Carers in Hertfordshire May online session

As we have had such a hot week, I wanted to make the May online session a little more relaxed. During a heatwave, our bodies work hard to regulate temperature. The main control centre is the nervous system, specifically the hypothalamus in the brain.

The hypothalamus acts like the body’s thermostat. It monitors your body temperature and tells other parts of the body how to respond, for example by making you sweat to cool down, widening blood vessels near the skin to release heat and adjusting hormones and thirst signals

During a heat wave, your nervous system shifts into protection mode to help your body avoid overheating.

Heat waves can overstimulate the body’s stress response, increasing the stress hormone cortisol. This can make you feel on edge, stressed and lead to poorer sleep, loss of concentration with slower thinking.

During the session we looked at relaxing the nervous system, starting with box breathing.

Box breathing is a simple breathing technique used to help calm the nervous system and reduce stress.

How to do box breathing

Breathe in slowly through your nose for 4 counts

Hold your breath for 4 counts

Breathe out slowly for 4 counts

Hold again for 4 counts

Repeat this cycle for 4–6 rounds, or longer if it feels comfortable.

We also spoke about other techniques such as cooling your body down – sip cool water, use a fan, or place a cool cloth on your neck or wrists.

Relax your muscles – unclench your jaw, drop your shoulders, and soften your hands. Try gentle stretches whilst practicing deep breathing.

Gentle movement – stretching, walking slowly, or light yoga can help discharge stress without overstimulating you.

Reduce stimulation – lower noise, dim bright lights, and step away from stressful input for a few minutes.