13 Ways You Can Stay Healthy This Summer


Summer is all about playing on the beach, lounging by the pool, hosting family barbecues, and heading off on vacation. Unfortunately, as fun as all of this may be, it can quickly lead to stress, sickness, and exhaustion. As a nation, we tend to adopt a “school’s out!” attitude the moment July rolls around, but that doesn’t mean that you can take a break from your healthy lifestyle.

After all, no one wants to spend their summer cooped up at home, but this is exactly what you’re going to have to do unless you take care of yourself. With that in mind, here are thirteen ways you can stay healthy this summer, without having to sacrifice any of the fun.

  1. Drink Lots Of Water

It’s important to drink plenty of water no matter the time of year, but, with temperatures soaring, this advice is even more crucial. With headaches, sickness, dizziness, fever, and more, dehydration is far from fun, so you need to make sure that you keep water with you at all times. Take a sip whenever you feel you need to and be careful that you don’t confuse hunger with thirst. This might seem silly, but it’s an incredibly common problem that can result in overeating.

  1. Wear Sunscreen Every Day

No one wants to get sunburn or skin cancer, so be sure that you protect yourself by wearing sunscreen every single day, even when it’s cloudy. This will also help to slow down your skin’s ageing and keep it looking younger and healthier for longer. Don’t get tricked into buying an expensive sunscreen with a high SPF, as they are often just as effective as those with a lower one, but do ensure that you reapply every ninety minutes and every time you go swimming.

  1. Stay Inside For Lunch

Unfortunately, even if you do wear sunscreen, it can only protect you so much. Because of this, you should avoid going outside during hours where the sun is at its peak. This tends to be between ten in the morning and two in the afternoon. You should also make sure that you cover up whenever you go out, by wearing long pants, skirts, and sleeves. Of course, you can get pretty warm this way, so opt for lightweight fabrics.

  1. Cook Healthy Meals Yourself

When the sun is shining, it can be tempting to drop by a fast food restaurant or order yourself a takeaway to get dinner. After all, one of the last things you’re going to want to do when it’s warm is slave over a hot oven and cook. Unfortunately, neither of these options are healthy or nutritious, so it’s important that you take the time to prepare your food yourself. Thankfully, to make your life easier, there are a number of quick summer recipes you can try out.

  1. Remember To Eat Breakfast

With a whole day of summer activities planned, it can be easy to forget about breakfast and head out in the morning without a care in the world. Unfortunately, without this proper nutrition to give you an energy boost, you’ll soon find yourself tired and dehydrated, and may even faint as a result. Because of this, it’s vital that you make time to prepare and eat something healthy before you go out. If you’re going to be out all day, you should also take a packed lunch and snacks.

  1. Exercise In The Morning

Summer might be a time to relax and have fun, but that doesn’t mean that you can start skipping your daily workouts. Exercise is vital for physical and mental health, so you need to ensure that you fit at least thirty minutes of it in every single day. Of course, this can be difficult when the sun is beating down on you, so you should start exercising first thing in the morning. You can also work out at home, at gyms, and anywhere else that provides cover from the sun.

  1. Opt For Healthy Barbecues

There are few things better in the summer than a good barbecue. It gives you a chance to catch up with family, mess around with your friends, and just have a good time eating some great food. Unfortunately, the traditional barbecue foods, like burgers and hot dogs, aren’t the healthiest things out there, so you should broaden your palate a bit and opt for healthier options. These can include grilled chicken, fish, and vegetables.

  1. Cool It On Alcohol

Most people like to have a nice cocktail, beer, cider, or glass of wine on a warm summer’s evening, but it’s better that you keep the number of alcoholic beverages you have each day to a minimum. This is because alcohol doesn’t hydrate you and, instead only dehydrates you further, which is the very last thing you need on a hot day. If you do drink alcohol, make sure that you have plenty of water between each drink to replenish your water stores.

  1. Ensure You Sleep Well

With the hot weather, long nights, and all of the fun to be had, getting enough sleep throughout summer can be difficult. Unfortunately, lack of sleep can massively impact your mental health, so it’s important that you get enough rest each night. This might mean making a big change and switching your mattress. You may want to look at mattresses for overweight and obese people, as they provide much more support. You should also ensure that your room stays dark and cool.

  1. Beware Of Public Pools

Lounging about by the pool is a pretty common pastime during the summer months, but, if you want to stay healthy, you might want to think twice before heading to your local leisure center or water park. Public pools are a breeding ground for germs and bacteria, so you should consider giving them a swerve. If it’s that much fun that you’d rather take the risk, then make sure you do what you can to stay healthy, by showering afterwards and keeping hands out of your mouth.

  1. Have A Break Away

It’s not uncommon for adults to work the entire summer without a break, but that doesn’t make it ideal or healthy. Everyone needs a rest now and then, and with the kids off school, what better time is there. Because of this, you should consider booking a break away, even if it’s just for a long weekend. This gives you some time to relax and have fun, leaving you feeling refreshed and ready to get back to it.

  1. Take Less On Vacation

Although you should ensure you have what you need for your vacation, you don’t need to take everything you own. Overpacking is incredibly inconvenient, and can even affect your health. This is because the weight of the bags puts a strain on your body, and the stress of keeping track of everything puts a strain on your mind. This means it’s much better to pack as light as you can, and, if possible, stick to only one bag.

  1. Allow Time To Relax

Although most people take the summer as an opportunity to be lazy, some would rather be outside doing something at every moment of every day. Of course, it’s important to be active and do things that you enjoy, but you shouldn’t put so much on your plate that it leaves you stressed and exhausted. Make sure that you leave gaps in your schedule and entire days off, just so that you can spend some time doing nothing but charging up your batteries.

If you want to stay healthy this summer, make sure that you follow the advice above.

 

 

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