Beating the Heat
Stay active outside without getting zapped by soaring summer temperatures.
As the heat begins to shift into the uncomfortable zone and biting insects become even more active, it becomes a little more difficult to enjoy the outdoors. Sweat begins beading up on your skin the moment you step outside the breezy comfort of the AC, and you return home each evening with a multitude of swollen, itchy spots that keep you up at night and potentially carry transmittable diseases.
Plus, summertime depression is a real thing. About 10% of people experience “reverse SAD” – Seasonal Affective Disorder in the summer. More than 60% of Americans report spending less than 1 hour outside daily – and average time spent outside drops in younger generations.
That doesn’t mean we should surrender to the heat and stick to the indoors – we are meant to be outside, proven by the numerous, transformative benefits of getting daily fresh air and sunshine.
Why Get Outside?
Reduces Stress
Getting outside (especially for physical activity like gardening, walking, or other exercise) can lower stress levels.
2. Boosts Immunity
Want to give your body a better advantage at fighting common illnesses? Get out more often!
3. Vitamin D
Sunshine is key to formulating Vitamin D – a necessary nutrient (that most adults are deficient in) for many bodily processes, from strengthening your bones and muscles to fighting depression.
4. Better Sleep
You can sync your circadian rhythms through morning sunlight exposure, and staying active outdoors will help you sleep more soundly through the night.
5. Better Mood
Fight depression and elevate your everyday mood naturally by clocking more hours outdoors.
6. Enhanced Cognitive Function
Get your mind moving when you spend time moving outdoors.
Enjoy Summer More
Avoid Peak Temps
Get out in the morning and evenings when the sun is lower in the sky and the heat is at a much more reasonable level. Plan to be outside between 6-10 AM and 6-9 PM, when temperatures hover around a more tolerable 70-80 degrees.
Slowly Increase Tolerance to Sun and Heat
You don’t have to go straight from 68° inside all the time to 99° and humid – you can build heat resilience over time. Aside from getting outside earlier, getting outside more often can help you acclimate to rising temps. Spend 10 minutes every day outside and work your way up to an hour or more – it only takes 3 hours outside per day to beat the 1000 Hours Outdoors challenge.
Constant climate control and overcooling from air conditioning may also contribute to you feeling the heat more intensely (and costs $$$ in energy consumption). Keep your thermostat inside set to 72-75 and shut it off entirely on nights when outdoor temperatures fall below 70°.
You can also train your eyes to be less sensitive to bright sunshine. Get a few minutes of morning sunlight daily, and skip the sunglasses more often. It sounds counterintuitive, but it will help your eyes acclimate to the sun.
Protect Yourself from Sunburn
Skip the chemical sunscreens that may contain endocrine-disrupting ingredients – choose a physical sunscreen with naturally active ingredients like zinc oxide instead.
Cover sensitive skin (the top of your head, your face, the backs of your knees, etc.) with hats and protective clothing.
Speaking of clothing, wear naturally cooling fabrics like linen, cotton, silk, and wool in breezy styles to help naturally regulate your body heat without exposure to PFAs, microplastics, and odor-trapping “performance fabrics”.
Finally, change your diet. Eat more healthy fats, less processed foods and inflammatory oils, increase zinc, lycopenes (hello, tomatoes!), and antioxidants like vitamins C & D for a more comfortable summer.
Go Naturally Bug-free
Bugs are less active at peak sun/heat times – turns out they can’t stand it either. If the bugs bother you more than the sun does, schedule your outdoor activities between noon and 5PM.
Some essential oils act as natural bug repellent - lemon, eucalyptus, lavender, cinnamon, thyme, tea tree and citronella oil are some that smell great to us but not to mosquitos.
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