Summer Shine (English)
Niels Bakker | mei 14, 2025
“Blinded by the light”
What a beautiful spring we are having! Several days well above 20 degrees and we already feel like summer. Lovely weather to be outside a lot and it shows. The terraces are filling up, students are eating en masse on long tables in front of houses and the canals are full of boats. It seems like everyone is free! And therein lies an underexposed danger. Because yes, it is incredibly important to let go and be outside, but don’t forget your priorities! Are you suddenly running way behind on your schedule and are deadlines approaching very quickly? Does this lead to enormous stress reactions and do you find it hard to enjoy the nice weather? Then perhaps you were dazzled by what I would like to call henceforth: “The Summer Shine”.
Enjoy the outdoors!
I am absolutely not going to tell you to stay inside and work on your deadlines. Quite the opposite! Get outside, walk in nature, exercise with friends, play in the park, sail in boats, swim at the city beach and enjoy!
Our brain!
After such a long dark winter, you immediately notice how much better you start to feel when spring arrives, and for good reason:
- Sunlight helps create the feel-good hormone Serotonin. Serotonin helps regulate mood, sleep and appetite. In addition, sunlight activates the production of endorphins, a natural painkiller and mood enhancer. Together, they contribute to your mental health.
- You may have very wisely taken vitamin D supplements this winter and not fallen into a winter slump. Vitamin D plays an important role in a good immune system and your mental health. Low vitamin D levels are associated with an increased risk of depression and other mood disorders. Sunlight is an essential source for vitamin D production.
- Spending time outdoors in sunny weather not only improves your mood, but also helps reduce stress. Nature has a calming effect on the mind and can lower cortisol (the stress hormone). So this can keep your stress levels healthy on a daily basis towards those deadlines!
- And also quite an important one in student life is a healthier circadian rhythm, which regulates our sleep-wake cycle, through exposure to daylight. This makes it easier to fall asleep at night and wake up rested in the morning. So this is thé time to adopt a better rhythm! (See also sources 1 and 2)
Tip: Divide and conquer!
So how should you enjoy the outdoors and still meet your deadlines without stress reactions? Perhaps you are currently trying to study about 6 hours a day 5 days a week and often start a little late in the day. Of course, this is great when it works out, but when the sun starts shining brightly and you opt for the fun stuff, you lose a lot of hours!
- I recommend spreading out your study schedule to 7 days a week and then 4 hours in the morning. Preferably 2 times 2-hour blocks with a charging break in between. That way you can be done by lunch or early afternoon. All the time to enjoy the sun combined with chilling in the park, a drink on the terrace, exercising or a long bbq on the roof terrace.
- Because you enjoy earlier, you can go to bed earlier. Try to shift your rhythm as a whole as well, which is easier to do by living with the light. After all, you’ve already filled your social calendar early in the day, so it’s easier to wind down earlier.
- Find peace in the outdoors! Besides the social fun stuff, it’s also nice to grab time for walks or other quiet activities in nature to get mentally healthy heading toward your final deadlines this year.
Do you need more support in this last chapter of the year? Our Student Psychologists are here to help.
Sources:
- https://psycholoog.nl/blogs/hoe-jij-de-zon-als-medicijn-kan-gebruiken/
- https://www.self-love-therapyllc.com/post/summer-s-warm-embrace-how-sunshine-boosts-your-mental-health
