How To Lower Summer Stress

Summer Can Be Stressful

With lazy days by the lake or backyard barbecues with friends, summer is something most people look forward to as a time to destress. When we think of summer, we think of sandy beaches, frozen umbrella drinks, and catching up on family time. But summertime, with all its perks, can also be stressful.

One-third of Americans found summertime to be more stressful than any other time of the year, according to a recent survey by SleepRate.

While we tend to imagine ourselves relaxing during the summer months, we usually find that relaxation is elusive. This is primarily because summertime means less sleep, which is primarily due to the many social obligations people can have during the summer.

What Causes Summer Stress

During the summer months, people often have at least three social events per week, leaving them feeling tired and stressed, according to the survey participants. Hot summer weather doesn’t help with the sleeping issue either, as a full 88 percent of the more than 300 people who took the survey also reported they like to sleep in cooler temperatures. This means that it is harder for the majority of people to get a good night’s sleep during the hotter months.

Planning for vacations and adjusting to new schedules and routines when children are out of school are among the other reasons people reported higher levels of stress throughout the summer.

Having a busy social schedule and cutting back on sleep inevitably leads to increased levels of stress. In addition to all of this, many people deal with ongoing seasonal allergy symptoms, which make everything harder anytime of year, but especially during the summer.

Small Steps To Lower Summer Stress

There are a number of small steps you can take in your daily life to make summer the pleasant, joyful time of year it is meant to be. You don’t need to make drastic changes in your routines or hobbies in order to remove stress from your life, but instead some easy adjustments that will leave you feeling calm and confident. Summer is most enjoyable when you are able to take advantage of all it has to offer.

Try Saying “NO”

The first thing you might want to try is learning to say “no” to tasks that will add more stress to your life is important. Structure your day and then stick to your schedule, and try not to let other people lead you away from what you want to accomplish. The summer months are a great time to keep active and take advantage of good weather and lots of daylight.

Although you might find you sleep less during the summer months, taking care of your body in other ways, such as eating right and staying hydrated, can help significantly. You should consistently hydrate yourself rather than waiting until you are thirsty. Likewise, make sure your diet includes lots of healthy, hydrating fruits and vegetables.

Summer months are for having fun. When you worry about what happened recently in your life or what might take place in the future, you invite more stress and anxiety into your world. Instead, focus on enjoying whatever you are doing right this moment. If you find you are spending your free time taking care of other people’s needs, back away for a little while and plan on doing something you enjoy. It is always important to stay in touch with your own needs and your own happiness, and summer is a great time to reconnect with those things.

Try Tuning Out

Whether you are going away on vacation or taking a staycation, try turning off your electronic devices and disconnecting from social media so you can focus on spending quality time with your family. When you are constantly plugged in, you tend to worry about what everyone else is doing or what they think about what you are doing. When you disconnect, you can pay attention to what is happening in the moment.

These important tips can provide a great starting point for having yourself a wonderful, memorable summer with your friends and family. Make sure to take care of yourself and put your health first, as it can be easy to lose track of priorities during the summer months. Always remember to look for the spontaneous moments that make all of the planning worthwhile, but save yourself some stress by planning ahead.

By developing productive, healthy habits during the summer, you’ll find yourself less stressed throughout the year, with stronger relationships to those around you and to the things you love. Summer is a great time to take a load off, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use that time to make meaningful changes, big or small. You’ll find summer is truly wonderful when you are at your best. Try taking thing off your plate this summer also, free up some time by calling us at Crystal Clear Home, 707-827-3316 or filling out our cleaning estimate form and let us clean your home and lower your stress this summer.