Planning a Wonderful Summer
Summer! With the milder weather and the longer days many of us view this time of year as an exciting time; fun days at the beach, picnics with friends, hikes, outdoor activities, family holidays and generally spending more time outdoors. It can be a time full of excitement and happiness and a great time to invest in lifestyle habits that support your mental health. There is science that points to summer being a time of better mental health.
Practice a summer of self-care
Sometimes a few minutes of mindfulness, a short walk or a nice relaxing bath can do wonders. Try making a list of some feel-good activities and plan them out for the weeks ahead.
How the summer affects mental health
One of the main ways the summer can help with mental health is through the sunshine. Because of the warmer weather, many of us spend more time outdoors and the sun is out for longer than in other seasons.
The increased sun exposure boosts our vitamin D levels and can even improve mood, leading to better mental health. Spending time in the sun also helps your body produce more melatonin (sleep hormone) at night, allowing you to sleep better and generally feel better.
Summer is a good time to set habits and prepare for the coming months that are colder and when we might have less energy.
Forming habits
- Set boundaries. You don’t have to say yes to every opportunity you are presented with. Try the activities and plans that seem the best to you and take breaks when you need them.
- Set a sleep schedule. Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule can help to ensure you get adequate sleep. One possible way to do this is by avoiding staying up too late.
- Engage in physical activity. Improving your physical health can have great benefits on your mental health. With the warmer weather comes more opportunities for outdoor exercise. See if your local council are offering activities and try new forms of exercise, such as Tai Chi in the park. Set a standard for how active you are now so that you will more likely find ways to stay active moving forward.
- Have fun! Making an effort to intentionally improve your mental health is beneficial, but make sure you get some fun too. Setting up helpful habits, including therapy if needed, are great, but you need to enjoy life too. Find a balance between responsibility and fun!
You could try the following outdoor activities to boost your mood:
- Meditation or mindfulness outdoors, such as in a park or a quiet nature setting. Even simple breathing exercises can help to boost your mood and lower stress.
- Organise to meet friends or family outside in an area with available shade, instead of somewhere indoors. You could take your own picnic and refreshments.
- You could suggest a walk and talk activity outside in a local park with friends and family – socialising is good for you.
What are you planning for this summer?