What is it about summer that makes life so good? I hear patients say that they are happier, more active, more social and experience less stress over the summer months. Is it the warm weather or long days? Author Charles Bowden put it this way: “Summertime is always the best of what might be.”
One area of medical research has begun to shed some light on this phenomenon: the study of wellness.
Throughout most of history healthcare has been focused on treatment of disease. More recent medical technologies have unlocked greater ability to prevent disease through advances like immunizations and medications to modify risk factors such as high cholesterol. The newest research also focuses on how to improve quality of life, teaching us which things contribute to our wellbeing – the ability to thrive in our day to day lives. This research has been popularized through countless books and even a world “happiness report.”
It turns out, that many of the things which promote wellness are more common in the summer. Taking a moment to review these can lead to a more fulfilling summer and, if carried into the other seasons, enhanced wellbeing year-round.
Spending time in greenspace
Our modern lives tend to be spent in buildings like houses and offices, but our bodies respond to nature. During the summer, long days and warm weather afford more opportunity to go outside. I have fond memories of childhood summers playing in the woods and as an adult I enjoy tending my garden in the late summer evenings. Medical research shows that even 15-20 minutes per day in a greenspace — like walking along a forest path or sitting in a grassy park — can lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Wonder and a sense of awe
The break in school over summer vacation allows 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 and Cascade mountains, and it turns out that can have health benefits. Positive psychology researchers have identified the sense of awe at something greater than ourselves that shifts our perspective and improves mental health.
Exercise in many ways
We all know that exercise is good for us, but life is hectic and exercise sometimes gets pushed out of busy schedules. Long summer days can give us a second chance to be active in the ways that we enjoy. Whether its hiking, swimming, cycling or pickle ball, moderate intensity activity for 150 minutes per week boosts metabolism, memory and mood in addition to benefitting blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol.
Plentiful fresh fruits and vegetables
There are more opportunities to eat right when veggies are at their peak and farmers markets pop up on weekends. Many of my patients give me updates on their gardens over the summer. Fresh fruits and vegetables are loaded with nutritional value and taste great! Tending a garden or exploring a farmers’ market can be enjoyable for its own sake, but they can also yield a bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Getting connected to one another
One of my favorite things this time of year is getting together with friends for a barbecue or potluck. Connecting with new and old friends comes naturally in summer when strolling down the street or sharing a meal in the yard. These interactions are about more than being a good neighbor, they build connections with others that buoy mental and physical health. Studies show that authentic relationships increase oxytocin levels, driving positive impacts on health.
Music in the air
Have you ever heard a neighbor playing music loudly in their yard and been tempted to ask them to turn it down? Don’t! Evidence suggests you should listen and enjoy it instead. Music can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression as well as lessen the experience of pain. We could all use a bit 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, helping us to imagine a more hopeful future. There is hard science behind it being good for us too. Experiencing books or art has been shown to raise serotonin levels. Producing art, like painting a picture or writing a poem, can do the same thing, so whether you are a creative type or more of an art appreciator, making some time for art and literature can enhance your life.
Gratitude and celebrations
Have you ever stopped to reflect on your feelings after finishing a thank you note? Scientists who study happiness have found an incredible link with gratitude, and it isn’t that people become happy, then express more gratitude. Rather, people who express more gratitude become happier. Making space for gratitude, whether by expressing it verbally to a loved one or pondering it silently at a wedding or summer gathering, shifts our perspective. It is associated with greater feelings of satisfaction and less burnout.
Opportunities to volunteer
Altruism has a similar affect. In my youth I used to grumble when my parents asked me to pick up garbage on the side of the road or tutor a sibling in math, but afterwards it felt good. And research backs this up. Acting selflessly can benefit others, but, ironically, it may benefit the altruistic person most of all. Research shows that such activity raises social consciousness and enhances wellbeing.
Rest and relaxation
Finally, summer is also a time for rest and relaxation. This is important. Our bodies and our minds are not meant for constant activity. Both need a break. One thing I do to get some rest and relaxation in my life is put up a hammock on my back porch late in May every year. I lay there while my kids run around in the back yard, but, more often than not, one or more of them will wander over to the hammock and join me. Intuitively they know that rest and relaxation is good for them as well.
Too often the medical community focuses on treating and preventing disease, but there are many things medical research has identified to enhance the quality of life overall. In fact, one common measure of the impact of a medical intervention is “quality life years” or QUALYs, which measure the impact of treatment and prevention that not only extend life but improve quality of life as well. For example, a knee joint replacement might not make you live longer, but it can support a better quality of life, and maybe even extend your life if you exercise more because you have improved mobility. Your QUALY can be boosted by extending life, but an equally powerful way to boost the number is to enhance the quality of life.
Life feels good in the summer, and new medical research helps to explain why. However, the real promise of wellness research is not just an explanation of why summer is so good. Rather it is how to extend the good life all year long. Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “one must maintain a little bit of summer, even in the middle of winter.” He didn’t have the benefit of new wellness studies, but he intuitively understood that there is something special about summertime, and that special feeling does not need to end with autumn. The ten practices above can help you to lead your best life no matter which season.
This article was written by Peter Barkett, MD, practices internal medicine at Kaiser Permanente Silverdale and writes a regular column for the Kitsap Sun. He lives in Bremerton.