Top five summer activities to boost your mental health

Let’s be honest. We only have so many months of warm weather in Canada — especially where we live — so we need to take advantage of the nice days while we have them! 

The summer months come with a lot of natural opportunities to boost your mental health. 

So we’ve put together a list of our top five summer activities to do just that.

Of course, everyone’s top five is going to be different, which is why it is important to do a self assessment of what your needs are and what truly makes you happy. 

Remember to live your life, not someone else’s. 

Drumroll please….

1. Get outside and exercise

You don’t need to be a marathon runner or a triathlete to enjoy outdoor exercise and for it to have a positive effect on your mental health. Every time you go for a walk, run or play a game of softball your body releases endorphins that reduce feelings of pain and increase feelings of pleasure.  According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, physical activity is also a great way to cope with stress, reduce anxiety and depression.  Anything that gets your heart-pumping can also reduce tension, fatigue and anger.

2. Discover gardening

Go ahead get your hands dirty.  Developing a ‘green thumb’ can help you grow your sense of wellbeing and keep you grounded as you nurture seedlings into full grown plants. In fact, we’ve worked to expose groups of young people in our community to gardening in past summer programs. Stay tuned for more opportunities!

3. Hit the trails for a hike

Escape and leave it all behind. “Green exercise” is a great way to get all the mental health benefits of a workout, while enjoying a good hike in the mountains or hills. Connecting with nature, while getting your heart pumping during a steep climb is a great way to feel good about yourself.  Exercise is a great way to reduce stress and feelings of nervousness.

4. Attend a concert

Music can lift you up in the darkest of times. Enjoying it with friends is even better as it can help build your sense of connection. If the artist has an upbeat set that’s even better. And don’t forget to download the artist’s music if you haven’t already. Listening back to their music after the concert can bring back some great memories and all of the positive vibes that go with it. It can be part of your “feel good” playlist moving forward.    

5. Camping

Picture sitting around a campfire. Marshmallows on a roasting stick as you prepare smores, the stars twinkling overhead and nothing but the sounds of nature and the company you keep. Want to feel relaxed? Head out on a camping trip and feel the stress just melt away. If you need more inspo on this front, check out Kari’s story about how camping supports her mental health.

The warm weather won’t be here forever, so get outside and enjoy the days while they are here! This doesn’t have to be a massive ordeal in planning or a well–thought out adventure.  They can be simple and impromptu activities just to break up your day and give you the mental health boost you need. 

You will feel refreshed, re-energized and ready to take on the next task.

Also, pro tip. The simple act of leaving your patio door open or cracking all of the windows in your home office can do wonders for your mental health in the summer.

Relax and breathe in the warm, fresh air.