As winter disappears, and summer starts to appear day by day, people, generally, start to feel happier and more positive. The sun and the heat give these people a sense of relaxation and vacation, despite still being in their hometown. This does not mean that there aren’t people who still have to battle mental health issues and disorders throughout summer, too.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) plays a large role in depression and other mental illnesses, which is why a lot of people begin to feel down during winter – the dark, the rain and the cold take its toll on the human mind, and it seems like a pathetic fallacy for humanity when the weather is not good.
People often think that SAD can only affect them during the winter and that because summer is the season of enjoyment and holidays and happiness, that there’s no way SAD can play a part in their mental health – but it can.
Of course, SAD is not the only thing that can affect mental health, but a large portion of the population will more than likely experience one of these symptoms of SAD throughout summer – the most important thing to remember, though, is not to panic. Just because you experience one of these symptoms, it does not mean you should diagnose yourself with Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Due to the nature of summer, the long days, the hot weather and the often over-indulging in alcohol, it is common to experience any of these symptoms – drinking can dull your appetite, the heat can make it difficult to sleep and so on, but your ultimate goal is to do the best you can for yourself. Mental health is not a necessity, but it helps, and much like your physical health, the only way to get stronger is to practice and train.
I realise that a lot of people will look at this list and think I am trying to play down the seriousness and severity of mental disorders, please know that I am not. This list is not my attempt at trying to cure any mental disorders people may have, these are just my tips to try and alleviate the symptoms and try and make your day even 1% better.
Physical and mental health are closely entwined, so a lot of the tips above about your mental health will also help you feel physically better, such as sleep, drinking more water and going on walks. But what people don’t realise is that physical health is more than being aesthetically pleasing, you need to look after your body.
Gyms have a stigma attached to them, particularly for people like me who aren’t exactly unhealthy, but could definitely stand to lose a bit of weight for the benefit of my health. Gyms are often full of people who look amazing and are in amazing shape, and it’s disheartening to some people who walk in and think, “I don’t belong here, I don’t look like that. ”
Gyms aren’t about just looking good and lifting heavy weights, they’re also about your internal health and your cardiovascular health too. Being strong is far better than looking strong. A large part of looking after your physical health, also, is your diet.
Ultimately, summer is a time to enjoy yourself and spend time with friends. Whatever you end up doing for summer, make sure you and your friends are looking after yourselves!
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