Shopping For New HVAC Components

« Back to Home

Keeping Your Cool: How Heating And Air Conditioning Can Affect Your Mood

Posted on

Your HVAC system does more than just keeping your house at a comfortable temperature; it also helps to keep your family in a level mood. If your system breaks down or is in need of repair, your emotional and psychological health (and that of your family) should be just as much of a motivator as your desire to be cool. 

The Heat Really Heats Up Your Temper

It's no surprise, but aggressive, angry tendencies are more likely to come out when people are feeling the heat of the outdoor temperature. Of course, normal irritability comes with feeling uncomfortable -- nobody likes that sticky, sweaty feeling -- but there are more reasons why high temperatures can make you hot-headed:

  • You aren't sleeping as well. Generally, the human body expects a dip in temperatures when night-time rolls around; it's a another trigger that gets your sleep hormones rolling. When the sun goes down and the temps don't fall, your body has trouble falling and staying asleep. You on less sleep equals you with a shorter temper. 
  • You aren't drinking enough. Hot weather makes us sweat, which uses more water. However, when people aren't used to drinking plenty of water on a regular basis, they don't associate their need for hydration with mood improvement. However, the headaches, nausea, and short temper brought on by dehydration is only worse when its hot outside. 
  • You can't do what you want. You might get heat stroke if you go out and play some frisbee with buddies, so instead you're stuck in the house. Indoor heat and humidity make you sticky and make working out at home, cooking, or baking even less desirable. All of these small irritants can add up and put you in a downward spiral of moodiness.

Mental Health Issues Rise With The Temperature

Your temper is not the only thing in danger if you suffer through a heat wave without AC. Here are some other trends that you should be aware of:

  1. Depression can get worse during a heat wave. Anxiety tends to go down, but feelings of hopelessness and perpetual sadness are more intense or more common.
  2. Drug and alcohol use increases with warm weather. 
  3. Sluggish thoughts and poor decision making are more common during high temperatures. 

To avoid the snapping and walking-on-eggshells feeling of hot summer heat irritability, invest in a cooling unit for your house. Don't hesitate to get your system installed or repaired for the sake of your (literal) sanity. Contact a business, such as Nebraska Heating & Air for more information.   


Share