Effect
It's not just the physical effects of heat that can make you drowsy, there are psychological effects as well.
Sometimes when you come across a particular song or smell, you immediately think of a certain time or place in your past. When you associate something strongly with feelings, they often become connected.
How to Overcome the Heat that Drains Energy
There are lots of ways to keep your energy up in summer. Follow these tips to avoid getting tired quickly in hot temperatures
Keep Your Body Hydrated
Fatigue is a common sign of dehydration in summer. And feeling tired and lacking in energy can make you feel drowsy. So, it's not the heat, but the dehydration that makes you sleepy. To avoid dehydration, drink enough water and you will feel energetic all day long.
Avoid Caffeine
When feeling tired, many of you drink coffee or other caffeinated beverages. In hot temperatures, this is not a very good idea.
Try to limit the amount of caffeinated drinks, as caffeine is a diuretic, and some caffeinated coffee alternatives will hydrate you at the same time, all of which are best avoided if you are fighting the heat.
Avoid Heavy Meals
You usually get sleepy after a heavy meal, don't you?
It's normal to feel a little sleepy. However, if you feel very sleepy, then heavy food is one of the reasons. This keeps you asleep during the day, as your diet is likely to be high in both protein and carbohydrates. So, don't overeat.
Wear Loose Clothes
Wear loose clothing—or better yet, very light clothing to ensure that your body can sweat and cool down efficiently. But, of course cover any sun exposed skin with a good sunblock.
Workout Daily
Your desire to stay fit can be achieved through exercise. By exercising, you will be active and energized, and you will avoid feeling sleepy or tired during the day.
Morning is the best time to exercise, so you can stay fresh all day long. You can run or walk when it's not too hot.
Limit Sun Exposure
It can be hard to stay awake when the sun is high, because the heat drains your energy. Exposure to sunlight causes dehydration which results in lethargy and fatigue, making you feel sleepy. So limit exposure to sunlight.
