How to Feel Balanced, Energised + In Flow This Season
Summer is the most expansive, expressive season of the year. We feel it in our bodies, our moods, our energy, and even our hormones. According to the Five Elements of the Dao, summer aligns with the Fire element — the energy of warmth, connection, joy, and full expression.
But Fire can also burn too hot - and in perimenopause, burnout, emotional exhaustion (or just life), summer can feel like too much — too loud, too busy, too draining.
Here’s how to live with the season, not against it.
🔥 The Fire Element (TCM)
Western view:
Circulation, nervous system regulation, and emotional balance are the focus of summer health (Heart + Small Intestine system, Shen/Spirit, Fire element)
Good digestion and temperature regulation support energy levels (transformation of heat, clear Heart, calm Shen)
Connection, joy, and lightness uplift mood (Fire in harmony)
When Fire is balanced, we feel warm, open, connected, creative, and energised.
When Fire is out of balance, we feel anxious, scattered, overheated, irritable, flat, or overstimulated.
How to Support Yourself This Summer
1. Slow mornings, bright days, gentle nights
Western: Nervous system regulation shapes your whole hormonal picture.
TCM: Morning yin anchors Fire; night-time routine protects the Heart.
Try:
Start the day slowly (even 5 minutes of quiet helps)
Keep nights calm and cool
Avoid back-to-back social events (Fire burns out fast)
2. Hydrate in a Heart-loving way
Western: Hydration supports blood pressure, digestion + thermoregulation (link).
TCM: Fluids nourish Yin and prevent excess Heat.
Try:
Room-temperature water rather than iced
Add mint, lemon, cucumber, watermelon
Coconut water for extra electrolytes on hot days
3. Eat for lightness + cooling
Western: Lighter meals support digestion and energy in heat.
TCM: Summer requires cooling, hydrating foods to balance Fire.
Summer-friendly foods:
Watermelon, strawberries, oranges
Cucumber, lettuce, zucchini, tomato
Mint, basil, coriander
Soba noodles, tofu, fish (if tolerated), light proteins
Herbal teas: hibiscus, mint, chrysanthemum
Limit:
Spicy foods (add heat to heat)
Heavy meals
Too much alcohol (depletes fluids + agitates the Shen) (link)
4. Support your Heart + Shen (emotional wellbeing)
Western: Emotional regulation helps prevent burnout, anxiety and sleep issues (link).
TCM: The Shen (Spirit) thrives on joy, connection + calm.
Try:
Laugh more (it literally cools stress pathways)
Spend time with people who feel easy
Pause before saying yes to every event
Try a “quiet joy” practice: soft music, tea, journalling
5. Move like summer: open + flowing
Western: Gentle cardio + circulation movement support mood + hormones.
TCM: Circulation and Heart Qi move best with open, non-straining movement.
Try:
Morning walks
Swimming
Dancing
Qi Gong or stretching near the end of the day
Avoid the “midday burn” workouts
6. Keep your bedroom cool + dark
Western: Sleep quality drops with excessive heat + overstimulation (link).
TCM: Night is Yin — essential to restore balance from daytime Fire.
Try:
Lightweight sheets
Cool showers at night
Avoid phones an hour before bed
Magnesium glycinate or lavender tea if needed
Keep socialising earlier in the day
7. Let summer expand you — but with boundaries
Summer encourages openness, connection and creativity. But that doesn’t mean abandoning your own energetic limits.
Ask yourself:
“Where can I soften?”
“Where do I need clarity?”
“What brings me joy without draining me?”
This is how we keep Fire harmonious — warm, bright, alive, not overwhelming.
Final Thoughts
Summer is an invitation to connect, create, express and enjoy — but also to stay cool, grounded and centred. When we honour the Fire element with both joy and boundaries, we feel more energised, more emotionally balanced, and more deeply ourselves.
If your Fire feels out of balance — too hot, too anxious, too flat, too restless — acupuncture can help regulate the Heart, calm the Shen, and rebalance your system so you can enjoy the season with ease.