Summer Heat & The Dog Days of Summer

Go to bed late and rise early.

Do not mind the long days.

Let your mind have no anger.

Stimulate the beauty and growth.

Let the qi flow outward, as if what you loved were beyond.

Su Wen, Chapter 2 (2^nd Century BCE)

Drawing from centuries of lived experience, combined with my own clinical observations of what works for people during the “Dog Days of Summer”, let’s unpack this and expand on each section to give you actionable, time-tested lifestyle micro-adjustments to not only handle the heat but to thrive in it and give your body what it needs for a healthy Autumn.

“Go to bed late and rise early. Do not mind the long days” – Each season calls for adapting to the conditions and summer puts this truism right in your face. 

• Have fun at beach and garden parties, sit on the porch talking into the night with friends, go to a drive-in movie. The feel of the season bursts with Joie de vivre, go with it. Remember though that morning light is going to come calling and the birds will remind you at 4:30 that it’s time to get moving. It is also vital, so you don’t burn out (pun intended), to follow the lifestyle of warmer climates – siestas are a must. Nap! 5-20 minutes will do the trick. If you can’t nap, lie down or recline and close your eyes and belly breathe for 15 minutes. Everyone has 15 minutes at lunchtime to do this.

• Exercise in the morning while it’s cool and because in the evening, you have some socializing to do. Now’s not the time to go all David Goggins. A slower paced routine will pay more health dividends than making your body strain with both the internal and external heat.

  
  

“Let your mind have no anger” – What do we say when we get angry? ‘He’s hot under the collar’, ‘It reached a boiling point’, ‘He’s hot headed’. Anger creates internal heat. Not to get too nerdy here, but you’re experiencing heat because of sympathetic nervous system activation from a signal given by the amygdala to the hypothalamus.

• Keep in mind (I can’t stop with the puns) that increased body heat itself often causes emotional irritation, sensitivity, and physical restlessness. This means there’s a fuse provided by the summer heat. Be aware of any interpersonal sparks and be quick to cool the fuse before it catches. In Thailand there is a phrase - "jai yen yen" (ใจเย็นๆ), which means “cool heart”. Keep a cool heart with those you interact with, it will make you and everyone around you happier.

• Soften your physical and mental pace. Thermodynamics says, speed creates heat and we are trying to avoid any additional warmth. Moving slowly is its own type of luxury. Take slow, leisurely walks in the evening, as things cool down. Look around, appreciate the beauty of summer in the world around you. Your body and mind will thank you for it.

  
  

“Stimulate the beauty and growth.” - Summer demands its own aesthetics to keep the body cool and the mind light.

• Wear breathable, loose-fitting clothing. Think beautiful, flowing summer dresses for women and light, loose fitting pants and shorts for men. The more a cooling breeze can reach your skin, the better your body will be able to regulate its temperature.

• Avoid synthetic fabrics, stick to natural cottons, linens and very light silks. These are light, breathable and simply go with the flow of summer.

• Simplify your skincare. Heat and humidity often make skin more reactive, so choose light, gentle products with clean, natural ingredients.

  
  

“Let the qi flow outward, as if what you loved were beyond” – Summer is the season of the Heart. It’s about connecting with joy and openness. It is an openness to the outside world, a life affirming curiosity and presence full of connecting to those around us with the warmth that summer provides. Let summer lead, and it will gift you beautiful memories that last a lifetime. I’ll see you at the barbeque, iced peppermint tea in hand.