As we’ve explained previously, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) recognises a fifth season: that of late summer. Late summer relates to the element of earth, which in turn is linked to sweet flavours and the need for earthing, or the practice of connecting to the earth’s energy. You can read more about this in our seasonal living post here.

Whether you struggle to get to sleep in the first place or find yourself suddenly wide awake in the early hours, insomnia can have a huge impact on your overall health and wellbeing. Today, SOL expert Florence Neville shares advice for those of you having difficulty sleeping during late summer. Specifcally, she explains the benefits of paying attention to your sugar intake and incorporating simple grounding techniques into your day.

Today, SOL nutrition expert Florence Neville tells us what to eat in late summer and shares advice and ideas to help you feel nourished and content throughout the season.

What is Burnout?

In simple terms, burnout is a state of long-term stress that ultimately leads to physical and emotional exhaustion. Writer and recovering burnout sufferer, Kieran Tie, offers the following description:

‘The best definition of burnout I’ve come across is ‘a chronic state of being out of sync with one or more aspects of your life’. Think of it like riding a bicycle. When everything’s running smoothly, your work, life, and enthusiasm all balance, and you feel valued and fully engaged in your work. But when these aspects get out of sync for too long, you lose your balance and fall down. Unlike riding a bike, though, with burnout, once you’re down, it can be a real challenge to get back up.’ – Recovering from Burnout

People tend to think of burnout as something that stems from your job. In reality, anyone who feels overworked and underappreciated is at risk of burning out. Lifestyle and certain personality traits can also make you more susceptible.

For example, working too much without enough downtime for socialising or relaxing, not getting enough sleep, or taking on too many responsibilities can all contribute to feelings of stress. Perfectionist tendencies, a pessimistic view of yourself and the world, or a reluctance to delegate to others will have a similar effect.

When it comes to burnout, prevention is always better than cure.

A digital detox usually involves switching off all mobiles, smartphones, tablets, laptops and computers for a certain length of time. You can spend your screen-free time doing things you enjoy, giving you a chance to rest and reset before plugging back in.

Our lives are full of screens. We wake up to them, come home to them, and carry them around in our pockets all day. We even let them interrupt our downtime. Smartphones, the Internet and social media have enriched our lives in numerous ways. We certainly couldn’t create our online retreats without them! But as we’ve become more and more dependent on devices, experts have become increasingly concerned about potential damage to our health and wellbeing caused by constant exposure.

As you may already know, our online wellbeing retreats and simple self-care techniques are inspired by and aligned with the seasons. Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Five Elements Theory also influence our approach. This ancient system encourages us to follow the natural seasons, rhythms and cycles of our planet to support balance in our bodies and minds.

Each season corresponds with one of the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water) and supports, nourishes and prepares the body for the next season, creating a constant cycle of wellbeing.

Chinese Five Elements Theory follows a five season cycle, late summer is a short season and our retreat will be available next week until the Autumn equinox. These golden months see fire’s exuberant summer gifts give way to earth’s natural abundance of crops to harvest, tree fruits to pick, and pumpkins to make pies with!

Today, SOL expert Florence Neville returns to the blog to share advice and ideas that will support and nourish you this season…

Traditional Chinese Medicine has five seasons and divides summer into two parts; early and late summer, because they both have a distinct and different feel. Early in the season the sun is hot and bright, the produce is fresh and vital. In late summer the light is softer and golden, the produce ripe and succulent.

Self-Care for a Busy Season

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, summer is a time of long, light, warm days, high energy, outdoor activities, gatherings and celebrations. The season brings us strawberries, melons, peaches, cherries, and other fragrant treats, such as scented roses and sweet-peas. Nature is a hive of activity and the abundance of summer is definitely something to celebrate.

However, the high energy and activity of the season can make it difficult to focus on rest and self-care. You want to make the most of warm weather and longer days, but it’s also important to create time for lazy mornings and relaxed evenings.

Like the seasons, our bodies are constantly adapting and changing. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere (especially the extreme north), the reduction in darkness during summer can have a huge impact on our bodies, especially our ability to get enough rest. Today, Gemma David returns to the blog to tell us how to sleep well in summer…

Being thankful can have a tremendous impact on your quality of life. Gratitude reduces toxic emotions such as envy, resentment, frustration and regret. At the same time, it can enhance feelings of empathy and improve self-esteem.

Gratitude helps us recognise and appreciate what we have, putting challenging situations in perspective and making us happier overall. According to a 2011 study published in Applied Psychology: Health & Wellbeing, writing in a gratitude journal before bed can also improve our quality of sleep.

Gratitude has even been shown to enhance physical health. A 2012 study featured in the journal Personality and Individual Differences revealed grateful people exercise more often and are more likely to attend regular check-ups with their doctor, therefore improving their long-term health.