By Julie DeLong, A-1 Freeman Moving Group
Climate jealousy is a thing. Minnesotans envy Floridians when there are three feet of snow on the ground, but Floridians turn their attention north during those crazily hot summers.
If you just moved south, that heat and humidity may hit you like a wall, especially during the summer months. Any jealousy you might be feeling leaves as the moving company unloads the last boxes from the moving van. Fortunately, you can adjust to a warmer climate. Unfortunately, it can take a bit of time, so you may have to hang in there and deal with it a bit.
Here are some things you can do to adjust:
- Adjust your schedule. Avoid going out in the full heat of the day and try to schedule errands for the morning or evening. If you usually run in the afternoon, change it to early morning. Eating a bit later can help you deal with the effects of the humidity on your appetite. If your schedule allows, there's a reason why people in the Med take siestas.
- Resist the temptation to crank the A/C all the way up to arctic levels. It will only slow your adaptation, not to mention cranking up your utility bills. You may also end up feeling too cold after you have been outside. Generally, you should set the A/C to about ten degrees lower than the external temperature, no more. Oh, and never run the A/C with the windows open, you will just waste energy.
- If you have access to a pool or the ocean, use it. Swimming will cool you off, if you stay in for at least fifteen minutes. Don't ruin it by sunbathing, though. Also, simply wading in the ocean can cool you down.
- Yes, you should drink more water, especially if you are older. Also, make sure you eat enough salt (unless you are explicitly on a low sodium diet). Sweating causes you to lose salt, and that can make you sick. High levels of humidity can make you feel less thirsty, whilst making sweating ineffective. You also may want to reduce your alcohol consumption until you are adapted, and if you do drink, go for a beer or a tropical cocktail over shots.
- Wear a hat. Get a nice, wide-brimmed sun hat (or more than one) and use them. Keeping the direct sun off your head can make you feel a lot cooler. Also, counterintuitively, lightweight long-sleeved clothes will often keep you cooler than a t-shirt and shorts. Make sure everything you wear is loose fitting and light in color. Avoid working out in tight spandex.
- Make sure to keep eating regularly, even if you aren't hungry. High heat and humidity can cause loss of appetite, and not eating enough will add to any lethargy you already feel.
- Adjust how you cook. Save the long cooking stews and roasts for winter and prepare dishes that cook for a short time and use the stove as little as possible. Eat more salads and fruits. Keep ice cream or, if calories are a concern, popsicles handy. You can also freeze berries or cherries and then suck on them. If you're feeling ambitious, invest in an ice cream maker and experiment with different flavors.
- Don't feel bad about being lazy on those long summer days. Sometimes it really is just too hot to move much.
Remember that it will take you a few weeks to adjust. The first summer may well be miserable, but you can use the same mental techniques that got you through long winters up north. When summer comes around again you will find you deal with it much better and you may well start to like it.
If you are looking for a professional mover to help with your move, give A-1 Freeman a call today!
Sources:
https://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/08/27/do-we-crank-up-the-a-c-too-high/
https://health.usnews.com/health-news/patient-advice/slideshows/16-ways-your-body-adjusts-to-a-new-climate?slide=8
https://leavingholland.com/10-tips-to-survive-in-a-warm-humid-climate/
https://wanderwisdom.com/misc/How-to-Survive-in-a-Humid-Climate
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