We tend to focus on our bodies during the summer, but it’s also an excellent time to improve our mental health, too.
If your emotions and mindset need some work, this is the perfect season to pause and take care of yourself.
Not surprisingly, mental health is tied to physical health. And you already know you should be exercising regularly throughout the year. So, here are three simple steps to better mental health this summer.
- Get out. The power of being outside in sunshine and fresh air cannot be overstated. Sunshine boosts vitamin D and serotonin, which improve your mood. Smelling flowers or cut grass, breathing fresh air, and playing in the sand or a park have real benefits for our mood, too. It feels good because it IS good.
- Use vacation time. Even if you don’t go on a trip, you need the time off from work sometimes. And you probably have a bunch of little things to do around the house or in your hometown that would lower your stress and bring a smile to your face. Catch up on annual appointments. Sit in the sun and read a book all day.
- Focus on sleep. It’s easy to get so stressed that you stay up half the night worrying – then spend the day trying to make everybody happy (except yourself). Research shows that it’s helpful to go to bed and to arise at the same time each day, even on off days from work. Building a routine is essential to establishing healthy sleep patterns – which are essential for mental and physical wellbeing.
If you’re having an issue that persists, remember you don’t have to go it alone. Seek a counselor’s help, just like you would any other expert’s advice with a challenge.
Let the sunshine in. You deserve to absolutely bask in it.
