Have a happy, healthy summer (and 2019)

15 ways to make the coming months the ultimate opportunity for health, fun and fitness.

15 ways to make the most of the coming months

Truth: staying on a healthful track is easier this time of year, thanks to the countless in-season fruits and vegetables on offer; longer, less chaotic days; and an improved mood because of all the extra time you get to spend outside. Read on to discover even more great ways to make the most of this feel-good season.

GET WET (AND FIT)

Happily for summer exercisers, pool workouts are now a lot cooler than the water aerobics

classes of yore (though those are still really good for you). A new option is hydrocycling,

a spin class in water. It’s lower-impact than regular spinning, with even more resistance. You can also simply do dips on the pool’s edge,

jog in the shallow end, then cap it off with squat jumps. Keeping up your exercise routine on balmy days helps your mental health: a University of Michigan study found that the odds of being happy were 29 per cent and 52 per cent higher, respectively, for people who were sufficiently active or very active

compared with more-sedentary folks.

CRAWL INTO A COOL CAVE

Turn your bedroom into a chilly, dark space for a better night’s sleep. The ideal temperature for snoozing is between 17 and 19 degrees according to the Sleep Health Foundation. A study in the journal Sleep found that people slept

up to 30 minutes longer and reported being more alert the next day, compared with when they slept in a room that was even just a few degrees warmer. As for darkness, if you can still see your

hands, your room is too light, says neurologist Dr Chris Winter,

author of The Sleep Solution.

DAYDREAM BIG

It’s fine to space out poolside! Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology in the US found that mind-wanderers scored higher on intellectual and creative ability tests; they also had more efficient brain systems, scans showed, compared with

those who don’t zone out as much.

Enhance your health esteem

Talk to yourself in a positive way, and you’ll redirect your attention toward the good things you’re doing for your wellbeing, says psychologist Joy Harden Bradford, PhD, whether it’s that you’ve stuck with your walking routine or you’ve replaced that chocolate or biscuits with fresh fruit even for one day. Dreading wearing a swimsuit? Tell yourself, ‘I am thankful for my body and what it can do’. More focus on the good stuff will help you feel more upbeat and satisfied in general, and can even improve your sleep. “If you repeat an affirmation related to gratitude in the morning, you’re likely to show and feel more of it throughout that day,” Bradford says.

HAVE YOUR MEALS ALFRESCO

A relaxing lunch in the garden will make you feel as if you’re on holiday, and Harvard research shows that women who have greenery around them up their odds of overcoming diseases such as cancer as well

as living longer. Why? For one thing, plants filter out air pollution. But researchers say the biggest reason is that time spent in nature helps lower the chances of depression in women – that alone accounted for almost 30 per cent of the influence on mortality. A hike or a day in the park or by the sea

will also ease your mind and body.

FIND PEACE ANYWHERE

Even this laid-back season can be tense at times, like when you’re rushing to get work done before going on holidays and fighting crowds at the shopping centre. When your heart starts racing, do this meditation:

Close your eyes and take a deep breath – in through your nose and out through your mouth. As you breathe, visualise roots growing from the soles of your feet down into the ground. Start to become aware of your surroundings. You may feel the wind brush your skin or the sun on your face. Repeat with two more deep breaths.

After a few moments, take a final deep breath in through the nose and let a cleansing sigh out. Welcome to calm.

HANG UP ON STRESS

If you’re on holidays, stash your mobile phone in your bag or suitcase, except for a brief designated message-check time each day. And if you can’t get away this summer, put away your device at the weekend. After the panic subsides, you’ll better connect with those around you – new research shows that ignoring the person you’re with to concentrate on your phone undermines the innate human desire to connect, harming your relationships. You can learn that your friend on Facebook painted her house grey when you’re not with your partner or your kids – your relationships will be stronger for it.