Find it exhausting to be out in the heat, is that normal?

[hotmammi]

I would much rather choose an activity indoors.

being outside is exhausting. If I had the choice to go and chase my kids around a playground/ park, I would much rather stay inside in an air conditioned soft-play or something.

is it my age ? I was outside for a big part of the day with my kids, mostly pushing them on swings / chasing after them at the playground. I also took them swimming ( outside ) and to the toy shop and cafe to have lunch.

I was so tired by the end of the day ( the outdoor swing fun was the last thing we did ).

today I just wasn’t up for being outside, so took them to an indoor/ air conditioned soft-play, which was heaven. It was really empty and I was able to just sit down for a bit. Now I am home ( air conditioning on ).

I am still shattered!

is this normal or is something else going on ? I do have a condition ( ms ) which does cause fatigue and people tend to struggle in hot weather, but I always really struggle to understand if it’s that or if I am just lazy/ getting old. I also woke up with a headache today and do suffer from migraines. I managed to quash my headache with painkillers, but maybe that’s also why I’m extra tired.

can anyone without this issue tell me if they’d be tired with this amount of activity?

my kids are 3 and 5. My husband is away this weekend. I also work full time during the week ( office 2 days, the rest from home ).

I find heat does sap my energy. I don't have any health conditions, but I still take it really easy in the heat, stay as cool as I can, drink as much water as I can bear to (might the headaches be deyhdration)? You also won't be sleeping so well (although you might be if bedroom has aircon). I don't stress about it: just take hot days as easy as I can. When the temperature drops I know I'll be all OK again. The body works harder in the heat to try to keep itself cool.

It’s the fact you are parenting two small kids alone and the heat, never mind your MS on top! I think that day would be exhausting without the health issues

Yes I get exhausted by heat. I never loved hot weather but once I hit perimenopause it was over for me. I'm also on SSRIs which make a person's heat tolerance much lower. It's just too humid a heat in the UK.

Running about doing all that in the heat with two little kids just is very tiring! Drink loads more water btw, the headaches might be down to that.

Only go out before 10:00 am and after 4:00 pm.
Stay out of the midday sun and keep your fluids up.

When you have to go outside, stay in the shade, wear a hat and sunscreen and include some swimming or water play.
Do you have a blow up toddler pool?
Relaxing in water under a tree in the back yard while watching your kids is tolerable.

I think a lot of people find hot weather exhausting. There‘s a reason why athletes have to train in hot conditions to acclimatise their bodies to it - exertion is simply harder work in hot weather. Both DP and I have remarked how much more tired we’ve felt over the last few days just from doing normal stuff.

I think it’s normal. Took DD to a university open Day yesterday, two four hour train journeys on back to back days plus exploring a new city and sitting through multiple talks/ lectures / campus tours… by yesterday evening I was exhausted and I’m sure the humidity made everything more difficult.

Thanks guys. I feel reassured it’s not just me! Other parents suggesting outdoor activities and not seeming as tired, was freaking me out. I just wouldn’t suggest going to a massive playground or park where they’ll be running everywhere in this heat. There are only certain activities I would consider right now. Small playground that’s fenced in, swimming, our garden / friends garden, air-conditioned softplay. I wouldn’t take them to an unknown park or very big playground right now. Unless it was a bit cooler.

You have unrealistic energy expectations I think.

Hot days are known to put strain on the system so they are tiring - look at how animals behave on hot days (they slow right down).

Plus two young kids.

Plus MS.

Sit down and give yourself a break.

I always think I’m doing alright, until I compare with others.

I just wouldn’t do certain things in the heat. Also yesterday my friends just didn’t seem as tired l. But they hadn’t gone swimming before the park, so…

it’s hard to gage how much you should push yourself/ of your tiredness is in your mind vs when are you really doing too much!

I remember before I had kids, I was always chilling / in bed/ tired. I could never have imagined doing the things I do now. So I think back to then and think - was I really tired ? How come I can do so much more now ( because I have to ).

I once heard someone say that you would never think twice about being thirsty: you just go, oh, I'm thirsty, I'll have some water.

But if you feel tired you gaslight yourself / try to power through / feel as though you are "less than."

I found it has given me permission to just go "I'm tired" and allow myself to feel tired (and sometimes even to slow down or rest rather than just powering through).

Having small children is exhausting, even when it's not hot, and even if you don't have MS.

your body works hard every day to function.
add heat and it needs to function and keep the core from getting too hot.
slow down, drink plenty.
allow yourself a cold beverage or ice cream sitting in the shade.

I think it's very normal if you are not used to it. If we had a consistently warm weather, you'll soon wouldn't notice anymore.

The problem is having 2 hot days, followed by 2 weeks of cool weather and repeat. If it was consistent, you'll just have to push through for a few days and you'd be fine

I remember before I had kids, I was always chilling / in bed/ tired. I could never have imagined doing the things I do now. So I think back to then and think - was I really tired ? How come I can do so much more now ( because I have to ).

Is that a way of speaking?

If you were not active, of course it must be a shock

I’m not sure what you mean.

I was always active ( exercise wise ). But I got tired quickly and spent most of my free time chilling.

I can’t do that anymore, since I have kids. And sometimes I wonder if I was really ‘ so tired ‘ back then, or if I just had the mind set of being tired.

because I do so much more now, because I have to. So I clearly can do it..

I mean just that. spent most of my free time chilling is not that usual. Nothing wrong, but if you are used to a leisurly life, of course you are more tired now.

If I look around me, fellow parents spend a lot more time "chilling" than we ever did before kids.

I was never home in the evening or at the weekend before kids, unless I was dying with the flu or something. Now just by having to stay home because the little ones are in bed and can't be reasonably left home alone, there are a lot of evenings sitting down doing nothing or just working.

I got tired quickly
It seems you have always been easily tired? I am not judging, only reading your posts!

I often go for a long walk at the weekend and it doesn't tire me. Yesterday I walked two miles and the humidity and the rain was overwhelming (there was no sun just showery rain). I turned back and walked home. I was absolutely shattered when I got in.

If it's a normal hot day (if it's around early 20s) i'm fine to still walk far, it's the humidity that does me.

I definitely find this. It's got worse since I developed osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia, and as I've got older (I'm 61). I thought that losing 7 stone in weight,which is basically the equivalent of lugging a child around, would help,but no,it's got worse! I am absolutely wiped out by being outside in anything above 26 degrees nowadays.

I honestly don't know how people walk around in it.

I went for a run at midday yesterday - no chance to go any earlier. I just sweated A LOT 😂It did feel stuffy.

OP, you have been working all week, have 2 young children, it's very hot. YANBU. If your body says rest then listen to it xx