What Are The 8 Ways To Prevent Summer Brain Drain and Avoid Mental Exhaustion?

The need to prioritize your holistic well-being is of paramount importance given the soaring and record-shattering high temperatures this year. With the #HealthySummerWithActivLiving campaign, we urge you to adhere to a balanced diet, focus on your fitness, and be of sound mind to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Summer and high temperatures can drive you up the wall. Yet, while physical fatigue and exhaustion during summers are visible and more openly addressed, people hardly speak about mental exhaustion. When you shirk away from addressing the summer brain drain, it surfaces in the form of restlessness, anger, frustration, or summer anxiety.

What you need to know:

• Signs of mental exhaustion in summer

• Avoid brain drain in 8 ways

Signs of mental exhaustion in summer

Mental fatigue is also not, particularly about things going wrong. Instead, it stems from having a lot on your plate without the time to stop and refuel your energy. Mental exhaustion reveals itself when a load of work and activities surpass your capabilities of comfortably handling what is demanded of you. Such brain drain makes it harder for you to make decisions and stay focused on pending tasks. This eventually leads to burnout, stress, and other physical health issues, such as hypertension or high blood pressure. Your concentration levels dwindle, and you become more impatient and irritable. Heat, humidity, and intolerable weather can make you hole up in your room and avoid exercising. These summer blues lead to inactivity and isolation, resulting in low energy levels and mood swings.

Avoid brain drain in 8 ways

Hence, you should proactively prepare to cater to your mental health during long summer days. Prevent your brain drain in the following 8 ways:

• Pursue your interests – Summer is the ideal time to follow your interests that get pushed to the back-burner. This is when you can tick things off your bucket list. Whether reading or gardening, choose a hobby that gives you peace and joy.

• Maintain a fixed sleep schedule – Going to bed early at night and waking up early in the morning can set the tone for how the rest of your day goes. After a day of hustle, your body and mind need adequate rest to be rejuvenated the following day. Unfortunately, lack of sleep can also cause irritability. 
• Workout – Mental and physical well-being go hand-in-hand. Try exercising for 30 minutes every day. It will help boost your concentration level by increasing the blood flow to the brain. Get your endorphins going through activities like swimming or kayaking. 
• Learn to let go – Let go of making small decisions that consume much of your time and energy. Instead, direct that mental energy towards making more critical decisions. 
• Be in nature – When you feel your concentration drop, put your work aside and step outside. Being in nature can lower your stress hormones (cortisol) and brings you inner peace by increasing your serotonin levels.

• Take a break – When you get too worked up, take a break. It can be for a day or a week to deal with your mental tiredness.
• Practice breathing exercises – A feeling of shortness of breath overpowers you in stressful situations. When you get upset or agitated, try breathing slowly for quieter thoughts. Pay attention to your breathing while you meditate. 
• Consume a balanced diet – Nourish your body, and the mind will follow. So, eat a nutritious meal and avoid eating sugary, oily or spicy foods.

Stay tuned to get more updates on the #HealthySummerWithActivLiving campaign. 

To get more information on lifestyle and nutrition, visit the Activ Living page.