Published on 12, July, 2020
Do you guys cope well in hot weather? I don't to be honest. The heat slows me down and I struggle with drinking which makes it worse. It's led to me getting anxiety attacks when it starts to get hot. At the moment I'm getting about 23 degrees where I am but by the end of the week it could be 25 degrees. I remember last year and how we had 30+ degrees. Dreading that happening again this year. I try to drink water but not too much otherwise I get bloated. I suffer from IBS, pretty chronic most of the time so it isn't always easy to just drink because I get a lot of stomach cramps which stress contributes towards. I wish it was the winter again... I personally prefer the cooler weather.
Hello K, I live in Brazil so get a lot of practice with dealing with the hot and humid weather.
Drinking little and often is pretty key to avoid dehydration. You may find it easier on the stomach to have the water or drink at room temperature so it doensn't cause a shock to the stomach when you swallow it.
If you can, just take a mouthfull of your drink every hour at least, or more often if you feel dry. The consequences of not doing this are unpleasant and it will typically magnify your autistic traits (especially anxiety and meltdowns) so you may need to trade off one agains the other with your IBS.
Keep your head in the shade - find a hat that is light, comfortable and won't hurt your head. And wear sunglasses to minimise the visual load your eyes get when it is so bright.
Try to wear light coloured cotton clothes - something not too tight to let it move and allow your skin to breath. Layer clothes if you will be somewhere cold so you can add or remove these to get to your preferred temp.
Avoid salty foods as these cause dehydration - fruit is great as it also has lots of water, but it will depend on how you cope with your IBS.
If you have not already done so, I strongly recommend speaking with a dietician who is knowledgeable about IBS and work out how to get your IBS under management if possible. It will make so much more of life a lot more pleasant.
For your OCD with the laundry, if you have a logic based though process I would spend some time and research how much the risk actually is - if you are thorough you will probably find the fear is irrational and the facts consign it to the bin. If you can't get past that point, then therapy is the most likely way to make progress.
Where I am now it is the equivelant to December in the UK and it has been in the mid 20's all week and people are wearing jackets because it feels cold to them. I'm still in t-shirt and shorts as I was raised in the UK and have cold blue Scottish blood in my veins.
It gets to the mid 30s a lot in the summer and everyone gets on about their jobs and lives without much fuss - the human body can handle it fine and it is largely our lack of preparation or choice of environment (eg the London underground) that leaves us struggling.
Plan, prepare and it will be fine so we can try to enjoy the beauty of a sunny day rather than hating it for being too hot.
Adding Apple Cider Vinegar to water helps regulate sleep.