Summertime and the living is easy – or so they say. The truth is, waking to birdsong, throwing a picnic on a balmy summer’s night or waltzing around our favourite park brings an undeniable dose of feelgood to the working week. The summer is all about savouring the simple things – and the good news is that there’s an abundance of tiny ways to help your wellbeing flourish when the heat starts to rise. Here are a few ways to harvest the natural power of the sun.
1. Get your vitamin D
Summer offers the perfect window to reap the benefits of natural sunlight which can help stave off symptoms such as aches, low moods and fatigue. Dr Sally Moorcroft, a qualified doctor with 20 years of clinical experience, is director and co-founder of the Northern Centre of Integrative and Functional Medicine (NCIFM) and specialises in functional and integrative medicine and women’s health (orchardbarnhealth.com ). “From April to September, exposing our skin safely to sunlight can help maintain optimum vitamin D levels. For lighter skin types – daily sunlight exposure for 10-15 minutes provides good exposure while also minimising the risks of sunburn and skin cancer,” explains Sally. “For darker skin types, 25-40 minutes is recommended. Importantly, levels of sunlight exposure that make an individual’s skin look pink or sunburnt – either during or some hours after exposure – are too high and should always be avoided.”
2. Grow your own
We know getting our hands into the soil can help beat the blues but did you know it can support the beneficial bacteria in our gut at the same time? Why not start your own herb garden and enjoy steeping homegrown leaves of chamomile or peppermint in boiling water for a cup of daily feelgood. “Growing herbs gives the added benefit of nurturing plants that can be used to support your health,” explains Sally. “German chamomile is a gentle relaxing herb which can be used for all ages, including children, to make a relaxing herbal tea for bedtime or to ease stomach ache if caused by stress or anxiety.”
“Regular physical reconnection with the earth’s surface – be it grass, soil, sea, shoreline – provides us with a tangible, immediate sense of presence… we feel where we are through our bodies in a way we rarely do when we wear thick-soled shoes,” explains Emine Kali Rushton, holistic therapist at The Clearing (thisconsciousbeing.com ) and author of several wellness titles including Sattva: The Ayurvedic Way to Live Well (Hay House). In Ayurveda, walking barefoot is referred to as ‘earthing’ or ‘grounding’, and is believed to help us rebalance the elements of ether, air, water, fire and earth within our bodies. While there isn’t clear, scientific proof to back up the many health claims around barefoot walking, it’s certainly worth kicking your shoes off to test the water. “For me, the many, wonderful benefits are more about reconnection with nature, being present and more aware of the terrain, and simply slowing right down,” says Emine.
4. Take a dusk safari
Whether you live in the city, coast or countryside, the longer, warmer nights offer a rare chance to glimpse part of the thriving natural world on our doorsteps. And insect spotting is certified good for us. Findings from The Wildlife Trusts revealed an improvement to mental health for 83 percent of volunteers who’d helped work with one of the charity’s nature projects over a 12-week period. Grab a torch (and a friend) and have a nosey around your local neighbourhood, keeping an eye out for hoglets (baby hedgehogs), tiny pipistrelle bats, common lizards and of course, the ubiquitous fox.
5. Re-sync your body clock
The ayurvedic practice of ‘sun-gazing’ is a meditative early morning exercise that aims to reboot our body’s circadian rhythms. Simply spending time outdoors, especially first thing in the morning, is a simple and gentle alternative that will help restore the natural body clock whilst protecting our precious retinas. “The human eye contains photosensitive cells in its retina, with connections directly to the pituitary gland in the brain,” explains Emine. “A 2008 study in the British Journal of Dermatology found that these retinal photoreceptors play a crucial role in both psychological and physiological health. Likewise, our photosensitive eye cells help regulate our circadian rhythms (so will affect how well we sleep and hormone regulation) and the brain’s own pineal gland also responds to sunlight – producing healthy levels of melatonin when exposed to it, which we need for everything from skin protection to sleep and mood-elevation.”
6. Move your yoga mat outdoors
Whether it’s the local park, the dappled shade of woodland or the garden patio, taking your yoga practice outdoors can have numerous health-boosting benefits. “Research clearly shows that exercise has a significant positive effect on mood and mental health but that benefit is amplified by exercising in green space,” says Suzy Reading, a chartered psychologist, yoga teacher and health coach, whose latest book, Sit to Get Fit (Aster), offers practical ways to stay fit and flexible in an often-sedentary world. Suzy encourages us to have fun in our new surroundings, too. “You can’t beat a tree pose for developing both a sense of humour and equanimity! Try a mountain pose to feel grounded. Use all your senses to savour nature’s beauty – what you can see, hear, smell, touch and taste.”
7. Elevate your shower routine
During the summer months, why not try swapping out a hurried shower for a slower, more mindful bathing ritual based on ancient techniques? In Ayurveda, the body is dry brushed from the soles to the top of the shoulders before being cossetted in oil and then, finally, bathed or showered. Why? “Because having gently sloughed away dead skin cells and boosted circulation, skin is then prepared and protected against dehydrating during bathing,” explains Emine. “The oil forms a lipid-resistant barrier on the skin, allowing you to bathe and cleanse, without stripping skin of its natural oils. This is particularly helpful for those with sensitive, dehydrated and dry skin.”
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