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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