5 Ways to Destress this Summer

5 Ways to Destress this Summer

1 – Stay Hydrated: Getting dehydrated can cause headache, fatigue and difficulty concentrating. The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine say that men should drink about 15.5 cups of fluid a day, while women should drink about 11.5 cups of water per day.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256#:~:text=The%20U.S.%20National%20Academies%20of,fluids%20a%20day%20for%20women

2 – Get Outside and/or Take Your Vitamins: Getting outdoors can sometimes be difficult, especially if you are working every day, and this means you could be missing out on getting the right amount of Vitamin D each day. Vitamin D provides support for your bones and muscles, helps regulate your immune system and has even been attributed to reducing symptoms of depression as well. Getting outside can help get some of that Vitamin D you may be missing. If you can’t get out during the day when the sun is out, try talking to your doctor to see if they recommend a Vitamin D supplement to help.

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/how-to-get-vitamin-d-from-sunlight/

3 – Try Deep Breathing: Using a deep breathing technique can help you slow down your heart rate, calm your racing thoughts and bring you back into the present moment. It can slow down your stress response, lower anxiety and reduce high blood pressure.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/relaxation-techniques-breath-control-helps-quell-errant-stress-response

4 – Unplug from Technology for the Day: Many people have trouble putting their cell phone down, not watching TV, or not being on a computer throughout the day. Technology, for some people, can become an addiction and it is important that we take time away from our phones and other technology to give our minds a break from being overstimulated. It can help you see the things that are right in front of you and even help you in not feeling like you are missing out. So take a day and unplug from technology and do something for yourself and/or your family.

https://www.becomingminimalist.com/unplug-please/

5 – Practice Mindfulness: Practicing mindfulness helps you slow down and develop awareness of the objects and people around you, and in the way we think act and feel as well. Living mindfully can be done in many things that we do in our day to day lives. One way to live mindfully is by slowing down when you eat. We often eat so fast that we don’t take the time to enjoy what we are eating and then we overeat. Pay attention to your breathing, meditate, and work on one thing at a time instead of trying to multitask all the time, etc. There are many ways to live mindfully and this is a great way to help destress during the summer.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/habits-mindful-people_n_5186510

Rebecca Bennett

Mental Health Student Intern