3 Ways to practice wellness this summer
- Category: Blog
- Posted On:
- Written By: RRH
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Summer often brings a welcomed break from our usual routines – even our wellness-focused routines. With vacations, intense heat, and a change in our daily activities it may be easy to put wellness on the back burner. Instead, consider trying a new wellness routine! Here are 3 ideas but the possibilities are endless. Get creative and see where the summer takes you.
Rise and shine
Most people look forward to beautiful, sunny days and there is a reason for that. The effect sunlight has on our overall well-being, especially early morning light, is often underappreciated by our busy, on-the-go culture.
Waking up early and being exposed to early morning sunlight allows our circadian rhythm to do its job – help us wake up ready, giving us energy to tackle the day, and feel tired at bedtime. Roughly speaking, the effect of morning light is that it advances the clock, while evening and night light delays the clock.1 Advancing the clock is the adjustment of our bodies to feeling tired and ready for a restful night sleep. Many people suffer from a variety of sleep issues and this may be one way to help us prepare for a good night’s sleep.
Natural sunlight has been shown to advance the timing of sleep to earlier hours, affect the duration of sleep, and improve sleep quality.1 Try not to hit that snooze button and instead get up and enjoy your morning outside on your patio or even better, enjoy it on an early morning walk. Your sleep will thank you!
Hydrate to feel great
Ridgecrest heat is no joke, and we need to stay especially mindful about staying hydrated in the summer. One great way is to create a water bar or hydration station. Make drinking water fun and interesting with a variety of different fruits, vegetables, or herbs to toss into your water.
To really spice things up, use sparkling water to add variety for your taste buds and sensations. Have everything washed, prepared, and ready to go so it is easy to pour yourself a glass of water and add in some flavorful ingredients. From cucumbers, to lemons, to mint the options are endless. Staying hydrated helps your heart pump the blood through your body more easily and helps your muscles function more efficiently.2 It also helps regulate body temperature, prevents and alleviates constipation, and helps the kidneys remove wastes. Give your body what it needs to be its best and enjoy the variety of flavors along the way.
Digital detox
Summer often leads to more relaxed days and in the Ridgecrest heat, also often results in more time spent doing activities indoors. For many it is easy to rely on electronics to pass the time but it could also be an opportunity to try something different - learn a new hobby, or tackle those home projects. Constant exposure to devices like smartphones, personal computers, and television can severely affect mental health - increase stress and anxiety, for example, and cause various sleep issues in both children as well as adults.4 However, the possible side effects go beyond that with risk factors including obesity, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance.
Obviously, we live in a world where electronics are integrated into our everyday life so the key is learning how to be mindful about our electronic usage. This summer perhaps that is setting a goal for reducing the amount of time spent on electronic devices or maybe it is adding in some other activities to fill your time. Have a plan, set a goal, and enjoy the creative process of mixing things up.
Here’s to a summer focused on fun and wellness!
Tera Moorehead is the Director of Community Outreach, Wellness and Philanthropy at Ridgecrest Regional Hospital. With dual master’s degrees in nutrition and education, as well as a national board certified health and wellness coach, Tera shares her passion for health and wellness through various programs offered free to the community through RRH. You can contact her at 760-499-3825.
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6751071/
2. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/staying-hydrated-staying-healthy
