If you’re feeling down or in a funk because of the extreme heat we’ve been experiencing, you’re not alone.
Dr. Brian Yuen, a family medicine physician at Inova-GoHealth Urgent Care, says the sizzling temperatures we’ve been seeing can impact how we feel.
“It’s not just hard physically on our bodies, causing dehydration and stress, but it affects our psychological well-being too,” Yuen said. “It affects our mood, it can increase stress levels, and it also can affect our sleep.”
One of his biggest recommendations is to get into a routine. Structure your day by waking up and going to bed around the same time and eating and exercising on the same schedule too.
“Basically, establishing what we call a good circadian rhythm, which is night and day routine,” Yuen said.
He said people generally sleep better in cooler weather so sticking to a schedule could help.
“So your body gets in this rhythm. It makes it easier to fall asleep. Just helps with your sleep, helps with your mood, helps reduce levels of anxiety, and can help you feel better overall,” he said. “Trouble sleeping can lead to worsening anxiety, depression and just general feelings of distress.”
And he said it’s still important to get a dose of sunshine. But in order to keep that safe, you need to watch when you go out.
“If you’re going to have to go outside and do outdoor activities, you want to do it generally before 11 a.m. or after 4 p.m.,” Yuen said.
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