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11 ways to stay healthy this season
Practicing self care is something we should do all year, but work, relationships, and everyday hassles seem to take up all our time. Mental health and physical health are largely connected, so by taking care of your body, you’re also taking care of your mind. Take time this season to incorporate simple changes in your daily routine to live a healthier, happier life.
1.
Sleep More
It may seem obvious that sleep is beneficial. Even without fully grasping what sleep does for us, we know that going without sleep for too long makes us feel terrible, and that getting a good night’s sleep can make us feel ready to take on the world. There have been countless studies over decades to fully understand sleep’s benefits, and most conclude similar findings- that healthy sleep is good for your brain & mental health, it can lower your chances of getting sick by supporting your immune system, and it may strengthen your heart, reduce sugar and caffeine cravings, aid in weight control, and it can improve concentration and productivity. A proper nights sleep can help regulate emotions and has also been linked to feeling less depressed.
Sleep is the time when your body does most of it’s healing. Most adults require between seven and nine hours of nightly sleep. Children and teenagers need substantially more sleep, particularly if they are younger than five years of age. Work schedules, day-to-day stressors, a disruptive bedroom environment, and medical conditions can all prevent us from receiving enough sleep. A healthy diet and positive lifestyle habits can help ensure an adequate amount of sleep each night.
2.
Stay Hydrated
Drinking enough water each day is crucial for many reasons – every system in your body needs it to survive. Water regulates our body temperature, keeps our joints lubricated, helps prevent infections and delivers nutrients to our cells, and keeps organs functioning properly. Additionally, our kidneys and liver work hard to get rid of toxins in our bodies, and they depend on water to do their job. Being well-hydrated also improves sleep quality, cognition, and mood.
One of the best things you can do when you wake up is drink at least 16oz (2 cups) of water. Water fires up your metabolism, hydrates you, helps your body flush out toxins, gives your brain fuel, and may make you eat less. Aim to drink more than the standard eight glasses a day. It’s best to stay away from sugar-sweetened beverages when trying to stay hydrated. Instead, get creative – put some frozen berries in your water or even some mint leaves and lime slices. Also, opting for fruits and vegetables with high-water content such as watermelon, cantaloupe, tomatoes, and cucumber are another great way of keeping you hydrated.
3.
Protect Your Skin
This is very important. Protecting yourself from the sun’s radiation will reduce your risk of skin cancer, premature aging, and painful burns. Not only do you need to protect your skin from the sun, you should also protect it from harmful chemicals. There are a number of ways to do this. You should limit your exposure to the sun. The sun is the most intense between the hours of 10am and 4pm, so try to stay in the shade or indoors during this period. You can also wear protective layers. Long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats can protect your skin from direct contact with the sun. Wear sunglasses with 100% UV absorption to protect your eyes.
And, very importantly, use sunscreen. Look for at least an SPF 30 and wear it all the time. Even if you are just running errands or going for a short walk, ultraviolet exposure increases somewhere between four and 10 percent for every 1,000 feet above sea level. So at an altitude of 9,000 feet, UV radiation can be nearly 50 percent more intense than at sea level. And don’t be deceived if it’s a cloudy day- no matter where you live or the time of year, wearing sunscreen while outdoors is a must.
4.
Move your Body
To put it simply, find a way to just move and avoid inactivity. The lack of physical activity can lead to poor blood circulation, and is also linked to increased blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels. This can, in turn, increase the risk of heart diseases and other ailments. By moving, you will strengthen your muscles and improve stability, balance, and coordination. You will release endorphins, thus helping to regulate emotions and relieve stress.
Moving our bodies allows us to take a break from everyday challenges. Find something or several activities you love to do and commit to it daily. If you enjoy taking walks, set a reminder and make it happen. If you are interested in yoga but haven’t yet made the leap, try a group class or speak with a yoga instructor about options to suit your needs and abilities. Join a local gym and meet with a staff trainer to get you started. If you used to run and want to pick it back up, begin with a brisk walk and gradually build back your skills. If these types of activities do not appeal to you, perhaps heading outdoors (Tip #5) or planting a garden (See Tip #6) will inspire your commitment to daily movement.
5.
Get Outdoors
Spending time in the great outdoors has been proven to have awesome benefits and can have a positive impact on your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing. A recent study found that men and women who spent just 20 minutes in a park setting reported a 64% increase in life satisfaction. Studies have also found that being outdoors may lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, improve sleep, and relieve stress, anxiety and depression. You’ll also benefit from elevated Vitamin D levels. An estimated 40% of U.S. men and women are vitamin D deficient, which can lead to some pretty scary health implications, including depression, cancer, and osteoporosis.
Penciling in your time outside around midday is ideal, as UVB rays reach their peak around noon.
Get outdoors by visiting your local parks, forests and trails. Check out an outdoor class, enroll in an adult athletic team, join a bird watching or nature group, or travel to brand-new outdoor destinations. Or, you can just simply spend time exploring your own backyard, the benefits are incredibly rewarding.
6.
Test Your Green Thumb
Gardening is a great way to spend time outdoors and provide yourself with healthy food. The CDC says it’s a great way to get physical activity, and they reports that people who garden are more likely to get a healthy night of sleep. It is a mood booster, and can provide calmness after stressful events. Gardening can even help protect your memory as you get older.
If you’ve never planted a garden before, start simple. Things like cucumbers, lettuce, peppers and carrots are easy to grow for beginners. No space for a garden? Grow some herbs in a pot. You may also be able to get involved with a local community garden. Just putting your hands in soil is a “grounding” activity. Being grounded means you are centered, solid, strong, balanced, less tense and less stressed.
7.
Clean Up Your Space
A lot of “stuff” tends to accumulate during the winter months. Spring cleaning allows you to get rid of the extra clutter while freshening up your space. Decluttering helps with feeling balanced. It creates a sense of confidence and self-efficacy, and hones your decision-making and problem-solving skills.
Many of us know clutter can create family stress. It’s important to make sure everything has a place. You’ll spend less time looking for items and help avoid potential tense situations with family members. For day to day chores, some suggest to always wash the dishes after eating, sweep after cooking, and putting your clothes away after washing, this way you’ll stay caught up on chores. If bigger projects seem overwhelming, select one and spend a minimum of 30 minutes on it each day. You’ll quickly see results, and that intimidating clutter will either be completed or you’ll have made a satisfying dent it it. And there’s an added bonus to cleaning up your space – you almost always find something you forgot you had, thought was lost or that you needed. A clean house is a happy house and a happy family.
8.
Connect With Others
Plan something fun with family or friends. It doesn’t need to be expensive, but being social and around others will help keep any negative thoughts from ruminating. If you aren’t feeling like being in a crowded space (street fair, farmers’ market, amusement park), try to call at least one person to stay connected. Spending less time on our electronic devices and on social media will help you be ‘in the moment’, less focused on what everyone else is doing, and a bit happier. Sometimes it’s important to disconnect and pay attention to the real life happening around you.
9.
Laugh More
One always feel good after a laugh with friends. It’s a great way to bring more happiness to your life. Even better, research has shown that the health benefits of laughter are far-ranging. Laughter can alleviate anxiety by reducing the levels of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine (adrenaline), dopamine, and growth hormone. It also increases the level of health-enhancing hormones, like endorphins, and, when you laugh, you activate T-cells that immediately begin to help fight off sickness.
Did you know that laughing improves your breathing? Laughter empties your lungs of more air than it takes in, resulting in a cleansing effect similar to deep breathing. There’s cardiac health benefits as well. Laughter gets your heart pumping and burns a similar amount of calories per hour as walking at a slow to moderate pace. Laughter has also long been known to help people who are suffering from depression. It reduces tension and stress, and lowers anxiety and irritation.
So, what does all of this mean? Studies so far have shown that laughter can help relieve pain, bring greater happiness, and even increase immunity. And psychologist name the propensity for laughter and sense of humor as one of the 24 main signature strengths one can possess.
10.
Be Kind To Others
Kindness has been shown to increase self-esteem, empathy and compassion, and improve mood. It can decrease blood pressure and cortisol, a stress hormone, which directly impacts stress levels. Studies show that being kind stimulates the body to produce serotonin, which promotes calmness and a peaceful feeling that combats depression and anxiety. Serotonin also aids in healing physical wounds by decreasing pain and increasing endorphins.
Showing kindness and compassion is good for you. People who give of themselves in a balanced way also tend to be healthier and live longer. Those who volunteer their time serving others have a lower chance of dying early than those who don’t. Being kind to someone can be as simple as complimenting a stranger, offering to lend a hand, or just writing someone a kind note. Look out for ways to show kindness, the benefits are so very worth it.
11.
Be Kind To Yourself
Are you hard on yourself? Do you expect more of yourself than you do of others? Allowing negative self-talk to inhabit your mind is destructive to your mental and physical health. Being kind to yourself is critically important to your overall well-being and can improve your physical, mental, and relational wellbeing. Being kind to yourself through positive self-thoughts reduces your heart rate and sweat response. This signals a healthier, more adaptable heart, which may reduce the risk of disease. Also, being kind to oneself switches off the threat response and puts the body in a state of safety and relaxation that is important for regeneration and healing.
Self-compassion is associated with less anxiety and depression. Changing what you think about can change how you act. Ruminating on negativity and self-deprecating leads to higher levels of anxiety and depression, while focusing on positive, uplifting thoughts frees you from this trap. When you are unhappy with your own body, your own life, or your own family, you are unlikely to be a positive force for someone else.
