You might be surprised to learn that summer can be a tough time to stay on track with wellbeing goals. For some, it may feel too muggy to keep up a running routine; for others, a family vacation can disrupt a daily meditation practice. New Year’s resolutions that seemed so urgent in January may feel like a distant memory. It’s okay if you get off track when the summer months hit: this halfway point in the year is the perfect time to reassess your goals and find balance and a fresh focus again.
Summer Wellbeing:
In this article we will explore a series of simple tips or additions to our lifestyle that many of us can adopt to maintain our wellbeing this summer:
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Getting better rest – Longer, sunny days may mean we might be tempted to stay up later than usual. Hot and sticky weather can also prevent you from falling into a deep slumber. Try making your bedroom summer-friendly by keeping it cool with a fan or open window, hanging light-blocking curtains, and relaxing before bed by putting away your phone and reading a few pages of a new book.
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Healthy diet – Whilst it is healthy to maintain a balanced diet all year round a new season brings new foods and recipes. Take advantage of the different fruit and vegetables that are in season during spring and summer. You’ll be able to enjoy delicious foods such as spinach, purple sprouting broccoli, radishes, watercress, asparagus and rhubarb.
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Staying hydrated – During the summer, our bodies try to cool down through the natural process of sweating, which in turn can cause dehydration. This makes it essential for us to drink more water, as less water content in the body can lead to various ailments. You may find this handy hydration tool useful –https://www.hydrationforhealth.com/en/hydration-tools/hydration-calculator/
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Exercise outdoors – Regular exercise is a great way to maintain positive mental and physical wellbeing. With the changing season we may now be more encouraged to train outdoors. Consider working out with a partner or friend as working out with somebody can be great for boosting your motivation and also output in your activity.
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Connecting with others – is a great way to stay on top of our mental wellbeing. Social connection can lower anxiety and depression, help us regulate our emotions, lead to higher self-esteem and empathy, and improve our immune system.
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Try your hand at Mindfulness – Mindfulness is the ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. Mindfulness is a quality that every person already possesses and you just have to learn how to access it. If you don’t know where to start you might find this link useful – https://www.mindful.org/how-to-meditate/
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Be kind – When we practice kindness either to other people or towards ourselves we can experience positive mental and physical changes through lowering stress levels and increasing the body’s production of feel-good hormones such as dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin. Whether it’s a smile, a thank you, a compliment or larger acts such as volunteering at your local community centre, acts of kindness and generosity can improve your mental wellbeing and help you build new social networks.
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Sun Screen is cool – and not just for summer. “When choosing a sunscreen, look for a high sun-protection factor (30 SPF or more) to protect against UVB, the UVA circle logo and/or four or five UVA stars to protect against UVA,” advises Dr Anjali Mahto, consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson. “Ensure you apply plenty of sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before going out into the sun, and reapply every two hours and after swimming.”
We will explore some of these points further and discuss this topic during the ‘Summer Wellbeing’ webinar on Wednesday 14th April 2021 at 12pm. You can register to join the webinar at:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3426622904406650380
If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.
If you feel you may need some support, you can also contact Care first. Care first is a leading provider of confidential, professional counselling, information and advice services. All employees are eligible to use Care first, our services include; telephone counselling, information services and online support. Call Care first on the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.