Why Spending a Day at the Beach Makes You Feel So Tired and What Science Says About It

The rhythm of life slows down when you visit a beach. A stunning contrast of burning Sun and cool breeze sweeps away the thoughts in your head and induces you into a state of meditative tranquillity.  However, while you remain immersed in this serene experience, the notorious Sun peering from the sky slowly pumps away your energy, and even before you realize it, your body needs a power nap. In conversation with Popular Science, expert Craig Crandall explains why this happens and what you should do to combat this “beach fatigue.”

“Humans need to be able to regulate their body temperature. If we didn’t, we would be lizards,” Crandall, who is a physiologist and professor of internal medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, said. He added that the internal temperature of the body should ideally stay close to 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. So while you’re lounging on a deck chair, with or without an umbrella, your body is constantly working to maintain its temperature balance as the contrasting forces of heat and cold crash against it, attempting to trigger a dance of the extremes.