Summer season rolls around once a year, and it’s always a great idea to make the most of it. This is something that travel nurses have the utmost flexibility to do — they can choose assignments where they can experience their ideal summer, whether it’s lounging by the beach in Florida or going on hikes in Washington. But before you fill your schedule with one fun summer activity after another, it’s a good idea to make time for some self-care activities to help keep you calm, focused, and stress-free.
In this blog, we list several ideas for summer self-care for travel nurses that aim to boost their physical and mental well-being.
Self-care for summer: Top tips for travel nurses
Go outdoors and embrace nature
Take advantage of the warmer temperatures to go out and immerse yourself in nature, whether it be by taking a leisurely stroll in a nearby park after your shift or going swimming on the beach with friends and loved ones.
Staying active outdoors is linked to improved physical well-being. Not only will doing fun summer activities (such as biking, hiking, playing beach volleyball, and kayaking, to name a few) contribute to your physical well-being, but they can also lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases, boost immunity, and help fight stress by reducing cortisol levels.
As healthcare professionals, our minds are constantly racing — noting symptoms and patient histories, making quick decisions, documenting, and communicating with patients and their family members. To care for our brains and give them the rest they need, a 2019 study found that spending time in nature can promote cognitive development, boost memory and cognitive flexibility, and enhance attentional functioning.
Wear sunscreen
Before you head out the door to ride your bike or jump in the pool, don’t forget to put on sunscreen! Proper sunscreen application can significantly reduce the risk of developing melanoma, which is the most serious type of skin cancer, and even prevent premature aging. According to estimates, around 8,430 people will die of melanoma in 2025 alone.
Experts advise using sunscreen indoors, particularly if you’re near windows or digital screens all day, especially when you’re spending several hours on documentation. Whether you’re swimming, sweating, or working indoors on a computer or are near windows, it’s best to reapply sunscreen every two hours. Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen (which protects against UVA and UVB rays) with at least SPF 30, preferably SPF 50.
Prioritize hydration
Because of the challenging and time-sensitive nature of their work, dehydration is prevalent among nurses. A 2021 Journal of International Nursing Research study found that 70% of day shift nurses were dehydrated by the time their shift was over. And during summer, the hot weather can exacerbate dehydration, especially when you’re outdoors and enjoying the summer heat.
When going out (especially if you’ll be physically active when it’s hot outdoors), don’t forget to bring a water bottle to keep yourself hydrated. Incorporate hydrating foods into your diet (such as watermelon, tomatoes, cucumbers, and celery) and avoid or limit your alcohol and caffeine intake to ensure that you’ll remain hydrated throughout the day.
Get a summer hobby
On your days off, it’s a great idea to disconnect from technology by doing fun activities that you can better enjoy during summertime. Going on a digital detox for a few hours has many wonderful benefits, including improved productivity, better sleep and happiness levels, and bolstered overall health.
Not all summer hobbies need to be sports-related or physically demanding. To take advantage of the warm weather, you can go for summer hobbies that will encourage you to go out and explore new places, such as having a travel journal or a junk journal. You can also do other fun yet relatively calming activities that you can enjoy by yourself or with loved ones, such as birding, pressing flowers, and even baking summer pies.
