Sail through summer

How to stay productive during the hottest months of the year

While most of the world complains about winter blues, here in the UAE we are stuck inside with the sun burning down on us coupled with the choking humidity. The country has bounced back from the pandemic so instead of surrendering indoors, let’s keep ours and our families’ bodies, minds and souls healthy, wealthy and wise.

Sleep

Your mind and body need rest after a hard day of work or play. Getting that seven to eight hours of sleep is crucial to the quality of the next day. It is also a time that you are truly alone so utilise it to find some peace. Being mindful to sleep patterns not only ensures improved cognition and emotion but also acts as a key component to staying in shape and awakening the mind. Try to sleep in absolute darkness or at most a dim nightlight and avoid looking at a screen at least an hour before you tuck in for the night. Invest in a smartwatch to measure your sleep and movement patterns so you get to know the quality of it as well.

I like to cover a cotton pad with cold rose water and place it over my eyes as a final step in my night routine. It gives an excellent cooling effect after spending most days straining them in front of a screen.

Detox the body and mind

Today’s lifestyle exposes us to several pollutants, which are accumulated in the nervous, digestive and immune systems. You can enrol in a personalised detox programme to remove these toxins from the body. Of course, this diet is not something that should leave you weak, or starving. It means choosing organic food with no or fewer preservatives and additives that suit your body along with cooking and eating food at home as much as possible.

Everyone also needs to remove toxic thoughts from the mind. Especially during these trying times, anxiety can overwhelm and take care of your mind is essential to keeping your system running smoothly. Clinique La Prairie, a world-renowned medical clinic and wellness destination, located in Switzerland, recommends using comfort postures, breathing techniques, yoga, visualisations and meditation, which soothe and help to find a little peace of mind that positively nourishes the brain.

Food and nourishment

Maintaining health is 80 per cent diet and 20 per cent exercise. Implementing the right nutrition is essential to staying in shape and facilitating good metabolism. Clinique La Prairie advises that boosting anti-inflammatory effects and beneficial health benefits through foods such as pomegranate, green tea and sweet potato help to rejuvenate the body. Nutrition is the underlying factor to guide individuals in the path to innate immunity and long-term health benefits.

Along with this, the timings of your meals are also vital. Make sure you eat food at a similar time every day so the body is trained when to expect food.

Plan getaways

Take a break from your regular life for a few days. When you return home and to work, your mind will be refreshed and ready to put your best foot forward. Find out what you like best — going solo, with a few special people or a big group — vacation shouldn’t be stressful! If you’re thinking of staycaying with your family, ensure that there are activities for children as well. Snoopy Island, one of the UAE’s best-kept secrets, is a two-hour drive from Dubai. It promises a lovely beach, snorkelling experiences, marine life exploration, and a lovely water play area that can keep kids entertained for hours.

Summer camps for kids

Once school gates close and the long, hot summer days begin, children’s brains are idle for almost two months. They need to kept active and the best way to take care of this is by enrolling them in a summer camp. Most schools hold summer camps for their students but there also ones organised by Kidzania, sports centres, dance studios and more. We’ve listed few in this issue.

Rachael Sacerdoti, founder of It’s SO Simple, shares an easy at-home High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) exercise routine, which with weights can burn fat and calories both during and after the workout, build muscle, and improve heart health.

Glute bridge x15

Curtsy lunge and teep x8 per leg

Crunch and leg lift x15

Shoulder taps x8 per side

Mountain climbers x20

Commandos x12

Sprawl x12

Repeat three times with 10-second break in between