Better weather, more sunlight, and more time outside all come together to have a positive impact on both your physical and mental health. Some of the positive effects of summer include a boost in Vitamin D, less stress, and being more active.
Vitamin D and Your Health
Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that helps to enhance the absorption of calcium needed for healthy bones. We tend to have insufficient levels of Vitamin D in the winter because of weather, little sun exposure and shorter days. With the arrival of summer, nicer weather and longer days, it becomes much easier for us to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D.
Less Stress
Summer is a time to relax and enjoy the sunshine. School is out, vacations are planned, and holiday stress is over. This is a great time to get some much-needed rest, relaxation, and take some time for yourself, which is an important part of mental health.
If you don’t know where to start with self-care here are a few ideas to get you going.
- Try to get 20 minutes of sunlight a day (don’t forget your sunscreen!)
- Engage with friends or family
- Stay active, take a walk, bike ride, or hike
- Stick to a consistent sleep schedule
- Take time for YOU: read a book outside, take a peaceful walk, choose something that soothes your soul
Get out and Move
Summer leads to a lot of great ways to stay active and many people are more active in the summer than in the winter. Any increase in physical activity boosts neuronal connections, blood oxygenation, and a sense of well-being. This is due to the fact that when we are active our bodies produce serotonin, endorphin, and dopamine in the body.
A few summer actives to consider:
- Take a hike
- Go for a swim
- Go golfing and walk the course
- Live near water? Go surfing, snorkeling, kayaking
- Plant a garden
Find something you enjoy and make time to do it.
Summer Health Tips
Summer may have a lot of health benefits, but we should always keep in mind summer safety. You don’t want your summer cut short.
- Make sure to wear sunscreen to protect against sunburn
- Make sure to stretch before doing any physical activity
- Make sure to drink enough water
- Wear a hat or sunglasses to protect your eyes
- Stay aware of the temperature and do more physical activities early in the morning or later in the evening when it is cooler.
Summer can be a time of fun, but also with more activity comes the chance for injury. Urgent care is here for you whenever you need us from sprains, strains, cuts and more. We will get you back to the summer fun in no time! Check out a full list of our services here.
