Easing Summer Stress

Summer is the season of sun, fun and holidays. But while July and August may have meant long, balmy days when you were a child, that isn’t so true now that you’re grown up and have responsibilities.

Fortunately, there are ways to promote a more relaxed frame of mind. Here are our top stress-beating hacks to support you throughout whilst on vacation and throughout the summer season .

Stay Hydrated

As the mercury creeps up be especially mindful of your need to hydrate; even a minor fluid shortfall can cause fatigue, headaches and concentration difficulties. If you find yourself perspiring freely, replace electrolytes adding some powdered electrolytes to your water bottle.

Eat Your Greens

Once you do go on that long-planned getaway, it can be tempting to indulge in a few days of dietary excess. But abandoning good habits, even for a few days, can leave you without the energy you need to enjoy your vacation.

So make sure you still eat your veggies—that should be easy, given the abundance of fresh produce available this time of year.

A diet rich in fruit and vegetables has a protective effect against cardiovascular disease, lowers blood pressure, and prevents strokes. Green foods are abundant in nutrients that are beneficial for heart health, like vitamin K, magnesium, nitrates, and stress busting folates.

Reduce Meat and Dairy

Many people often find that they put on a few extra pounds when they are away on holiday. So why not commit to going veggie, or switching to a pescatarian diet, for the duration of your trip. With the warmer weather a lighter diet will probably suit you better, leave you feeling fresher, and your body will thank you for it.

Take Short Trips

Don’t have the time or money for one long trip? Try taking several shorter ones. Not only are three- or four-day weekends easier to plan and pay for, they also give you more breaks to look forward to.

One of those long weekends can be a staycation—find fun things to do in your local area!

Turn Off the Worry Machine

The worst way to spend a vacation is to plop your body down on a beach somewhere...while your mind is still stuck on the job.

You know that fretting won’t solve your problems, but simply thinking to yourself “not worrying, not worrying” doesn’t really work. A better option is to write your worries down and come up with ways you can address those issues when you get back.

Another good idea: Don’t look at your phone ten times an hour. You may even consider actually turning it off (gasp!), unless you need to check in on an elderly relative or have some other equally vital task. The world will manage without you for a while.

Get Out Into Nature

Spending time among trees has been found to help ease stress and improve mood.^† The Japanese even have a word for it: shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing.

You don’t have to be a hardcore hiker to benefit, either. Go to a leafy park for a picnic and a leisurely walk, or find a wooded path that will allow you to get in some running, jogging or biking.

Get Stuck Into a Good Book

If you are someone that never reads because you are too busy or too tired a vacation is a perfect opportunity to change that. Reading has many benefits and research shows that it imporves brain connectivity, supports restful sleep, reduces stress, lowers blood pressure and fights depression symptoms.

So don’t forget to pick up that latest blockbuster in your local book store and enjoy!

Mediate

It’s often said that the best things in life are free and meditation is definitely one of them. Mediation can be done anywhere, at home, in a hotel room, on a plane, on top of a mountain, or on a beach.

All you need is a quiet space and 30 minutes. The emotional benefits of meditation can include: gaining new insights into stressful situations and helping you to manage stress, reducing negative emotions, increasing self-awareness and increasing imagination and creativity.

†The information provided is not an endorsement of any product, and is intended for educational purposes only. NaturesPlus does not provide medical advice and does not offer diagnosis of any conditions. Current research on this topic is not conclusive and further research may be needed in order to prove the benefits described.

The conditions and symptoms described may be indicative of serious health problems, and therefore should be brought to the attention of a qualified healthcare practitioner.