Why summer is all about self-care, daily routine tweaks

Summer is the season many people chose to vacation, relax and — according to a new poll — invest in self-care.

OnePoll and Enlightened teamed up to ask 2,000 participants how the summer impacts their regular routines but also found that respondents use their free time to invest in their wellbeing.

The survey found that 49 percent of people feel their morning routine is prolonged in the summer, while 56 percent say they make the most adjustments to their daily routines during the sunny months.

Common changes to routines include switching to summer clothing (41 percent), spending more time outdoors (39 percent) and eating more ice cream (36 percent). In fact, enjoying their favorite sweets more often in the summer make 65 percent of respondents happier.

In addition, 44 percent of respondents treat themselves by doing nothing or spending time alone. Other mentioned me-time activities include watching TV (42 percent), listening to music (41 percent), and drinking a beloved beverage of choice. (37 percent).

Although there are respondents — 54 percent — who said it’s hard to find ways to treat themselves in the summer, 34 percent feel like they don’t have the time.

Forty percent of people are worried about the sugar content in their favorite treats.

“Results found that 63% of people want to treat themselves more than they actually do. Finding the perfect way and time to treat yourself shouldn’t have to be a compromise, Enlightened founder and CEO Michael Shoretz said. “We believe that you don’t have to choose between having a delicious treat and good nutrition.”

The most popular forms of self-care include:

• Spending time with family and friends – 44 percent
• Applying moisturizer or sunscreen – 42 percent
• Drinking cold beverages – 41 percent
• Eating summer treats (ice cream, popsicles) – 41 percent
• Sitting by the beach or by the pool – 39 percent
• Spending time in the air conditioning – 38 percent