9 hours ago
What is summer fatigue, and how can you safely manage energy levels during peak heat?
Summer only officially arrived last week, but after the weekend heat wave, some people might already be tired of it. That's probably because simply being outside could make someone flat-out tired. So how do you safely manage your energy levels when the heat peaks?
The pace of a pickleball game is quick, but as steamy sunshine smoldered the courts in St. Louis Park, Kris Miner — pickleball coach, ambassador, and "queen" of the sport — noticed a difference in her game.
"There's just something to be said for how the body overheats, and it just kind of gets you to a spot where you're not quite as agile, not quite as aggressive on the court," Miner said.
Those playing know a bit of rest in the shade is necessary, but the kids hustling across the playground might need a parental nudge to relax.
"My littlest one is definitely going to need her long nap," Anna Casselton said.
An afternoon nap is right up Dr. John Hick's alley, as an emergency physician at Hennepin Healthcare.
"A siesta, I think, is one of the most enduring features of a lot of cultures, and maybe we just need to adopt that more," he said, as he explained the concept of summer fatigue. "It's really kind of balance of a number of different factors. One is that blood gets shunted to the surface of the skin to try and encourage sweating and get that heat conducted off of your body. And that takes blood away from other organs, like your muscles, your GI tract, and even your brain."
Your body goes into overdrive to cool you down, draining your energy. It's partly why you might not even feel hungry when weathering extreme heat. It's also why physical activities feel harder to do.
"I do feel like the heat does make me feel just more dehydrated and sluggish and lethargic," Nancy Chase said.
Dehydration is another factor to look out for. Your organs need water to function, and a lot of liquid is being used to keep the body cool, causing fatigue. That's why frequent water breaks in the shade were a common sight for the kids and pickleballers.
"It's tricky because (pickleball is) so fun and you want to just stay and get it, and there's nothing wrong with that on a normal day. But a day like this, you got to kind of think safety first yah," said Miner.
After powering through long, harsh winters, Minnesotans might scoff at a scorching hot day. They've earned the sunshine, no matter how hot the temperature that joins it. But living in a cooler climate means their bodies might not respond as well to extreme heat.
"We just don't have mechanisms for sweating and cooling that are as well adapted as those that live in hot conditions year-round," said Hick.
How do you know it's not something more serious, like heat exhaustion? Hick said heat exhaustion can sneak up on a person quickly if they don't pay attention to the symptoms. Dizziness, headache, nausea, heavy sweating, muscle cramps, and heavy sweating are all signs your summer fatigue is drifting into dangerous territory. If you notice those symptoms, stop all activity, move to a cooler place, load up on liquids and rest.
Ensuring you have a cool environment when sleeping will help you feel more rested. But that can be harder to do in the summer since there's more daylight and warmer nights. Poor sleep can lead to tiredness later in the day, adding to summer fatigue.
