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[geoprof]

I am hoping for some advice and to hear from anyone who's dealing with something similar to this....

I have a really hard time with summer and hot sunny weather. My energy and enthusiasm levels drop, I feel groggy and lethargic all the time, unmotivated, cranky, edgy, and so on. I am entirely functional - I get done what needs to be done and am actually having a fairly productive summer, but it's only through a hard and deliberate effort. I have always been this way, since I was young and growing up in a place with blazing hot summers and relatively mild winters. It always started to go away in August when I could start to see the first signs of fall coming, but now I live in a place that has extremely short and mild winters (the coldest winter day we get here would be an early fall day in most parts of the U.S., and we only get a week or so of those at best), and I already feel disappointed at the prospect of another one of these non-winters ahead of me as my yearly respite from the endless heat and blazing sun. Basically, it's a lot like Seasonal Affective Disorder (though I haven't been diagnosed with it - I haven't seen a doctor about this), but in reverse.

I am curious whether anyone else deals with this (extreme difficulty coping with summer), and if anyone has ideas on ways to cope with living in a hot climate...

[slac_vap]

Although it is much less common, Seasonal Affective Disorder is occasionally diagnosed in the situation you describe; however, I would more likely classify it as a regular old recurrent mood problem, triggered by an event, rather than as SAD, which research suggests may be linked to a deficiency in sunlight.  Regardless, I would recommend seeing a health-care professional for a checkup.  Aside from a traditional depression, you may have a metabolic condition that is contributing to your lethargy and other symptoms.

Besides all that... are you homesick?  Do you hate the warm summers because they remind you that you are not where you feel most happy?  If that may be part of it, do you see any options in terms of returning home, either for visits or permanently, or just reconnecting with your family or friends more deliberately?

[georgia_guy]

The summer heat wears me down pretty quickly. My strategy for dealing with this is to stay inside as much as possible, keep my house at a steady 74 degrees, and drink twice as much water as usual.

It helps some, but does not eliminate the fatigue.

[testingthewaters]

I recognize this from myself, too. When the temp and humidity get above about 85, my brain just shuts off. I can't seem to get anything done. I've never understood the attraction of beach vacations in the summer- that sounds like my own personal he**.

It has gotten better since I started drinking a lot of water, but I still hate the heat. Aside from the obvious (avoid the sun) I don't know what to tell you, but I'm interested to see if anyone else comes up with anything.

[geoprof]

Besides all that... are you homesick?  Do you hate the warm summers because they remind you that you are not where you feel most happy?  If that may be part of it, do you see any options in terms of returning home, either for visits or permanently, or just reconnecting with your family or friends more deliberately?

Hm, yes and no. I am homesick for a few of the places I've lived before (that had what I would consider an ideal cold and gray climate), but not because of friends there (they've all moved on) - more because of the setting/climate.

In the long term, I will probably seek to relocate to somewhere with a real fall and winter. My current job is great in all respects except location, though, so I am planning to stick it out here for at least a few more years. Thus the need for coping strategies.

Glad to hear I'm not alone. I am hiding in the AC with a cold drink right now - it's all I can do. But I miss the energized feeling that I get from cooler weather...

[slac_vap]

Okay.  I actually used to get the opposite pattern: I got very melancholy when it got cold and dark here, in part because it seemed everything I enjoyed required fresh air and sunlight.  What worked for me was cultivating some interests that are best pursued in the winter.  I tried to learn to ski, I worked on my baking and candy making, and stuff like that. 

My advice to you would be to look for activities that your new locale is ideal for, like outdoor swimming, night hikes, early morning Tai Chi outdoors, scuba lessons, or the like.  Or go the opposite way:  If there is an ice rink in your town, consider taking skating lessons or joining a hockey league.  When a friend of mine went away to college, she took a figure-skating class at her university to beat the heat.

And if you want, I can send you photos of gray January days to post as your screen saver, if you'll reciprocate with bright sunny scenes for mine :-)

[tenured_cat]

I feel best around 75 degrees; colder is fine for a bit (you can always put more clothes on), but warmer is exhausting and draining; I think "wilting" describes this best. During the summer, I basically function very well between 6 am or earlier until noon or 1 pm; between 1 and 5, I hide in air conditioning, shades closed especially on west-side windows and lots of cold water. Problem is, I do not smoke inside my house, but always go out on my southwest-facing deck - pure he** between 1 and 4 (when part of it starts getting some shade again). Cultures around the Mediterranean figured out the solution to this a few millennia ago: work from sun-up to around one; nap/rest during the afternoon heat, and get back to work when things start to cool down again.

[knitwitphd]

I know exactly what you are talking about. I lived in the South for a number of years and the endless sunny warm days really began to wear me down. I coped by making the early morning and late evening my active thinking/doing times during the day. I generally did all my writing and work related activities from 5am-10am and then 4pm-9pm. This allowed me not to feel guilty about being lethargic during the middle of the day and sitting in a nice cool dark house doing relaxing fun stuff that required minimal brain activity.

[geoprof]

My advice to you would be to look for activities that your new locale is ideal for, like outdoor swimming, night hikes, early morning Tai Chi outdoors, scuba lessons, or the like.  Or go the opposite way:  If there is an ice rink in your town, consider taking skating lessons or joining a hockey league.  When a friend of mine went away to college, she took a figure-skating class at her university to beat the heat.

And if you want, I can send you photos of gray January days to post as your screen saver, if you'll reciprocate with bright sunny scenes for mine :-)

Thanks for the responses, all. Part of the problem is that it never cools off here. When I first moved here, I got up earlier and earlier looking for a time of day when it felt tolerable outside, or when I felt focused and able to think well, and right now there just is none. I do a lot of outside exercise (mostly rollerblading right now, since I can't run in this heat) and found a nice place to rollerblade, but the oppressive heat takes a lot of the enjoyment out of exercising. I haven't tried swimming, though - I've never been much of a swimmer but it does have the advantage of being perfectly suited to hot weather outside.

The only time my mood/energy really picks up is during thunderstorms, when it gets dark and windy and, well, interesting. Maybe I should save the work that needs energy and focus for these! Unfortunately, they are over pretty fast and I don't have a window in my office to enjoy them....

[normative_]

I worked in the Middle East for 2 years and know what this is like.

I shifted my waking and working patterns as much as my schedule allowed so that I would sleep through part of the day (you have AC!), read through the rest of it in the shade and write at night. That way you're only doing passive work when it's still hot. The most in daylight is reading and sipping ice tea. Works wonders.

If you're also in the ME, you'll have noticed that the locals are most active after sundown as well. I just copied them.

You can also copy them by joining a health club where you can exercise indoors. It's better than nothing.

[wild_rose]

Yes, I understand, too.

Imagine doing two years of field work in the South Pacific...95% humidity, 90 degrees average year round, no A/C most of the time.

It was VERY hard to think.

I didn't have a good solution; I just plodded along and did the best I could. The upside is, I'm slightly more heat-adapted than I was before I left. Other people start complaining about the heat long before I do.

[bio_prof_]

geoprof, we must be at the same location, or at least the same latitude. Having moved from balmy weather year-round to the steamy south, I feel your discomfort. I cope as follows:

I never have a hot lunch. I’ll still have things like lasagne or chicken but eat them at room temperature. I turn up the air conditioning at night and in the morning. Being too hot ruins my sleep and I have enough sleep issues to deal with. So I cool the place down and sleep under a blanket. In the morning, I keep the house very cool so I can have my indispensable, beloved hot coffee. The air is on all morning so it’s cool when I step out of the shower – I hate nothing more than getting out of a shower into hot, humid air. I turn the air down on the way out of the house.

No more cotton clothing; only fabrics that don’t retain moisture. No one wants to be dressed in a sauna all day long. When I’m not at work, I wear stuff from REI or other outdoor outfitters that are designed to keep moisture away from the skin, even when I’m lounging about.  (And our respective fields entitle us to always dress as if an expedition is imminent.)

At work I’m immersed in air conditioning, and I wear much more professional attire. But I also have some REI shirts for hikers that dress up instantly with a skirt, jacket and some jewelry. Pantyhose are an insidious evil to be avoided at all times.  These outfitters have button-up shirts made of moisture-wicking material that look for all the world like a button-up dress shirt (for both men and women). All these clothes are three times as expensive as cotton clothes, but are durable and last three times as long, and they don’t need to be ironed. If you lurk long enough you can get them on sale for reasonable prices.

I’ve also accepted a three-month period of lesser activity during the heat peak in the summer. I like to be very active but summer is now my down-time.

Keep cool - bp

[iomhaigh]

Oh yeah, and I'm not even in a "hot" area.  Humidity is killer.  This is the first summer where I've really felt it because I'm not up & at work at an over-air-conditioned dark theatre.   

My tricks:
* A/C from June-August. 
* Lots of water
* I sleep late and stay up late.  By getting up at noon and going to bed at 4:00, I am able to be productive at the end of the day (good for my habits) without having to be conscious during all of the waking/hot hours.  I could try to go the other way, but I don't wake up unless it is light out. 
* No outdoor activities until 7:30 or 8:00 at night
* cold showers sometimes
* hair up at all times

[patchouli]

Geoprof,

I can relate; you are describing me to a T.  I love the sun and the summer, but not when that summer sun or humidity goes on high, even though I love the garden and the outdoors.  Years ago when I noticed this happening I took myself to the doctor for a check-up, but there was nothing at all wrong with me.  He suggested I stay cool.

It turned out that my mom was the same way, and we used to joke about it together.  When it got really, really hot, we just lost our physical energy.  But once the very hot sun set--boom--it was like an energy pill and we could do anything again! 

I attribute part of it to heredity, such as constitution, fairness of coloring, etc. (whatever else might be a part of it).  On top of all of that, I'm a night owl, so it might be partly that, too.  I like what Iomhaigh suggests below to do:

My tricks:
* A/C from June-August. 
* Lots of water
* I sleep late and stay up late.  By getting up at noon and going to bed at 4:00, I am able to be productive at the end of the day (good for my habits) without having to be conscious during all of the waking/hot hours.  I could try to go the other way, but I don't wake up unless it is light out. 
* No outdoor activities until 7:30 or 8:00 at night
* cold showers sometimes
* hair up at all times

I have modified the above to my own, a couple of hours earlier, and I have air conditioning in our office.  It's much less expensive that all over, and allows a respite and a very cool, comfy place to work and be with my SO and escape that heat if you don't already have it.

Also, creating a shade garden in the backyard (if you have one) where you can lounge is a good place for working and reading, and quite relaxing and cooling. 

[englitprof]

I lived in the middle of Arizona for five years, and I would be surprised if that's not where you are, geoprof--it just sounds too similar.  Unfortunately, I have no advice, only sympathy.  I remember that each year my mood started improving markedly once the daily highs started falling under 90.

Mind you, I don't pine for snow, either; it's nice now and then, but when you come down to it I was made for mild weather all around.