It’s the beginning of March. Winter snow is starting to melt and in Northern Utah last weekend, the temperatures were in the low 60s. It’s so warm! Summer is coming, and fast! Why is everyone so excited? Why does summer make you happy?
Summer is an exciting time full of fun activities, no school, camping, and barbeques. Other than the fun things that summer may bring, why does summer make you happy? I have found 4 scientific reasons as to why the summer months make people happier as opposed to the winter months.
1. Fresh Food
You may be eating fresh food throughout the year, but summer has more options for fresh food. More fresh foods tend to be in season during the summer rather than in other months. How does fresh food effect how happy we are during the summer? There are many benefits that come when eating fresh foods. Some examples are; weight loss, strong bones and teeth, heart health, improved brain health, and a better mood. Eating fresh food helps your body. When you are taking care of your body, your mood changes and you’re happier.
2. More Sleep
For people who have to get up early to go to work, this may not be the case. For students, this is a big deal. Most students are only able to get about 6 or less hours of sleep during the school year. During the summer students say they are able to get 8-10 hours of sleep, which brings positive mood changes. Having more sleep is good, but be cautious. Oversleeping can make you feel lethargic and groggy. Having 8 hours of sleep each night, even during the summer, will improve your mood and energy levels.
3. Outdoor Exercise
Most days, summer months bring warm and sunny days. This is the perfect time to go outside and exercise. Sure, exercise can be a year round activity, but if you’re anything like me, running on a treadmill in a gym doesn’t have the same motivating and happy feeling as opposed to running outside in the sunshine. Why? Because exercising outside improves your mood!
This past week with the warm weather, my husband and I decided to go on a walk almost everyday. Just with the little time we spent outside, both of us felt so good about exercising and being outside.
4. Sunny Days!
This reason for happy summers goes along with exercising outside. Being outside on a warm, sunny day can help your mood. Sunlight is vital for our health and happiness. When we spend time in the sunlight, our bodies produce vitamin D. Vitamin D can help our bodies fight off diseases, lower depression, and improve weight loss.
“The brightness of summer can naturally enhance your mood and make your feel better.”