Songwriter Hans Carste and lyricist Hans Bradtke wrote the popular “Du spielst 'ne tolle Rolle.” Doesn’t sound familiar? An English translation and a recording by a famous jazz and big band singer put the song on the map, even reaching #14 on the Billboard chart. It happened when a studio wanted Nat King Cole to record songs that dated back to the early 1900’s, or at least sounded like they did. Described as “catchy and lighthearted performances”, it included a recording of the newly translated “Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer.”
The song pre-dates a lot of us but its lyrics include images of “days of soda”, “basket full of sandwiches”, “some romantic movie scenes”, and “kissin’ in the car”, all taking place in the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.
Ah…summer days. They certainly can evoke the feelings and promise of sun and long glorious hours. Yet we know it can quickly become a rather busy season since summer is seen as a good time to catch up with projects around the house and yard, not to mention all the gardening many enjoy, so there's little opportunity to experience anything hazy…although crazy might be a good descriptor. Meantime, social calendars fill up during these months as weddings, reunions, holidays, summer camp and get-togethers require our time and attendance. So given all that, can there possibly be any truth to summer being a lazy time? Should it be?
It turns out it is just fine to feel a bit lazy in the summer. More than fine. In fact, studies back up the fact that it is a biological reality. Hot weather does, indeed, make us a bit lazy thanks to the need for internal temperature regulation, our reaction to natural light, our need to expend more energy in the heat, and other factors that make us feel a bit more sluggish and lethargic.
Harvard Business School research found that hot weather affects our cognition and generally makes us sleepier. It concluded employees are more productive on rainy days and we are capable of making more rapid and accurate decisions when we are in cooler temperatures.
I know this is true for me. I take much more delight in being active in cooler weather than I am when heat or humidity suck the energy out of my body at breakneck speed. It has made for some interesting moments on vacation. Most of our holidays have been taken in the summer months and some of the places we’ve gone have been hot, humid locations. Hot and sticky. And sweaty. Places where my hair falls flat and I look like a drowned rat. Places where bottled water can sell for upwards of $4 and although I don’t have much of an appetite when it’s hot, let’s just say I never underestimate the importance of hydration.
So while my fresh-faced, energetic family is bounding to the next activity regardless of the temperature, my spirit is always willing but, sometimes, the flesh feels weak.
There are places on the globe where life seems to move at a decidedly different pace than others, and often those differences have a great deal to do with climate. Where temperatures are warmer, schedules seem to be more flexible. Slower is preferred. There’s little need to rush--because where is the enjoyment in that? Beyond that, taking time to enjoy the sun and warmth can provide a bunch of lifestyle benefits like increased intake of Vitamin D, improved circulation, and a boost to our mood and memory.
Yes, the sun and heat might make us a bit weary, but it also brings some really good things we need to make the most of. While schedules may be full it’s important to give ourselves permission to sit and dip our toes in the lake, take an afternoon nap in a lawn chair, or enjoy an unhurried visit out on the deck. Life will be better when we do.
While summer days can become quite busy we need to be sure we are taking time to soak in all the good stuff because regrettably it doesn’t stay with us very long. So before we begin bemoaning how quickly it is going, let’s be sure we are enjoying what is here right now. Crazy and hazy may not be the preferred words to describe the coming weeks, but let’s all be reminded that there is a biological reality that permits (dare I say, requires) that we embrace a bit of laziness. Over the coming weeks we should each try and hit the mark more than a few times. That’s my outlook.
