What makes life so wonderful in the summer? I hear patients say that they are happier, more active, more sociable and less stressed during the summer months. Is it the warm weather or the long days? As author Charles Bowden put it, “Summertime is always the best it could be.”
One area of medical research has begun to shed light on this phenomenon: wellness research.
Throughout history, healthcare has focused on treating disease. However, newer medical technologies have opened up better ways to prevent disease through advances such as vaccinations and drugs to combat risk factors like high cholesterol. The latest research also focuses on improving quality of life, teaching us what things contribute to our well-being – the ability to thrive in our daily lives. This research has been popularized by countless books and even a global “happiness report.”
It turns out that many of the things that promote well-being are more common in the summer. Taking a moment to check in on these things can lead to a more fulfilling summer and, if you carry this over to the other seasons as well, increased well-being all year round.
Spend time in the countryside
We spend our modern lives indoors, like homes and offices, but our bodies respond to nature. In summer, long days and warm weather provide more opportunities to get outside. I have fond memories of childhood summers spent playing in the woods, and as an adult I enjoy tending to my garden on late summer evenings. Medical research shows that even 15 to 20 minutes a day spent in green spaces – like walking along a forest path or sitting in a grassy park – can reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Wonder and awe
School holidays during the summer break allow many families to take road trips. I remember visiting Yellowstone one summer and marveling at the geysers and wildlife. Now I marvel at the Olympic Mountains and the Cascade Mountains, and it turns out that can have health benefits. Researchers in positive psychology have identified the feeling of awe at something bigger than ourselves as changing our perspective and improving mental health.
Train in many ways
We all know that exercise is good for us, but life is busy and sometimes exercise gets pushed out of busy schedules. Long summer days can give us a second chance to be active in the ways we enjoy. Whether it’s walking, swimming, biking or pickleball, 150 minutes of moderate activity per week boosts metabolism, memory and mood, and has positive effects on blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol.
Plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables
When vegetables are at their peak and farmers markets pop up on weekends, there are more opportunities to eat right. Many of my patients tell me about their gardens in the summer. Fresh fruits and vegetables are packed with nutrients and taste great! Maintaining a garden or exploring a farmers market can be fun in itself, but you can also bring in an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Connect with each other
One of my favorite things to do this time of year is to get together with friends for a barbecue or potluck. In the summer, it’s natural to connect with friends new and old as you stroll down the street or share a meal in the backyard. These interactions are about more than just being a good neighbor. They build connections with others that strengthen mental and physical health. Studies show that authentic relationships increase oxytocin levels and have positive health effects.
Music in the air
Have you ever heard a neighbor playing loud music in their yard and been tempted to ask them to turn it down? Don’t! The evidence suggests that you should listen and enjoy it instead. Music can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as reduce the perception of pain. We could all use a little more music in our lives.
Reading and art
The same goes for a good book, painting or sculpture. The amazing thing about art is that it can inspire us and help us imagine a more hopeful future. There is hard scientific evidence that it is good for us too. Experiencing books or art has been shown to increase serotonin levels. Creating art, such as painting a picture or writing a poem, can do the same. Whether you are a creative type or more of an art lover, taking some time for art and literature can enrich your life.
Gratitude and celebration
Have you ever stopped and thought about your feelings after writing a thank you note? Scientists who study happiness have discovered an incredible connection with gratitude. And it’s not that people become happy and then express more gratitude. Rather, people who express more gratitude become happier. When we make space for gratitude, whether by verbally expressing it to a loved one or silently reflecting on it at a wedding or summer party, our perspective changes. It’s linked to a greater sense of satisfaction and less burnout.
Volunteering opportunities
Altruism has a similar effect. Growing up, I always grumbled when my parents asked me to pick up trash on the side of the road or tutor a sibling in math, but it felt good afterward. And research backs that up. Selfless acts can benefit others, but ironically, they can benefit the altruistic person the most. Research shows that such activities increase social awareness and increase well-being.
Peace and relaxation
Finally, summer is also a time of rest and relaxation. This is important. Our bodies and minds are not designed for constant activity. Both need a break. To bring some rest and relaxation into my life, every year at the end of May I hang a hammock on my porch. I lie there while my children run around in the yard, but most of the time one or more of them come to the hammock and sit with me. They intuitively know that rest and relaxation are good for them too.
Too often the medical community focuses on treating and preventing disease, but there are many things that medical research has identified as generally beneficial for quality of life. In fact, a common measure of the impact of a medical intervention is the number of “Quality Life Years” (QUALYs), which measure the effects of treatment and prevention that not only prolong life but also improve quality of life. A knee replacement, for example, may not prolong your life, but it may support a better quality of life and may even prolong your life if you exercise more because your mobility is improved. Your QUALYs can be increased by extending your life, but an equally powerful way to increase the number is to improve quality of life.
Life feels good in the summer, and new medical research is helping to explain why. But the real promise of wellness research isn’t just in explaining why summer is so good. Rather, it’s about how to extend the good life year-round. Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “You have to keep a little bit of summer, even in the middle of winter.” While he didn’t benefit from new wellness studies, he intuitively understood that summer is special, and that special feeling doesn’t have to end with fall. The ten practices above can help you live your best life, no matter the season.
Peter Barkett, MD, practices internal medicine at Kaiser Permanente Silverdale and writes a regular column for the Kitsap Sun. He lives in Bremerton.
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: What we love about summer can help all year round
