24 Ideas to beat the summertime blues
You’re feeling low, but everyone else is in a holiday mood. Here are our top tips to perk you up – choose your favourite and give it a whirl…
Smile: Instantly feel better. Plus, you’re working out your face muscles.
Pay someone else a compliment, and make yourself feel good inside
Be kind to yourself. Don’t beat yourself up about stuff. We all have things we wish we could change about ourselves. Don’t punish yourself for being human.
Go outside. Feel the breeze on your skin. See the plants growing.
Then go for a walk. Walk anywhere – to the shops, in the park. But try to make it away from busy roads and crowds of people. Try forest walking.
Be near trees. Trees have seen it all before. They were probably there before you were born. They may be there after you die. Trees see things in a different perspective. Try shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing. It involves spending time in a wood each day, and taking in the forest atmosphere. Research has shown that it may lower concentrations of cortisol (the stress hormone), lower the pulse rate, and lower blood pressure. The idea is to take a short stroll through the trees, listening to the sounds and smelling the air – why not try to fit it into your lunch hour?
Don’t try to do too many things. Sometimes we all need some time to slow down.
But do do something relaxing, whatever floats your boat. If you’re stuck for ideas, how about an adult colouring book, or listen to a relaxation CD.
Don’t feel guilty about not having the perfect summer. There’s no such thing.
And don’t compare yourself to others. We all think other people’s lives look perfect, but that is not the way to happiness.
Count your blessings: everyone has something to feel thankful for, even if it is hard to find what it is.
Practice deep breathing, even if it’s only for a minute each day. Our introduction to yoga-type breathing is here.
Listen to music, preferably something calming or inspirational. Dr Parrot’s favourite classical pieces are here.
Do some cleaning or tidying. You don’t have to become a cleaning ninja, just make yourself some space that you want to spend time in.
Get your hands dirty – grow something. Grow anything at all. If you have some outside space, try growing a geranium in a pot. They flower all summer, and will survive if you forget to water them for a few days. Or grow herbs on your windowsill. If you are lucky enough to have a garden, go out and get digging.
Feed the birds: If you have a garden, put up a bird feeder somewhere where you can see it from the house. If not, go out and find some birds to feed, maybe at your local pond or park.
Watch a nature documentary. It’s one of the most soothing things you can do.
Eat more B vitamins and magnesium. Food high in B vitamins include eggs, milk, cheese, yoghurt and fish (tuna, salmon, trout). This vitamin is also added to most popular breakfast cereals. Dark chocolate, kidney beans, avocados, pumpkin seeds and oats are all high in magnesium. Click here for recipe ideas. Click here for the BDA factsheet on food and mood.
Arrange to see a friend, even if you haven’t seen them in ages.
Try to improve your sleep quality, but don’t lie there worrying if you can’t sleep. Any sleep is better than none. Try our sleep tips here.
Read a poem: Dr Parrot’s favourites are here.
Raise money: Choose a cause you believe in, and raise some money. Bake cakes, do a fun run, or just donate some old clothes to a charity shop.
Volunteer: If you have time, take it to the next level and volunteer.
You’re not alone, lots of people won’t have the summer they hoped for. We can’t all be happy all the time.
Useful links
Try the Man Therapy website here, for a more masculine take on how to address low mood.