Many people look forward to the lazy days of summer, but the warmer temperatures can also bring some summer stressers. Halifax-based clinical psychologist Dr. Dayna Lee-Baggley says people feel lazier in the summer because it takes our body more effort to keep us cool. “You want to think about it as our battery or energy levels are limited and some of it is used to manage your temperature. Think about lowering how much you are doing, focus on what most important and except that we are just going to be a bit less productive when our bodies have to manage temperature,” she explained to CTV Atlantic’s Brianne Foley. Lee-Baggley says it’s also important to manage the amount of media you consume in the summer months when dealing with extreme weather conditions and wildfires. “If we are consuming media consistently that will put a lot of threat into our system. Think about monitoring and keeping track of how much you watch. It’s also a good reminder to consider how you want to help against climate change, joining a group is always a great idea so you can band together with other people.” Summer can also be a time when people find it hard to get a good night sleep. Lee-Baggley says when events get pushed back because its lighter at the end of the day, it can have an impact on your sleep. “Drinking alcohol, eating late at night, socializing and being active can impact your sleep. We want to think about keeping those activities earlier in the day. Also having black out curtains and eye masks can help with the light at the end of the day.” “The other helpful part is that there is more sunlight in the morning too and when we get sunlight in the morning it helps reset our circadian rhythm. When thinking about sleep think about going to bed at the right time, but the most important part is getting up at the same time each day.” Lee-Baggley says summer can help people’s mental health by being out in nature and in the water. “There is some good research on the importance of awe and wonder. Summer is an opportunity to do some new things and have some fun.”
