Down Regulate to Keep Cool this Summer

I usually down regulate my nervous system to keep my cool when I'm feeling STRESSED, anxious or ANGRY.

But, of course, down regulating is also good for these HOT days!

Researchers from Australian National University have published their studies in an article that pays respect to Indigenous cultures who've been using the mid day siesta to DIAL DOWN the heat and shows how the HUMBLE NAP is more effective than air-conditioning for reducing heat stroke!

https://www.preventionweb.net/news/why-bringing-back-arvo-nap-could-help-us-adapt-extreme-heat?fbclid=IwAR1jkozxbrFxwfcloj28ckgcFD_fr91gIva9bELQPbinb-wyHMTRJgFfL6warticle

You see having a nap shifts our nervous system into it's restorative state - what's called the parasympathetic (This is the OH-SO-CHILL sibling of the HOT-N-SASSY sympathetic.)

The parasympathetic system slows our bodies down

- our heart rate SLOWS

- our breathing SLOWS

- our metabolism SLOWS

*BUT IT ALSO COOLS OUR BODY DOWN TOO!*

Air conditioning allows us (requires us even) to run a sympathetic system - busy work places run at 22 for this very purpose!

KEEP 'em BUSY?

KEEP 'em COLD!!

The sympathetic GET UP N GO generates a lot of internal heat, but when its 40 degrees lot's of internal heat AIN'T GOOD!

Worse, it also turns out excessive use of air con weakens our nervous systems capacity to acclimatise.

When it's hot you probably notice you naturally

SLOW DOWN

MOVE LESS

SPEAK LESS

THINK LESS

LAZE ABOUT

and

DAYDREAM MORE

Deadlines disappear and you spend your days doing SWEET NOTHING.

During the heat wave of Jan 22 (5 days in a row of 40 or above) I was overcome with parasympathetic MALAISE. I simply couldn't do, or think about, anything complex.

As I tried to write curricular for uni I stared at the screen DUMBFOUNDED.

In an effort to simply write something, I typed...

"You will learn lots of cool things this year."

"Assessment - Are you happy? One word answers accepted."

I laughed, and then I yielded and let my body SYNC with the world around me.

A friend from New Zealand once noted Perth has 2 HIBERNATING periods.

- One in winter where we bunker down with BREAD and BOOKS.

- Another in summer where we lie PROSTRATE and FORLORN waiting for the heat to fade so we can be released to SHIMMY the night away.

So this summer, as the heat rises, I'll be hanging up the deadlines and my GET UP N GO and I'll be letting my nervous system acclimatise.

You may see me lounging about doing the 'PARASYMPATHETIC CHILL'

Image DRG Photography/Shutterstock