The summer months bring out more than bathing suits, grills, and ice-cold Lemonade. It also brings hot and humid days, some of which break the 100-degree mark. With little rain fall to break the heat and humidity, life can become uncomfortable to almost unbearable.
It isn’t surprising that the heat doesn’t just make us sweat – it can also bring out the worst in us. Even the smallest thing that would ordinarily get overlooked seems to bring on a full-blown hurricane of emotions. In other words, it becomes a Tempest in a Tea Pot, or a Storm in a Teacup.
In 1678, Cicero added a line in a letter he wrote to the Duke of Ormand, which referred to something that was no more than ‘a storm in a cream bowl’. Whether you choose Cicero’s version or the two more familiar sayings, what it all amounts to is making a big to do over something that is trivial.
However, when the temperature is rising, these small outbursts can turn into something closer akin to a real emotional hurricane. Extreme heat can turn us from a gentle soul into a full-blown verbal – and even sometimes, regretfully– physical tsunami.
And it may start out small – irritability, stress, fatigue, and discomfort. As the temperature and humidity rises, you may feel sluggish and have a decrease in appetite. But your heart rate is actually increasing, blood pressure rises, and sleep patterns are disrupted. What’s happening is your body is working overtime trying to cool down. At the same time, your hypothalamus, the portion of your brain that determines your degree of appetite and mood, sees these changes as threats – hence the uptick in your anger level.
Anger caused by elevated temperatures can quickly escalate to violence if you don’t keep constant control over it. Law enforcement has long since known that violent crimes are more likely to be committed in August – the hottest part of the year. Stress levels increase, which in turn sparks more and more aggressive behavior, until it develops into a full-fledge firestorm.
In addition to serious anger issues, heat can lead to physical problems, which may start with heat cramps – your next warning sign, and move to heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and possibly kidney failure, strokes, heart attacks, or death.
In spite of the heat, summer is a time for us to spend outdoors. Our garden is in full swing. And that means keeping the weeds down while we tie up tomatoes and pick the harvest. Our yards need to be mowed, and because of the lack of rain, both need to be watered.
Then we bring all those vegetables, herbs, and fruit inside for canning and preserving. This makes the kitchen hotter than normal and causes our air conditioners to work overtime.
And don’t forget about the picnics and other outdoor activities. Summer is a time for fun – not ending up in the hospital for heat related illnesses, or worse, allowing heat related anger to jeopardize our relationships with others.
The trick is to cool down physically before we have to cool off emotionally. And one of the first things you need to do is listen to what you have heard a million times and put it into practice. HYDRATE.
Dehydration can cause difficulty concentrating, fatigue and even headaches, which may end up in increased anger. Stay away from caffeine which is a diuretic. If you are on a medication that is a diuretic, increase your water intake to help compensate for the loss of fluids.
There are a few tips that can help you to control these heat related issues, and therefore help you to have a more pleasant time, in spite of the hot weather.
· Exercise. This may sound counteractive, but you really do need to get some exercise. The summer heat makes us just want to curl up in an air-conditioned house and do as little as possible outside. Lack of exercise can actually increase fatigue, which can just make a bad situation worse. Instead, try walking around the neighborhood in the early morning or late evening. If you have access to a swimming pool, swim laps. Try to exercise at least 30 minutes a day – more if possible. And if being outside is just more than you can handle, exercise in the living room.
· Beat the heat by strolling through a museum, take in a movie or do some window shopping. Most public buildings are air-conditioned, and with the museum and window shopping you will get a little exercise.
· Avoid making any major life decisions or changes during the summer. Just thinking about any major upheavals can cause stress, which increases your heart rate and blood pressure. If at all possible, make these changes and decisions during the cooler months from October to May.
· Learn to breathe. Just taking a moment to stop and breathe deeply a couple of times in succession goes a long way toward lowering your blood pressure. If you are confronted with an aggressive situation, stop and count to ten, focusing on your breathing while you do; or better yet, have the courage to just walk away.
· Smile. A pleasant smile does a lot toward defusing a potentially volatile situation. It helps to calm someone else down, but it also has a tendency to lighten your own mood.
· Grab a cold one. Non-alcoholic, of course. Alcohol can reduce your inhibitions; if the heat is already affecting your mood, anger may not be very far behind. Instead, try a pitcher of ice-cold Lemonade. It’s one drink we associate with coolness and refreshment – both of the body and the mind.
· Take a Siesta. Naps aren’t just for kids. Midday breaks, especially in the heat of summer, are beneficial for adults as well. You don’t have to go to sleep, but it does help to settle in a cool place for at least an hour. Do something relaxing. If you have young children, create a Reading Hour where everyone (including you) enjoys a snack and a good book. Use it as your devotional hour, or as time to go over your plans and schedules for the week. And you know me well enough by now, my favorite suggestion is to use your siesta time to work on handmade gifts for Christmas. See? Nap time can be enjoyable – AND productive!
· Get Out of the Kitchen. Well, at least turn the oven off. If you are in the process of canning, you will still need to use the stove. But for as many meals as you can, choose either food that is cool, such as salads and Hero Sandwiches, or cold soups such as Gazpacho, or keep a stash of freezer meals handy. If it’s something like soups, stews, Red Beans and Rice, you can reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave. And learn to use a crockpot. You can prepare hot, healthy meals with way less heat than turning on the oven.
If you need a teapot this summer, make sure you’re using if for its intended purpose – making a refreshing pitcher of iced tea to enjoy during your siesta. Don’t use it to be the vessel of heat related frustration and anger. The ‘tea’ you make that way won’t be enjoyable and will be the exact opposite of relaxing and enjoyable.
And if you feel a small whirling dervish beginning to twirl in your teacup, put the tea pot away, indulge in a cool shower, grab a glass of water, and take another siesta. After all, you still have quite a few handmade gifts to finish – and you won’t have to apologize for your outbursts later.
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Thanks again for stopping in. I will see you next week on Living a Simple Life with a Back Porch View. And while you are waiting for the next episode, grab that glass of refreshment, pull up a rocker, and sit back for a while. It’s time to relax and enjoy.
