3 Sneaky Ways Summer Stresses You Out

“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy…” – Ella Fitzgerald

It’s summer in Michigan, which means those of us who live in this very seasonal state are drinking it in, soaking it up, and making the most of the next few months. It feels downright decadent, doesn’t it?

But even with all the mood-boosting sunshine and fresh, seasonal produce to eat, there are a few things about summertime (especially in temperate regions) that create a bit more stress in our bodies. I’m going to call out three of them and offer some simple solutions to make sure your stress-response system stays cool, calm, and clean this season!

Stressor #1: Electrolyte Imbalance

All that gardening, beaching, camping, and outdoor sporting events sure has us working up a sweat! And plain water isn’t always enough to replenish hydration. Water needs special helpers to be transported into our body and cells - helpers like sodium and other electrolytes. Glucose also plays a role, increasing the efficiency of the hydration process.

Don’t reach for that Gatorade or sweet tea quite yet! Most common sports beverages get the ratios all wrong. Or they use artificial sweeteners which can cause digestive upset and alter the healthy microbiome in our gut.

My favorite substitute is coconut water – you can find it almost anywhere these days. You can also find homemade electrolyte drink recipes on the internet – just beware of ones that call for very sugary juice or added sweetener. A simpler, more convenient, Dr. Kate-approved alternative is Endura, a powdered electrolyte beverage that dissolves easily in water. One of my clients (who loves long days fishing in the sun) calls it “liquid gold! 

Pro tip: it’s also a bomb hangover cure!

Stressor #2: Treats, treats, treats!

There’s nothing quite like a cold ice-cream cone on a hot summer evening, amiright? But when this sugary treat becomes a weekly – or nightly – ritual of the season, we’ve got problems.

Your body’s stress-response system responds to blood sugar fluctuations, so when you slam that cookie-dough flurry an hour before bedtime, that sugar creates a sharp spike in your blood sugar followed by a mid-sleep crash. This dip in your body’s energy supply tells cortisol (your long-term stress hormone) to wake you up – sometimes fully or sometimes just enough to make you toss and turn, ruining your sleep quality. When you wake up feeling groggy, shaky, and tired the next morning, you can blame it on your “harmless” treat!

How can you have your cake - er, ice-cream – and eat it, too? Enjoy a homemade fruit sorbet or popsicle (ideas here) or opt for a small frozen yogurt loaded with berries, nuts, and real dark chocolate chips. The fiber in the fruit and the healthy fat in the nuts will help balance your blood sugar and prevent a crash!

Pro tip: beware low-calorie, low-sugar ice cream alternatives like Halo Top or Skinny Cow – they’re packed with artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and other yucky stuff.

Stressor #3: Chemical Overload

Imagine with me that you’re prepping for a camping weekend. Now, let’s think about all the chemicals you might throw in your backpack.

Sunscreen? Check. Bug spray? Check. Antiperspirant? Double check!

That’s three major sources of toxins that you’re likely to spray, slather, or swab on your skin. Then consider the chlorine in the pool, the pesticide runoff in the lake, and the less-than-stellar soaps and shampoos that you might use to wash the rest off…we’re literally swimming in toxic chemical overload!

Will one spritz of bug spray make you sick? Almost certainly not. But multiple exposures of common, everyday toxins can build up over time. Eventually these exposures can add up to very real health consequences.

The good news? There are ample cleaner, safer alternatives to these products available at your local drugstore or online. As someone who sunburns easily, I have tried many different low-toxin sunscreens – my favorite so far is Native brand!

The other good news is that lots of summer’s freshest foods are also natural detoxifiers! Green, leafy veggies like kale, lettuce, and spinach make an excellent base for roasted beets, tender grapefruit slices, and creamy avocado chunks drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. A meal that delights both the tongue and the liver (and bursting with detox-boosting foods)!

While you might think of summer as the least stressful season, remember that mental and emotional stress isn’t the whole story. Because stress isn’t “all in your head!” It’s a very real, very physical reaction that affects your whole body. 

To learn more about how stress impacts your whole-person health, and to discover simple, Functional-Medicine-approved strategies for optimizing your stress response, sign up for The Stress Better Starter Kit, a portal of free resources to help you be a healthier, happier, less-stressed YOU.