Coping with Summer Stress
By Grace Landry, BHSc
Summer break is right around the corner! Days in the sun, campfires, copious amounts of lemonade and iced tea, pool days, no school… and stress. Despite the warmer weather and the sunnier days, stress is still prevalent in the summer months. How can this be?! Simply put, stress is what our body does to respond to external causes. These external cues that trigger stress are still present during the summer months which means stress is still present during the summer months. For parents and caregivers, the summertime may be stressful because children are more demanding of your time. The body might react by becoming more irritable, having difficulty sleeping, or constantly worrying about the amount of time in the day. These are a few of the many symptoms that accompanies stress. This post will give suggestions on what can be done to help combat stress.
1.) Physical Activity: If the weather is nice, go for a walk! Exercise works wonders for the body. Engaging in physical activity can help reduce stress levels and improve overall quality of life (Madell, 2020). Physical activity can have other benefits too, like improving sleep and strengthening immunity (Madell, 2020). The summer months are a great excuse to spend some time in nature and do outdoor physical activity like hiking, golfing, or kayaking.
2.) Create Connections: Connection with people is a great way to reduce stress. It is important to remember that social connections are not people that make stress go away completely. Social connections are people that make you feel calmer. Surrounding yourself with people who understand and support you can help reduce some stressful feelings. Social connections and support create higher levels of resilience which is helpful when you are faced with stress situations (Reid, 2022).
3.) Practice Mindfulness: Taking deep breaths when you are feeling stressed may help you feel better in the moment. Going for a brief walk when you are feeling stressed may help you feel better in the moment. Identifying stressors and being aware of what triggers stress can help reduce stress in your life. Being self-aware can help the mind and body be proactive when it comes to stressful situations.
These are a few of the many strategies that you can use to cope with stress or stressful events. Here are a few other resources to help take time summertime stress away:
For Kids:
· https://www.strong4life.com/en/emotional-wellness/coping/healthy-coping-strategies-for-kids
· https://copingskillsforkids.com/how-to-deal-with-stress
For Teens:
· https://parentandteen.com/teen-stress-management-plan/
For Adults:
· https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychpedia/coping-mechanisms
· https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/Pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=ta5463
References
Madell, R. (March 26th, 2020). Exercise as stress relief. Healthline. Retrieved on May 30th, 2022, from https://www.healthline.com/health/heart-disease/exercise-stress-relief
Reid, S. (2022). Social supports for stress relief. HelpGuide. Retrieved on May 30th, 2022, from https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/social-support-for-stress-relief.htm
Photo References
Hiking photo retrieved on May 30th , 2022 from https://www.google.com/search?q=hiking+cartoon&rlz=1C1OKWM_enCA952CA952&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjyq6Cwxof4AhWUKn0KHab4Cg0Q_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1445&bih=872&dpr=1.1#imgrc=6YqL4PwQVbnKwM
People photo retrieved on May 30th, 2022 from https://www.google.com/search?q=social+connections+cartoon&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwj9s9S6yIf4AhWHIDQIHZvKBWsQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=social+connections+cartoon&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzoECAAQQzoGCAAQHhAHOggIABAeEAgQB1D7BViTFWC-FmgBcAB4AIABkAGIAb8MkgEEMC4xM5gBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=UOaUYv3LK4fB0PEPm5WX2AY&bih=872&biw=1445&rlz=1C1OKWM_enCA952CA952#imgrc=6XwjqdYPLMAxGM
Breathing photo retrieved on May 30th, 2022 from https://www.google.com/search?q=breathing+exercise&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjDg4jxzYf4AhUBCjQIHXIeBIUQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=breathing+exercise&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzIFCAAQgAQyBQgAEIAEMgUIABCABDIFCAAQgAQyBQgAEIAEMgUIABCABDIFCAAQgAQyBQgAEIAEMgUIABCABDIFCAAQgAQ6BAgAEEM6BggAEB4QB1DhBljbD2DiEGgAcAB4AIABf4gB9gaSAQM2LjOYAQCgAQGqAQtnd3Mtd2l6LWltZ8ABAQ&sclient=img&ei=AOyUYsODPIGU0PEP8ryQqAg&bih=872&biw=1429&rlz=1C1OKWM_enCA952CA952&hl=en-US#imgrc=VPR6Wl6tL_Ve9M