As summer begins, you might find yourself preoccupied with staying healthy. While washing your hands, wearing a face covering and practicing social distancing have become second nature during this pandemic, there are also other things you can do to improve your health.
Get enough sleep
Especially during these stressful times, sleeping is crucial. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, “Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life and safety.” Make sure to go to bed at a reasonable time and get at least eight hours of sleep. This will help you stay more focused throughout the day. Do you have trouble falling asleep? Don’t worry. Summer is the perfect time to adjust your sleep schedule. Find out what makes you sleepy, whether it’s a good book, calming music or white noise. There are also a lot of great apps and videos designed to help you fall asleep.
Remember to eat
It isn’t just a saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Tabitha Bower of Athlos Academies says that eating breakfast will help keep your energy up throughout the day and help you perform better on tasks like tests. Make sure to schedule in lunch and dinner and keep snacks with you so you’re never low on energy. Summer is also a great time to brush up on some of your favorite recipes or learn some new ones. A fun thing to do is to check out some cooking shows and try to follow along.
Take care of your mental health
No matter what you decide to do this summer, make sure to make time for yourself. Take care of yourself and do things that make you happy, like a DIY spa day or curling up on the couch with your favorite novel or whatever brings you joy. Make sure not to spend too much time on things that can be draining. Sometimes it’s good to take a break from things like social media if it feels like it’s getting too overwhelming during these times.
Get moving
Summer is the perfect time to begin exercising. Even if it’s at home, it can still be fun. Find a daily workout challenge or some workout videos to your favorite songs. You could also take a virtual class on something that interests you like dancing. There are plenty of online resources that will get you on your feet in no time.
Stay hydrated
We may not think about this as much as we need to, but drinking water is really important especially in the summer heat. According to the CDC, water helps your body perform many of its basic functions. Harvard Health recommends that you should drink 4-6 glasses a day. Make sure to always have a glass of water or water bottle with you and incorporate water into your meals.
Photo: B. Nascimento
