There’s a 5th season in TCM — and why Singapore often feels like it

If you’ve ever walked out of the MRT, immediately regretted wearing sleeves, and wondered why you even bothered taking a shower when you were just going to feel damp anyway, you’re familiar with how this season feels.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there’s a “5th season” — late summer — a transition period between summer and autumn. While calendars might disagree on whether it begins in mid or late August (in the Northern hemisphere), Singapore’s climate already stays close in this zone and the season only exacerbates it.

TCM recommendations to stay healthy differ between summer and late summer:

Quick Links

When is Summer vs Late Summer in TCM?

If you’re looking for a specific date range, unfortunately TCM season timing isn’t one universal calendar everyone follows. Various systems may be used:

    • Solar terms (24 节气), based on the sun’s position (more “seasonal” than month-based)
    • Lunar-calendar traditions
    • A climate-first approach (what the weather is doing where you live)

That said, a general guideline is:

    • Summer: roughly early May → late July (peak heat, peak “outward” energy)
    • Late Summer (the “5th season”): roughly late July → early/mid September (the transition phase before autumn, where humidity/heaviness tends to stand out)

If you’re in Singapore, it can feel like these overlap because we get heat + humidity year-round — which is why it helps to pay attention to how your body feels instead of treating the calendar like law.

 

What’s the difference between Summer and Late Summer in TCM?

TCM looks at seasons as external factors that have a direct influence on the body, and each Organ system.

Here’s a simple way to tell summer and late summer apart:

    • Summer = heat / “too much yang” People often feel hotter, sweatier, more thirsty, restless or short-tempered. Sleep can feel lighter. Skin can flare up. Digestion can also slow down, but the heat is the dominant factor.
    • Late summer = humidity + heaviness / “dampness” The air feels thick. Your body can feel thick too: sluggish, bloated, snacky-but-not-truly-hungry, foggy, water-retentive. The humidity dominates, with heaviness and digestion feeling slower.

In other words: summer is “hot and over-stimulated”; late summer is “sticky and weighed down.” (And yes, Singapore can swing between both in the same week.)

 

Summer and your Heart system (Fire) in TCM

In TCM, summer corresponds to the Fire element, and the organ system associated with Fire is the Heart (paired with the Small Intestine).

You can think of this pairing as: circulation + “clarity” + how revved-up your system feels.

In hot weather, the body naturally:

    • dilates blood vessels and ramps up sweating to cool down (circulation is working harder)
    • can feel more restless, more easily irritated, or more mentally “busy”

TCM describes a similar idea through the Heart’s role in:

    • moving blood / circulation (not a 1:1 with Western physiology, but there’s overlap in “heat affects circulation”)
    • housing the Shen (often translated loosely as mental-emotional steadiness)

So in summer, TCM tends to emphasise: don’t run your inner engine too hard. Too much heat + too much stimulation can show up as poor sleep and agitation. (See also: TCM View of Stress Patterns)

“If this sounds like you…” (more Heart) Summer symptom check

You don’t need to tick every box — but if a few feel familiar, cooling down and helping your Heart settle may be vital in summer:

    • You feel overexcited / wired, like you can’t “come down” (even when tired)
    • You feel amped to the point of being a bit out of control — talk faster, rush, can’t slow your thoughts
    • You notice heart palpitations, chest fluttering, or a tight chest
    • You get shortness of breath, especially when stressed or overheated
    • Your memory feels worse (forgetful, scatterbrained, can’t hold onto details)
    • Symptoms feel noticeably stronger around 11am–1pm (the Heart time in the TCM body clock)
    • You get a bitter taste in the mouth

In TCM language, these can cluster around Heart Heat and/or Shen agitation (“too much fire + can’t settle down”).

Late Summer and your Spleen system (Earth) in TCM

Late summer is tied to the Earth element, and the organ system associated with Earth is the Spleen (paired with the Stomach).

In TCM, the Spleen system is your “processing centre”:

    • how you digest and “transform” food into usable energy
    • how you move and manage fluids (which is why late summer gets linked to that damp/heavy/puffy feeling)
    • how you “digest” and process thoughts (which is why this system is linked to overthinking)

When the environment feels damp and heavy, TCM’s framing is: the body has a harder time “drying out” and “moving things along”, so sluggish digestion, bloat, fogginess, and water retention can become more noticeable. Hence TCM tends to emphasise supporting digestion in late summer.

“If this sounds like you…” (more Spleen) late-summer symptom check

You don’t need to tick every box — but if a few feel familiar, take extra care in Late Summer:

    • You feel heavy, foggy, or low-energy, especially after meals
    • You get bloaty or snacky, but not in a “true hunger” way
    • You tend to overthink, and the mental load feels sticky too
    • Your body feels puffy or water-retentive in the heat
    • You’re caught between “too tired” and “still can’t sleep early”

In TCM language, these often cluster around Spleen Qi deficiency and/or dampness (aka that “sticky heaviness” sensation).

 

The vicious Summer and Late Summer cycles (yes, plural)

Singapore gives us a special combo: heat (summer/Fire) + humidity (late summer/Earth) — and they can trigger different “loops.”

Summer / Heart (Fire): the overstimulation loop (See also: Revenge Bedtime Procrastination)

    • You feel hot + wired → you push through (more caffeine, more screens, more doing)
    • Your Heart/Shen feels too revved up → palpitations, restless mind, poor sleep
    • Poor sleep → you feel more fragile and reactive the next day
    • You reach for quick “up” energy again → and the cycle repeats

Late Summer / Spleen (Earth): the heaviness loop

    • You feel heavy/bloated → you crave cold/sugary/quick things (iced drinks, desserts, random snacks)
    • Those choices feel refreshing for five minutes → then digestion slows and bloat creeps in
    • You feel sluggish → you move less, sit more, scroll more
    • Less movement + more snacking → cravings set in again


How to support yourself in Summer + Late Summer (without turning your life into a wellness project)

Summer (Heart / Fire): cool down + help the Shen settle

1) Find room for introspection

As the home of the Shen, which is your mind-spirit, the Heart is deeply connected to mental and emotional patterns.

Joy and excitement come alive in summer, but find some buffers to protect against over-stimulation:

    • leaving 5-10 minutes in between meetings
    • some time away from notifications
    • allowing space for emotions other than positivity

2) Do one “Heart-calming” pause at midday (11am–1pm)

If your symptoms spike around Heart time, treat it like a daily signal:

    • 3 minutes of slow breathing (inhale 4 counts, exhale 6 counts or longer)
    • a short shaded walk

3) Cool the inputs: caffeine, spicy + greasy, heavy proteins

If you’re getting palpitations, agitation, lingering bitter taste, or poor sleep:

    • try smaller coffee, earlier coffee, or coffee every other day
    • seek out lighter proteins like eggs, lean pork over heavy, warming proteins like lamb
    • reduce heavy foods like rich curries, gravies and creamy sauces

4) Eat more “cooling but not frozen” foods (often bitter flavours)

Summer foods are lighter + more hydrating. (You can still eat cold foods — and summer is the time to eat more raw foods, since it’s the most yang time of the year — just avoid the “iced everything all day”)

Bitter flavours trigger receptors to improve digestion, especially important in Summer. Recommended foods include:

    • Hydrating fruits: watermelon, strawberries, tomatoes
    • Bitter + cooling veg: bitter gourd, watercress
    • Other light vegetables common in TCM: bamboo shoots, dark leafy greens (e.g., spinach (菠菜), tang oh / shungiku (茼蒿), amaranth (苋菜), lettuce (生菜)

5) Build Blood (so your Heart has something to “house”)

In TCM, the Heart is closely tied to Blood — not just circulation, but having enough steady “fuel” to keep you grounded. When Blood is depleted, the Shen can feel less anchored.

    • Add one Blood-supporting food daily (animal or plant):
      • Animal (more “direct” iron): lean red meat, liver (small amounts), sardines
      • Plant (pair with vitamin C for absorption): black sesame, black beans/soybeans, lentils, tofu/tempeh, wood ear mushroom (黑木耳), amaranth (苋菜), pumpkin, dark leafy greens
      • TCM pantry add‑ons (养血/补血): red dates (红枣), longan (桂圆), goji (枸杞), mulberries (桑葚)

Late summer (Spleen / Earth): reduce damp + support digestion

1) Warm up your first drink (yes, even in Singapore)

Try starting the day with warm water or a warm herbal tea before your iced kopi.

Warmth is often easier on digestion, especially if you wake up feeling bloated or “not hungry.”

2) Eat one “easy digestion” meal a day

Pick one meal to be the “easy” meal. Breakfast in particular (7–9am) can be a good slot to support the Spleen:

    • Starchy + grounding base: pumpkin, sweet potato, potato, yam, taro, rice, millet
    • Gentle veg (cooked): carrots, squash, spinach, bok choy, cabbage
    • Simple protein: eggs, tofu, fish, shredded chicken
    • Bonus (if you’re bloaty): ginger slices in soup, spring onion, a little aged tangerine peel (陈皮) (if you use it)

Keep it simple and consistent for a week — that’s usually more helpful than a chaotic raw food detox.

3) Make one meal “Spleen-friendly”: chew + simplify (no screens)

If you’re feeling sluggish and having difficulty processing (both food and thoughts), try this too:

    • No screens while eating (yes, even “just a short reel”)
    • Chew until the food is soft before you swallow
    • Pause between bites (put utensils down once or twice)

4) Do a 15-minute post-meal walk (or the “office corridor lap”)

Apparently, we should take 20 minutes of full rest for every hour of thinking… which is a tall order. Try 15 minutes of movement after a main meal.

This “Qi-moving” walk will help your meal (and thoughts!) to move and descend, which can ease that post-meal fog.

(p.s. you can try Sunlit Glade if you had a super heavy meal that walking doesn’t help)

5) Try a quick acupressure reset: ST36 (足三里)

If you like a practical TCM tool that doesn’t require memorising meridians:

    • ST36 (足三里) is commonly used for digestion and energy support.
    • Location: about four finger-widths below the kneecap, slightly to the outside of the shin bone.
    • How: press/massage firmly for 30–60 seconds per side, once or twice a day.

If it feels tender, that’s the point - there’s a TCM adage that says pain comes from blockage/stagnation.

Summer season tea suggestions

Summer and late summer are both “a lot” in Singapore — consider an easy daily herbal tea ritual to support you in preventing the worst:

    • Summer (Heart / Fire): cool down, reduce overstimulation, protect sleep, help the Shen settle.
      • If you feel anxious + overstimulated → Quiet Heart
    • Late summer (Spleen / Earth): support digestion, reduce damp/heaviness, keep routines simple and consistent.
      • If you feel heavy + bloated → Cloudless Citrus

Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have persistent symptoms or a medical condition, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

 

References & Further Reading

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.