NORFOLK, Va. — It's day two of a heat wave moving through Hampton Roads.
During extreme temperatures like this, staying hydrated and cool are two very important ways to take care of your body. However, another important thing to do during this heat is to pay attention to your mental health.
According to Dr. Louis Miller from Community Psychological Resources, “There was a study that showed in over 79 degrees of temperature,” people experienced “lower cognitions.”
Due to this, Dr. Miller concluded that heat and mental health do share a strong link. That means when the temperature rises, so does the possibility of mental health issues.
Some of this, Dr. Miller explained, could be due to how our bodies aren't used to this type of heat.
“We aren't adapted to it anymore, so it does tend to cause mental health issues,” he said.
Dr. Miller typically tells his patients four core steps to keep a healthy mindset:
Exercise
Sleep
Socialization
Healthy Diet
These key steps are crucial according to Dr. Miller. However, when temperatures get extreme it can be harder to manage each of those needs, leading to a decrease in mental health.
For example, when it's hot outside, people may not want to overexert themselves by working out. Exercise has been linked to releasing dopamine and serotonin, so Dr. Miller said when “you're not working out, you don't have the things we need like dopamine and serotonin.”
Dr. Miller said there is something you can do to protect your mental health during extreme heat. It all starts with taking more short trips in the sun.
“Expose yourself to being outside at gradual periods. So maybe you go out for 15 minutes. Then you get used to that and go out for 30 the next day,” Dr. Miller explained.
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