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Keep Your Cool When The Heat Is On

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It’s summertime. A sweltering heat wave has gripped many parts of the country. The days are long and tempers are short, and it’s not just in your mind. There is solid scientific evidence that explains why and how the weather affects our moods.

As one researcher put it: “When it’s hot we are more likely to become dehydrated and when we are dehydrated our bodies are under serious physical stress. This physical stress level changes our moods and we are more likely to become irate and less likely to choose rational responses when things don’t go our way. We tend to whine and moan are more prone to give in to anger, irritation, poor judgment and fatigue.” Law enforcement studies show that long periods of extremely hot weather lead to an increase in violent crime rates. Scientists call it “heat aggravation.”

The awareness of a link between hot weather and short tempers predates the age of scientific research on the topic. In fact, heat has long been associated with anger in phrases like hot under the collar, hot head and boiling mad. The antidote to anger has found its way into our language with expressions like chill out, don’t lose your cool and take a chill pill.

For a first hand look at mood-changing affects of extremely hot weather all you have to do is get into your car and start driving. Statistics show that incidents of road rage increase in proportion to the temperature. Even the most benign incidents get blown out of proportion and people react with rude hand gestures, yelling, and in extreme cases, violence.

So what can you do to keep your cool when the heat is on? For one thing, make sure you spend some time in quiet meditation every day so that you stay focused on peace and calmness. Take good care of your body and soul. Drink plenty of water and take deep cleansing breaths when you start to feel stressed.

If something does happen that has the potential to upset you, try not to overreact. If a car cuts in front of you don’t go ballistic. Just let it slide. For the sake of your personal safety and your sanity, it’s best to not respond in any way to inconsiderate drivers. You can’t change their rude behaviors but you can certainly change how you react to them.

When the mercury rises it becomes critical to keep everything in perspective. If you allow yourself to become angry you can damage your physical health. Medical research shows that frequent or extreme anger can cause your blood pressure and heart rate to rise, which makes your heart work harder. Anger can cause angina (chest pain) because the vessels constrict and reduce the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart.

So do yourself and those around you a favor by keeping a lid on anger when the heat is on. Your body and soul will thank you for it.