It is a myth that the blues only surface during the winter or in extended periods of rain. If you’re like most people, you can experience the blues even in the summertime. Here are eight strategies to help you bust the summertime blues.
1. Grow something
Whether you grow flowers or vegetables, it is very therapeutic to nurture and care for plants. Horticultural therapy is a time-proven, ancient practice, the benefits of which I can attest to. In my younger years, I was the first Registered Horticultural Therapist in my home state, and I witnessed the transforming power of growing plants.
If you really enjoy flowers, I recommend you plant a few. You’ll need to decide which type fits your personality and lifestyle. Petunias, for example, can prove to be a stressful plant for some because of the daily care required, while others enjoy picking off the dying blossoms while sipping their morning coffee or tea.
My recommendation is that you grow at least a few vegetables. Why? Because veggies are low carb, sugar free, gluten-free, and they taste delicious. For vegetables, you don’t need to grow much or dedicate much space. You can grow a salad garden on your deck, along with herbs. If you have more space and want to be adventurous, try planting a larger garden. Here is the link to a great article filled with tips on how to start a garden.
2. Eat cooling foods
Focus on light, summery foods including lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Cooling foods help regulate your internal body temperature and supply you with added vitamins and minerals.
In addition to gluten-free options, cooling foods help reduce inflammation in your body. If you are growing a salad garden, you can get some of the cooling foods from your own garden. Other cooling foods include avocado and watermelon.
3. Drink water
Drinking water is always important, but more so in the warmer temperatures as higher external temperatures make it harder to balance internal temperatures. A lack of water can leave you feeling more tired and, in extreme cases, can cause dehydration and heat stroke.
Having a favorite glass you fill with water every hour or two will keep you on track, or you could buy a large water bottle with reminder lines to help you drink throughout the day.
Click here to read Susan Neal’s explanation of how to calculate your recommended intake in her article on intermittent fasting.
4. Get outside
It sounds obvious, but many people stay inside in the air conditioning during the summer months with curtains drawn to keep the heat out. The unwanted result is an overwhelming case of the summertime blues.
We are made to be outside. Whether you prefer a hammock, lawn chair, or beach blanket makes no difference. Likewise, you can choose to be in the sun or the shade, but I encourage you to soak in at least 20 minutes of sunshine a day (maybe while you garden) to get the important benefits of vitamin D.
The important factor is that you get outside and slow down, breathe in the air, and listen to the sounds of nature. Take notice of unfamiliar sights and sounds. Count the varieties of birds and insects you see. Nature is God’s gift to us and is necessary to maintaining a mental health balance.
5. Stay cool naturally
Air conditioning is seemingly necessary, but there are people who do not have access and have learned to cool off naturally. Many choose to swim in a pool, while others opt for a soaking tub in a shaded side yard. Children scamper through splash pads in the city parks, while those living in rural areas enjoy a home sprinkler and hose. Beaches and lake fronts are filled with people looking for ways to beat the heat without using air conditioners that hike electric bills and sometimes exasperate respiratory problems.
Those suffering from health issues that don’t allow for frequent outside visits to a water source can stay cool naturally by taking a cool shower and then sleeping with the windows open rather than turn on the air conditioning. Read this blog for more tips on how to stay cool without air conditioning.
6. Create a summer playlist
There are few things that stimulate the brain the way music does. If you want to keep your brain engaged and mentally strong, listening to or playing music is a great tool.
Listening to music, according to research, can reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and pain. Listening to music can also improve sleep, mood, mental alertness, and memory. There are no negative side effects from music!
The choice of music is completely up to you. I recommend uplifting contemporary Christian music mixed with classical or jazz. Once you have your playlist created, play your music while you are gardening, hanging out on your porch or patio, or while you are enjoying the beach.
There are plenty of free community concerts throughout the summer that offer a variety of music and a chance to socialize. Loneliness creeps in when we least expect it and can be a contributing factor to you feeling the blues, and socializing at group events goes a long way to combating loneliness. Take along gluten-free and sugar-free snacks and make it an afternoon or evening outing to remember. You may even make new friends.
7. Prioritize sleep
Adults need eight hours of sleep, give or take an hour. If you are battling the summertime blues, do a sleep checkup. Maybe you are getting too much sleep! Yes, it is actually possible to sleep too long, creating the opposite effect of what you are seeking because of sleeping.
Your mental well-being is highly contingent on getting the proper amount of sleep. Don’t feel guilty about excusing yourself from the backyard campfire or the all-night dance party on the beach.
Your overall physical and mental health is depending on you making the wise choice to prioritize your sleep. You can read more here about how your head and body are connected to each other and to your sleeping patterns.
8. Keep a journal
Writing in a journal helps you process your emotions and write about experiences. Journals are where goals are written down and checkpoints are set to make progress.
If you are struggling in a particular area, journaling can provide much needed accountability as you write candidly about successes and failures. Having a journal allows you to look back through the previous days or weeks and analyze roadblocks or poor patterns that you desire to overcome.
Summertime is the perfect time to implement new healthy eating and lifestyle goals for these reasons. If you find yourself battling a food addiction or binge eating processed carbs and sugar, check out this Healthy Living Journal. You will be able to analyze when you binge, what you eat, the emotions you were feeling at the time, and the food you ate which were not a healthy choice. You can set goals and celebrate your progress as you go.
You can do this
Implementing the strategies listed above will help you to combat the summertime blues. None of the strategies are difficult, and it is not likely I have suggested anything that you have not heard of before.
The key is in implementation and follow-through. To recap, your basic strategies are to grow plants (even 1-2), eat healthy gluten-free and sugar-free foods that cool your internal temperatures, stay hydrated, find ways other than air-conditioning to stay cool, get outside, listen to music, get adequate sleep, and journal.
These strategies will boost your mental well-being and bust the summertime blues you may be feeling.
About the Author
Mel Tavares is an award-winning author, speaker, teacher, coach, and counselor. She has invested decades in equipping women from all walks of life to thrive in the midst of their circumstances. Mel holds a Doctorate of Ministry, is a Board Certified Professional Life and Mental Health Coach, Certified QPR Suicide Prevention Instructor, a member of the AACC (American Association of Christian Counselors), and AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association). She authors books on Healthy Living in a Toxic World and is a contributing author to several books. Mel writes for multiple ministries; she teaches digitally and in person, hosts Facebook Live series, and is a recurrent media guest. Mel is a wife, mom to seven, and grandma to ten. You can find her materials and learn more about her ministry on her website.