Summer is right around the corner, which means beach days, pool parties, festivals, and late-night cruises down the highway with friends. Nonetheless, it can become difficult to prioritize your health with everything going on, so here are some tips on how to stay healthy during the busy summer months.
1) Make a morning routine
After the grueling spring semester, you might feel inclined to fall out of certain routines you established and just do what you feel like doing, like staying up all night and sleeping until dinnertime the next day.
Some students may not have a job or classes to worry about over the summer, making it easier to fall into this pattern.
However, it’s not good for your body to constantly change the times you wake up and fall asleep. According to Healthline, not being on a routine sleep schedule can cause an increased risk of chronic diseases and can affect your concentration and memory.
While it’s important to catch up on some much needed sleep, it’s also important to establish a routine to help both your mental and physical well-being. Remember, too much sleep can also be a bad thing.
Pick a time every day to wake up. It doesn’t have to be extremely early, like five in the morning. Eight or nine o’clock are reasonable times to wake up in the morning that still allow you to actually enjoy your day instead of sleeping it away.
If you’re not a morning person and hate waking up before noon, pick a fun activity to do in the morning to help motivate you to get up. It can be as simple as greeting your pet when you wake up, reading a book, or playing video games.
You can also try doing something that will get you out of the house, like meeting up with friends for breakfast or taking a walk to help wake you up.
All in all, do things that make you happy in the morning to start your day off right.
2) Stay hydrated
Junior music student, Eva Breiterman, commented, “Make sure [you] stay hydrated. As cliché as it sounds, it really is one of the most important things for your body and without adequate water, there are a lot of negative side effects you can experience.”
Drink a glass of water an hour after you wake up. According to Medical News Today, drinking water soon after you wake up helps with weight loss, mental performance, bodily functions, and improving your mood.
One of the worst feelings is feeling sluggish throughout the day. If you find yourself drowsy or lacking energy, this could be a sign that you’re dehydrated. Drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning will help you start the day off right and keep you energized.
Other than drinking water, sports drink brands like Gatorade can help with replacing electrolytes to keep you hydrated while doing strenuous activities, like hiking or exercising.
As tempting as they can be, try drinking less coffee and alcohol during the scorching summer days too.
3) Exercise
The summer months present you with many more opportunities to be physically active other than just going to the gym. You are constantly getting steps walking in the sand at the beach, jogging along the boardwalk, or even going swimming in the ocean or pool.
Junior political science student, Richard Pitts, recommended, “The cardiovascular benefits for your health are great from something as simple as a two-mile walk. Walks can also help clear your mind and therefore improve your mental health in a variety of ways.”
Try to take time out of your day to have a proper workout. Go for a walk in the morning or in the evening after dinner or work. Get a gym membership. If you’re self-conscious about working out at the gym, buy some weights and get some workouts in right in the comfort of your home.
If you have a pool or a membership, swimming is a great way to exercise. Healthline explains that swimming works out your entire body, helps your cardiovascular system, and is a great workout for those who have underlying conditions, such as arthritis or physical injuries.
4) Diet
Apart from exercising, dieting is a crucial factor in staying healthy, especially if you are looking to lose weight. Dieting sounds terrible, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to give up ice cream or boardwalk pizza this summer.
Dieting can simply involve cutting back on snacks, eating five small meals rather than three full meals, and cutting out soda/sugary drinks. There is no perfect diet that will work for everyone. You must find what works best for you.
Try setting small goals throughout the summer instead of completely cutting everything unhealthy out of your day-to-day diet, which can lead to cravings and binging later.
Maybe you want to start eating more greens or improving your daily vitamin intake. Instead of thinking only about what you can cut from your diet, think about what you can add that will help your body get all the nutrients it needs to function.
Sophomore animation student, Tucker Lynch, added, “Thankfully, I do not have to worry too much about diets because I have a high metabolism. But I make sure to eat more salads, nuts, and fruits while trying to limit the amount of carbs so that I may have a healthy heart.”
5) Slow down and take a break
Summer is packed with so many fun activities, but you need to listen to your body if you’re starting to feel worn out. There are so many days in the summer – you do not need to push yourself to fill up your entire schedule. It’s okay to say no to plans every once in a while if you’re just not feeling up to it.
Besides, the summer season is a wonderful time to mentally recharge before the upcoming fall semester. Take the time to do things you normally don’t get to do.
The most important part of summer is remaining healthy while having fun. Be sure to follow these tips to have a successful, healthy summer!
