We all get a little irritated if it’s too hot and a little upset if it’s too cold. Some people may enjoy the heat or the cold, some dislike both. The temperature of the weather and your home can really affect you mentally which in turn can affect your brain and work performance.
Extreme temperatures can have big effects on the brain too which can be almost damaging because it can really put your brain at risk of heatstroke or even hypothermia, etc. You want to try and avoid exposing yourself to such extreme temperatures to ensure you don’t risk your health and reduce the risk of harming the brain. Besides the negative effects, there are also positive effects which can help the body to burn fat, help you work better, and many more.
How does the heat affect the brain/work performance positively?
There aren’t many positive effects on the brain when it is hot. The reason for this is that if the brain is exposed to heat for too long it can affect the blood flow and oxygen supply to the brain. When the temperature goes up with the weather the cognitive performance goes down because it’s too hot for the brain. This in return affects your performance and how you are generally feeling during the day. However, there are some positive things that come out of the hot weather.
The heat can motivate you because in cold weather it is too cold, and you may not wish to go outside and exercise or walk the dog. The hot weather makes going out seem inviting and welcoming. This in return is good for your body. However, you may become faster tired because of the heat. On top of motivation, the heat can help you focus a little better. You also feel slightly better emotionally due to the warmth, which makes you feel like you can do things you can’t do in the cold.
How does the heat affect the brain/work performance negatively?
As mentioned before when the temperature gets hotter the cognitive performance of your brain goes down. You should try to avoid exposing your body and brain to the heat for too long to avoid long-term damage to the brain as well.
The heat can affect your focus negatively by lowering it, not everyone can focus in the hot weather. This in return makes it hard to work and focus on your work because your brain is functioning slower. You also may become stressed as the heat will make the brain release the stress hormones, which in return can make you irritated.
Becoming lethargic is also a huge negative impact. You can become lethargic and tired due to difficulty sleeping and the heat also makes it hard for you to relax. You are at risk of heatstroke if you don’t seek a cool area or shade. Heatstroke can cause dizziness, nausea, fainting confusion, loss of appetite, dehydration, high pulse, cramps, etc. there are many symptoms. On top of that, you need to drink more during the hot weather which can cause you to be dehydrated constantly.
How does the cold affect the brain/work performance positively?
The cold has surprisingly many positive effects on the brain. From reading online, I found that scientists believe that the cold weather makes our brain function better, yes you may feel sluggish but you can perform better in the cold. It is said that the cold may be uncomfortable for some people. Whether you are comfortable or not also plays a bit of a role in how our brain functions during the day too, so if you are uncomfortable in the cold then it might not be the same. The cold can also boost your immune system due to the weather being a common time when people get sick!
It is said that the cold has many good effects. The cold can help enhance focus, help you burn calories, help you sleep better, improve your brain function, give your heart a kickstart for exercise, etc. it can do so much better than the summer. It gives your cognitive performance a boost during the winter. This in return, helps you feel in general better and more motivated to do things even if the weather is uncomfortable for some.
How does the cold affect the brain/work performance negatively?
In extreme cases, there are risks of things like hypothermia. In the end, this can lead to confusion and disorientation. The cold can also cause headaches which can affect you by giving you an uncomfortable feeling. This can lower focus, cause worry and stress, lower cognitive performance, and make you sluggish.
The cold mostly makes everyone sluggish, slow, and tired. It is mainly because your body is burning off calories more efficiently. This is why the cold weather is so good for people who exercise. However, being sluggish can make anyone feel unmotivated and tired. This makes you want to do less and this can be sadly not efficient for your day-to-day life. It may take you a while to get out of bed because of the coldness, even with heating in the house. You may not want to leave the house. You can combat the discomfort by wrapping up warm and treating yourself to a nice hot drink like tea or hot chocolate.
Conclusion
The hot and cold have equal positive and negative effects on the brain. Everyone is different so we can all be affected differently. Some may not experience the discomfort from the heat or the cold so the negative effects might be less for them. That said, always make sure to take care of your body to help boost your brain and work performance during the hot and cold weather.
