HERE'S WHY YOU MIGHT FIND YOURSELF WORKING BETTER NOW SUMMER IS ENDING

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Psychologist Sula Windgassen explained to Newsweek why people tend to feel more focused in the fall.

As the heat of summer gives way to cooler fall temperatures, you might be discovering a renewed ability to concentrate and tackle your to-do list.

That change, according to psychologist Sula Windgassen, may have less to do with willpower and more to do with how the brain manages stress amid different temperatures.

Windgassen, a health psychologist and psychotherapist, told Newsweek that the body experiences a physiological shift once the burden of cooling itself down during the height of summer is lifted.

"The extra impact of the heat on the hypothalamus can leave a sense of relief once temperatures cool and we're into the fall, often leaving people feeling a renewed sense of having to lock into their goals," she said.

One of her recent Instagram posts, shared to her account @the_health_psychologist_, laid out why concentration often falters in the heat.

The carousel of images read: "Heat makes your brain slow down and affects your ability to perform as usual, leading to feelings of brain fog, lower emotional capacity and more frustration, and fatigue."

Dr. Sula Windgassen (R) poses for a headshot; and an infographic (L) from her Instagram account. Credit: @THE_HEALTH_PSYCHOLOGIST_

The post explained that while they may seem like completely separate functions, heat regulation and emotional regulation are closely connected.

"The same area in the brain that regulates temperature also regulates emotion and the stress response. Meet the hypothalamus," the post read.

When the skin's thermoreceptors detect heat, they signal the hypothalamus to begin cooling the body. That process can prompt physical responses such as sweating or behavioral responses like seeking shade or fetching water. Because overheating can be life threatening, the process becomes a priority for the brain.

Windgassen noted that this constant demand on the hypothalamus carries additional consequences over time.

"It has multiple demands and increased activation which can mean it also results in the secretion of stress hormones like cortisol," she explained in the post.

The result can mean fatigue, irritability and diminished mental focus for the individual tasked with working in the heat.

For many people, the shift into cooler fall weather is therefore more than seasonal preference and an opportunity to cozy up with hot chocolate, it can bring genuine physiological relief.

"Moderate and cooler conditions are easier for us to work in because the brain and body doesn't have the additional strain of having to try and cool us down and maintain our internal temperature," Windgassen said.

She added that cooler weather lets body operate without diverting so many resources toward thermoregulation.

"This allows more capacity for physical and mental resources," she said. "Heat is a physiological stressor, so when this is removed, we can access more of an internal equilibrium and work more comfortably."

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