Nobody expected that: the summer really gets going again on the very last meters. That’s gratifying – and healthy too! FITBOOK explains why (and how) to take advantage of Indian summer in the coming days.
Beautiful late summer weather is a mood booster for most people. So be happy: for the coming days, weather conditions with stable high pressure are forecast for all of Germany, as well as temperatures of up to 30 degrees Celsius and lots of sunshine. As if that weren’t beautiful enough, Indian summer is apparently also really healthy.
Indian summer is healthy
«Such an Indian summer is particularly healthy weather,» says Prof. Andreas Matzarakis. He is scientific director of the Center for Medical Meteorological Research of the German Weather Service (DWD) based in Freiburg. And he can also explain why. It doesn’t get too hot and the UV radiation is within limits. Matzarakis therefore advises using the warm days to go out and exercise in the fresh air.
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But: Not only outside, but also at home we obviously benefit from the weather conditions. The interiors are cooler in Indian summer than they were in midsummer. «So people can sleep well,» says the weather expert. And, of course, sleep is very important for health.
Also praise the weather
Matzarakis finds it a pity that usually only the negative aspects of the weather are discussed. Gray days depress many people’s spirits, and those who are sensitive to the weather can feel downright ill in the rain and cold.
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High time to focus on the positive effects of the weather on health. “High pressure and low pressure roughly balance each other out over the year. That means half of the year we have rather positive characteristics due to high pressure.”
It gets even healthier in the fall
As healthy as Indian summer may be, the healthiest weather is yet to come. Namely at the end of the month, at the transition to early autumn, and then again next year in late spring. «A little wind, 17 to 18 degrees, a slight cold stimulus. This promotes thermoregulation and is the best weather for health,” says Matzarakis.