Simple Health Tips: Summer Edition

Summer is all about sunshine, swimming, traveling, and a lot of fun activities that you can do together with your loved ones. Although many people tend to be more forgetful about their health during this time of the year, caring for your health is important in summer as well. This is why today we will dive into simple health tips that can help you stay healthy this summer. Thus, you can enjoy the good weather without having to worry about the negative health effects of forgetting your health on those hot summer days.

1. Be more health-conscious

The first one of our summer health tips is about health consciousness. Summer is a perfect time to start focusing on your well-being and making simple changes in your lifestyle to become more healthy. If you don’t know how to be more health-conscious, don’t worry. Check out our previous article on this subject. There are many simple ways to raise health consciousness that can ultimately bring you amazing health benefits.

2. Have a positive mindset

According to numerous studies, having a positive attitude can help you build a healthier and stronger immune system and improve overall health. This is because the body believes what we think.

So always try to focus on positive things. You can easily practice gratitude if you start each day by writing down 3 things you are grateful for. This will also help you change your negative thoughts to positive ones, and promote a positive mindset.

Related read: How to Establish a Daily Mindfulness Routine

3. Drink water

Hydration is one of the most important things you should pay attention to, particularly during summertime. Indeed, the chance of dehydration is at a much higher risk in summer because of the heat. So make sure to drink enough water (and electrolytes) each day. Aim for at least 8 glasses of water per day. However, your body may need even more water on hot days or if you are exercising.

The best way to prevent dehydration is to keep a bottle of water on your table at work and carry water with you whenever you go out.

Also, you may need to ensure that the water you drink is clean and free from any harmful chemicals.

4. Get enough sleep

Since the days are much longer in summer, many people find it difficult to get to bed on time. Instead of going to sleep early, it seems more tempting to enjoy the warm evenings outside, meet your best friends, or have a family get-together. However, getting enough and good quality sleep is crucial. The heat is already hard on your body, very often you may feel tired or sleepy during the daytime. Then imagine what happens if you add sleep deprivation to this… Obviously, nothing good.

Thus, try to get each night adequate AND high-quality sleep by improving your sleep habits. Developing a bedtime routine that works for you can be beneficial for you when it comes to sleeping on hot summer nights.

5. Exercise daily

The next one on our list of simple health tips is about the importance of daily exercise. By exercising daily, you can decrease the biomarkers of aging. This is because exercise can help you reduce stress, lose weight, improve your blood pressure, lower your cholesterol, build lean muscles, improve your eyesight, and also increase bone density. Therefore, the key to living well and longer may be regular exercise.

Don’t worry, it doesn’t mean that you have to spend hours working out at the gym each day. Even 10-20 minutes of simple exercise can make a huge difference. You can go for a run or a walk, do yoga, jump rope, dance, ride a bicycle, … anything you prefer! The important thing is to move.

Related read: Upper Body Exercises that Will Help You Feel Your Best

6. Apply sunscreen

Skincare is something you should not neglect in the summertime. Being exposed to the strong sun can be extremely harmful to your skin. If you apply sunscreen, you can prevent skin cancer and reduce the risk of sun poisoning (severe sunburn) as well. Plus, studies show that sunscreen can also slow down the skin’s natural aging process. So it is better if you use sunscreen every day.

When choosing a sunscreen, opt for a product with broad-spectrum coverage (at least 30 SPF). Also avoid mainstream products that contain harmful ingredients like oxybenzone. Opt for more natural ingredients like zinc oxide when possible.

It’s important to remember, sunshine is good for you in the right amounts! Just be smart about it and avoid it as much as possible in the midday!

7. Protect your eyes

You need to protect your eyes from the harsh sunlight by wearing proper eyewear. Choose a pair of sunglasses (polarized is usually best) that blocks a minimum of 99% of the UV rays, and wear your sunglasses whenever you go outdoors on a sunny day.

8. Eat more fruits and vegetables

Summer is the best time of the year when it comes to fresh and seasonal produce. So take advantage of this season and eat a lot of healthy fruits and vegetables. For example, peppers, tomatoes, leafy vegetables, melon, berries, and corn are the best in these months. If you can, try to grow your own fruits and veggies, or buy organic products because this kind of produce is healthier (contains fewer or no chemicals).

By consuming plenty of fruits and vegetables, you can promote a healthy and balanced diet.

9. Opt for lighter and smaller meals

Try to avoid heavy foods (for example, junk food) because they affect your health negatively. Heavy meals are more difficult to digest which can also make you sleepy and feeling lazy. Rather focus on healthy eating and eat lighter meals such as salads, soups, meals rich in vegetables, etc. Plus, opt for smaller quantities. This way, digestion will require much less time.

Thankfully, the heat makes me crave lighter foods anyways. Anyone else? 🙂

Related read: Summer Healthy Recipes and Drinks

10. Choose a nutrient dense breakfast

The next one of our simple health tips is related to breakfast. Unfortunately, many people either skip eating breakfast in the morning or reach for something processed and easy to grab on the go. If you are also one of them, you may need to change this habit because it can cause negative health effects. When you leave your home without proper nutrition and you get exposed directly to the sun, there is a chance that it can lead to dehydration, fainting, and heat overexposure. Of course, this depends on what you’re doing that day, because if you’re intermittent fasting there’s a chance you won’t eat until later in the morning or afternoon (follow our fasting tips here.)

If you would like to reduce the feel your best, start your day well and eat a healthy breakfast (high protein, low carb foods). This will help you optimize your blood sugar level and give you enough energy to get things done.

Related read: 10 Habits of Health That Are Easy to Add to Your Routine

11. Limit your alcohol consumption

While drinking a cold cocktail may be a good idea on a hot day, consuming alcohol can dehydrate your body. Of course, you can drink alcoholic beverages but try to do so in moderation and drink some water to replenish your water stores in the meantime.

So these are my simple health tips for summer. Hopefully, they will help you to feel your absolute best even when it’s extremely hot outside. And in the long term, you can enjoy the numerous health benefits that they can provide for you.

May this summer bring you lots of happiness and better health! 🙂

Do you have some other summer health tips? If yes, share with me in the comments.