Have a Mindful Summer: Take a Breather with These Simple Exercises

Summer is a great time to kick back and relax—if you can find the time. Managing the hustle and bustle of kids off school, planning for fun summer activities and trips, or trying to make the most of the warmer weather can keep your mindset more on “go” than “slow.”

Practicing mindfulness exercises may help you be able to tune into a calmer, more go-with-the-flow feeling. They may also offer quick anxiety relief during moments of summer stress. Here are some simple exercises experts say may be worth giving a try.

How Mindfulness Can ‘Make or Break a Family Vacation’

Mindfulness is an age-old practice with benefits grounded in real science. As the Mayo Clinic website explains:

“Mindfulness is a type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you’re sensing and feeling in the moment, without interpretation or judgment. Practicing mindfulness involves breathing methods, guided imagery, and other practices to relax the body and mind and help reduce stress.

[…] Meditation has been studied in many clinical trials. The overall evidence supports the effectiveness of meditation for various conditions, including:

• Stress
• Anxiety
• Pain
• Depression
• Insomnia
• High blood pressure (hypertension)”

The potential benefits of practicing mindfulness to reduce stress are so powerful, in fact, an NPR story notes it can even “make or break a family vacation.”

“‘Vacations and holidays are challenging, says Dr. Michael Irwin, of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA. ‘I have firsthand knowledge,’ as do many of us, he says. Whether it’s tension over where to go, what to do, or who’s cooking – personalities and agendas can collide to create strife.

‘Mindfulness has helped incredibly,’ Irwin says about his own personal experiences. You can start the day with certain expectations, but when it doesn’t go your way, ‘it’s like, oh, well, this is what’s happening, and ok, I’ll give up my expectations,’ he says.

 […]The moment something provokes or annoys us, we have a choice. We can react with emotion – which may manifest as anger, sarcasm, or just a slight edge to our tone — or we can learn to tamp down our responses through meditation practice. The easiest way to get started is to focus on your breath, says UCLA’s Irwin,” according to the NPR story.

Mindful Breathing Exercises to Try

To begin, Dr. Irwin suggests trying the following. “‘Sit for a moment and just take a deep breath,’ focusing on the inhale, the breath coming into your mouth, nose, and into your belly, and then exhaling. ‘That’s an opportunity for you to be present in that moment,’ he says.

You can do this anywhere, at any time, whether you’re stuck in traffic, in a line at the grocery store, or if you find yourself annoyed by the conversation around you. ‘We all have to breathe all the time, and just being aware of our breath is a perfect anchor,’ Irwin says.

‘You can just stop and take an opportunity to do that breathing for one or two minutes,’ Irwin explains. He calls these short breaks, ‘micro hits’ of meditation. He points to the UCLA mindful app, which is free, for ways to get started.”

Mindful breathing exercises can also take a more structured approach. An overview of techniques from Real Simple magazine includes these methods, among others:

“Breath Counting 

Here’s a similar mindful-breathing technique that incorporates another mental cue to help you focus: counting each breath. ‘For people who have really busy minds, adding the component of counting is very helpful,’ [wellness expert Jamie] Price says. ‘Techniques like counting help take us out of thought loops that feed stress, anxiety, or negative emotions.’

Nasal Breathing 

Inhale through your nose, feeling your belly rise, then exhale through the nose, feeling your lungs empty. Repeat until you begin to feel calmer and more relaxed. ‘This exercise allows you to deepen your awareness of your normal breathing pattern,’ says Jasmine Marie, breathwork practitioner, author and founder of Black Girls Breathing. ‘This is a great practice to get familiar with your lung capacity and to begin to know the constraints of your body and what it truly feels like to take a deep breath.’

Oceanic Breathing 

In this pattern, the sound of your breath mimics the crash and retreat of ocean waves. Beginning with your mouth wide open, take a long inhale, then begin exhaling through your mouth, feeling your stomach cave in. Repeat at a slow and steady pace.

Sighing Breath 

Take a long inhale through the nose, then exhale through the mouth while letting out a deep sigh, the kind of response you might make in moments of frustration. Go ahead and engage your vocal cords, if you like. ‘This particular practice is soothing when you’re experiencing heightened emotions, because it allows you to release those emotions with both your breath and your voice,’ Marie says.

Deep Breathing 

Here, you can start to practice changing and deepening your breath to evoke a desired outcome. Deep breathing, also called belly breathing or diaphragmatic breathing, is exactly what it sounds like, and can help promote a sense of calm. Breathe very fully into the belly, then exhale completely. This technique works to deactivate the stress response and bring the body into a calmer ‘rest and digest’ state.”

Finding Mindfulness in Summer Activities

You may find opportunities to ground yourself in the present during your summer activities. For example, stopping to the smell the flowers, looking up to gaze at the clouds going by, or taking part in other outdoor pursuits.

Mindful Gardening

Gardening can provide real meditative benefits, says an article from Healthline. “Gardening is a great way to practice mindfulness and connect with nature at the same time. Set yourself up with a simple task, like planting some seeds or watering some flowers.

As you do so, place your hand in the soil and feel its texture. Is it rough or fine? Is it damp or dry? Is it warm or cool? Allow yourself to enjoy the process as if you were a child playing.

Notice the weather – not through your mind, but through your sensations. Do you have goosebumps from a chill in the air, or is there sweat on your brow from the hot sun? Notice any other forms of life around you, like a chattering squirrel or chirping bird. You’re likely to meet a worm or roly-poly in the soil, too.”

Walking Meditation

One of the other forms of mindfulness practice mentioned in the Healthline article includes walking meditation. “Walking meditation is exactly what it sounds like: a form of meditation you practice while walking, often in a straight line or circle.

You can do it almost anywhere, whether you’re walking to work, taking a stroll around the neighborhood, or hanging out with your kids at the park.”

If you want to kick the meditative benefits of your walk up a notch, consider the TikTok trend in “silent walking,” as noted in GQ Magazine. It involves heading for a stroll with no other distractions such as music or podcasts.

“There’s a reason silent walking is linked to the practice of walking meditation. In a world that becomes busier, faster-paced and generally louder with each passing day, taking time to cut the noise has become a deliberate act. ‘Sometimes our brains can get so busy that a trend like ‘silent walking’ is exactly what we need,’ says Penny Weston, founder of wellness platform MADE. ‘Essentially, the new trend is a mindfulness exercise, as we are focusing on the present moment and tuning into our senses. Time in silence can help us to think more clearly, and calm our mind when it is racing with thoughts.’

Silent walking is focused on immersion, both within yourself and your environment. While there’s certainly room in life for a morning walk with a bit of [music], taking a moment away from external influences to hone in on the world around you is about as mindful as you can get.

‘Silent walking strips away the noise and distractions of our frenetic modern lives, instead encouraging you to move mindfully and sync your breath with the cadence of your steps,’ says Michelle Justice, yoga instructor and founder of Nature Sound Retreat. ‘You’re able to fully immerse yourself in the journey itself – observing the shifting light patterns dappling the path ahead, feeling the varied textures underfoot, noticing the subtle fragrances carried on the breeze.’ Poetry in motion.”

Mindfulness Exercises for Anxiety or Stress

You can also use your summer leisure time to try some more traditional mindfulness exercises to help with anxiety or stress. A couple of techniques from the Mayo Clinic website include:

“Body scan meditation

Lie on your back with your legs extended and arms at your sides, palms facing up. Focus your attention slowly and deliberately on each part of your body, in order, from toe to head or head to toe. Be aware of any sensations, emotions or thoughts associated with each part of your body.

Sitting meditation

Sit comfortably with your back straight, feet flat on the floor and hands in your lap. Breathing through your nose, focus on your breath moving in and out of your body. If physical sensations or thoughts interrupt your meditation, note the experience and then return your focus to your breath.”

Experts say to experiment with different mindfulness practices to find what works for you. This season, you might just find a new approach to support you through the whole year.