14 Super Easy Ways To Manage Your Mental Health This Summer

Managing your  mental health in the summer can be just as difficult as it is in other months for some. Some continue to struggle with social anxiety, depression, and other disorders throughout the summer. Just because the sun came out did not mean the problems went away. 

I do recognize that some people experience SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder and may feel ALOT better in sunny weather. This post is for those who have a difficult time managing their mental health in the summer too. 

I decided to do something a little different but extremely rewarding for this post and that was to ask my other blogging pals for advice in this area. There is more information about mental health than just on my blog and though I try to tackle as many topics as possible, it is not always do-able. 

I even created a Mental Health Vault as a resource library to help support you and your mental health. BUT there is always something I have not thought of, I am sure, that these wonderful people may be able to provide insight on. So here is their advice for how to manage your mental health this summer!

Go Outdoors

Spend some time outside, just watching the clouds. It’s an effortless way to get some vitamin D from the sun, and meditate at the same time. It’s my lazy way of feeling I’ve done something for my mental health that day, even if I’m not up to anything else.

You could read more from Susanna on her site and by following her social!

Have Compassion

You are not the same person you were last summer. This summer is different because of the current state of the world. People have been locked indoors and have come outside a different person. The news has been filled with negative news. Relatives have passed away. People are going to be stressed and some of their anger will be directed at you. A lot of people will feel like the world owes them something, because of what they’ve been through. The thing is, we’ve all gone through the same thing.

My advice to all of you is to have some compassion. You could blame the world as well, for everything that has gone wrong in the last couple of months. Or you could do something else: Be above it. People might want to yell at you, and you can do two things. #1 is to yell back at them. #2 is to understand that their anger isn’t towards you, but a way to release their built-up frustrations. So, if I could summarize my advice to you in one sentence, it would be: “Stay calm in conversations with others. If you don’t raise your voice, they will lower theirs.”

You could read more from Rik on his site and by following his social!

Exercise

In order to manage your mental health this summer, it is vital to exercise. Practicing sports helps fight negative emotions because it releases endorphins, the happiness hormone. If you are going to practice a sport, you will consume a sufficient amount of water every day. Preferably two liters of water per day. This habit will keep your body hydrated while removing excess toxins.

Also, take time for yourself. You can indulge in reading, meditating, taking a hot bath, or listening to the music of your choice. All these activities will have a relaxing effect and will constitute a mental boost. Always stay in touch with your loved ones because social interaction and social acceptation are crucial for our well-being. Base your diet on foods with a high level of tryptophan such as salmon, chicken, lentils, spinach, milk, nuts, or seeds.

During summer you can spend time outdoors every day. Your body will be able to breathe fresh air, allowing it to take in a healthy dose of oxygen. Aside from fresh air, exposure to the sun will naturally raise your serotonin levels, which will have an incredible impact on your mood. Also, start every day with a balanced breakfast.

You could read more from Alex on his site and by following his social!

Prioritize Projects

Don’t add too many projects to your plate. You might be tempted to start a ton of projects, but make sure to prioritize them so that it does not take a toll on your health. Start with the time-sensitive ones, and then work your way down in order of importance. No project is worth sacrificing your mental health! Read here how you can get things done around your mental health.

You could read more from Jen on her site and by following her social!

Have Fun

We all do it. We hear the word “summer,” and we exhale. We kick off our shoes and put our toes in the sand. We say “goodbye” to our structured routine and say “hello” to a more relaxed approach to life. Summer can be a wonderful time of relaxation and restoration, but don’t neglect your mental health in the process. Be vigilant to follow your treatment plan. Continue to take your medication as prescribed, practice self-care, get adequate sleep, exercise regularly and eat well.

A summer well-spent should enhance your mental health, not harm it. So enjoy your summer read and enjoy your tasty cocktail with the colorful umbrella by the pool, but don’t forget to balance it with an enormous glass of water, sunscreen and a side of common sense.

You could read more from Andrea on her site and by following her social!

Self Care

There are many things you can do to help make sure you keep yourself mentally healthy. 1. Avoid alcohol, smoking, and drugs: This is very important because these things directly affect our minds. 2. Sleep well: If you get enough sleep you will  always feel positive and Healthy 3. Meditation: This is part will is very helpful to manage your mental health and also increase your focus on other tasks. 4. Do things you love to do like read books, play games, talk to other people.

You could learn more from Ankit on his site and by following his social!

Stay Active

Even though the sun might tire you out, make sure to keep active. Adopting a more active lifestyle had a massive improvement on my mental health, and I wasn’t expecting it at all! I just wanted to physically be healthier, I never imagined I would feel mentally healthier too. Minding your mental health is a combination of things lie lifestyle, therapy, and medication if you need it. This might be the least social summer we’ll ever have, but you have people who love you; Facetime your friends and tell them how you’re really feeling.

You could learn more from Shirley on her site and by following her social!

Eat Healthy Foods

Food has a big impact on how you’re feeling. Even if you don’t feel like cooking, try to limit processed foods and aim to eat lots of fresh fruit and veggies. Thankfully summer fruits like watermelons and pineapples are in season. But that’s not to say if you feel down, it’s because of your diet. Mental health is super complex, but little things can help.

You could learn more from Prickly Pineapples on their site and by following their social!

Use What You Have

Summer is a time to have fun,vacay , and mingle with friends! I say have your own summer agenda and ditch the crowd. Recreate what summer means and find hidden gems in your own backyard. Find your summer solace from within.

You could learn more from Jenn on her site!

Set Boundaries

Remember that saying “no” is absolutely acceptable. This is always true, and the coronavirus pandemic didn’t change that. After we’ve all been away from our friends and going through difficult times at work, we might have stronger feelings of guilt when we say “no”, but your first priority should always be your mental health! That means if you can’t take on another work project, you say no. If a friend invited you out but you need to rest at home, you can say no. We don’t have to do it all or be it all.

You could learn more from Jessica on her site and by following her social!

Get Organized

One of the best things we can do for our mental health is to get organized and focus on what’s truly important in life. We can get pulled in so many directions we can be easily overwhelmed and overstimulated. When we let go of the things and tasks that don’t serve us we can intentionally focus on what matters. Doing this one simple thing can profoundly impact our mental health. And, of course, don’t forget to be kind to yourself and others!

You could learn more from Erin on her site!

Manage Your Time

These are challenging times for all of us. But I’d tell them to try and do ONE THING everyday. Just one. Be it reading that book you’ve always wanted to read, or learning a new skill, etc. They might not even have the time for these things. One thing I’ve noticed since the lockdown is that, despite the fact that we don’t have anywhere to go, no work, no school, no hanging out, nothing. Despite none of these things happening, we still don’t have time. Surprising I know!

So the thing is, it’s not about what you do to try and manage your mental health, it’s actually about how you manage your time. Read books (preferably in hardcopy format), you may not be allowed to go out of the house but you can still walk around in your neighbourhood, do that.

Leave your comfort zone and just change to someplace else, check social media less (use these detox tips here), learn something each day. Once again, it’s not easy trying to stay sane, especially now. But we have to endure, we have to grow, we have to learn from this and be prepared for what comes next. This too, shall pass.

You could learn more about self improvement on Self Help Geek’s site and on their social!

Write To Do List

So you are planning to have an amazing summer like everyone else! The important thing here is planning. If you like, you can even write a list of your plans for each day. When you do it in advance, you are able to control things even better. Also, make plans for what ifs. So a good idea is to have a plan B. To support your plans, make a list of friends and family that you know will support you and who you can call on.

Sunshine is well known to brighten our mood so make sure you plan activities that will see you enjoying the vitamin D from the sun. As always, make a plan B so some craft ideas for indoors will be a good idea, in case it gets either rainy or too hot to be outdoors.

Lastly, our mental health always gets a boost when we share care and concern for others. So do keep in touch with others through texting, social media, calls, letters etc. Whatever you do, have a great one.

You could learn more on Joleisa’s site and on their social!

I hope that these amazing bloggers advice resonated with you as it did for me, to manage your mental health this summer! There is so much going on their year that we deserve some peace of mind this summer.

Unplug

With everything that’s going on this year, we all need to focus more than ever on our mental health. Personally, I’m feeling like I’ve been pushed from the frying pan into the furnace, with one crisis compounded by another. I know I’m not the only one feeling that way. We’re staying inside, being separated from our normal routines and with the sun shinning it can feel even worse. It’s way to easy to not prioritize your mental health, but summer offers easy ways to do so. My number one mental health tip for the summer is to be sure to unplug at least one day a week and to not spend all your hours at a screen. Instead venture outside, into nature (or course while social distancing) and breathe in the fresh air. Moving your body and being with nature is restorative. Plus, all that vitamin D you’ll soak up is extra good for you. This summer the only thing on your to-do list should be to take care of yourself.

You could learn more on Nadalie’s site and on her social!

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