We’ve talked about how our wellness is all tied together in the past. Today I want to share a few of my favorite wellness tips that help us live a more whole, balanced life. We’re going to continue the conversation with a few more tips next week as well so watch for that.
I want to preface this with one little caveat. I’m sure as heck not a wellness expert. Shoot I get it wrong way to often but I love to learn. So I keep listening, learning and trying things. Must be why they call it a journey!
Sleep
This one is often way underrated and yet here we find it at the top of my list! Sleep is crucial for our bodies to recover and heal itself. We can’t run non stop and expect to operate to the best of our abilities. Chronic poor sleep habits increase our risks for so many diseases. Obesity, diabetes and heart disease to name a few.
Poor sleep habits can also lead to reduced cognitive function. I don’t know about you but I need all the extra ZZZ’s to make sure my brain is operating well.
One of the the habits I’ve found most helpful to good sleep is habits. I know life isn’t always predicatable and things come up but hear me out. When we can create habits around bedtime our body starts to anticipate sleep.
A few of the habits I incorporate every night are super simple.
- I have my diffuser running with Peace and Calming about 30 minutes prior to bed to help me settle down.
- I shut down electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bed. (Not going to lie that ones tough some days!)
- We turn the heat down a little about 30 minutes before bed as well. We’ve found we sleep that much better that way.
Eat healthy
Okay don’t shoot the messenger here but it’s important. But we also know that’s a pretty generic term too. Am I right?
I don’t know about you but all the different “eating plans” make me feel SO overwhelmed. Often I found the more detailed plan the more obsessed I became with food in general. Not a real happy place to be!
So how does a person figure out what works best for them when it comes to eating healthy? How do you even determine what is healthy when they change that so often?
- First, listen to your body! It’s trying to tell you what works best for you but we have to slow down long enough to heed the signals.
- Second, don’t be afraid to try different things. A big part of this is giving it time too so you can hear from your body.
- Third, this is a marathon not a sprint. Make little tweaks that are sustainable and for all things good PLEASE stop comparing your journey to those around you. #preachingtomyselfhere
Drink water
I know, I know water can be boring. We all know it’s good for us but we also know there are so many drinks that light us up even more. Well, those with sugar are truly lighting us up! Sugar creates a craving in us and has a drug like effect in the reward center of our brain. It’s a vicious cycle!
Here are few tips on ditching those sugary drinks for that powerhouse goodness WATER!
- This isn’t fun but often going cold turkey is the most effective way to go when giving up those sugary drinks. I used to drink about six twenty ounce soda’s a day! I decided 15 years ago I wanted to kick the habit. I’d tried several times before that to wean myself off of them to no avail. Hubby suggested I try cold turky. It was ROUGH for three days. Headaches, exhaustion, irritability, the works. Then the clouds started to lift and I’ve never looked back.
- If you aren’t ready for cold turkey try swapping out several of those sugary drinks for water with lemon, lime or other fun fruits added to them.
- Keep adding more times you drink water during the day. Eventually you’ll replace all the sugary drinks. Be cautious of rewarding yourself with one here or there. Sugar is a tricky beast that lures us back in SO quick!!
Please know that I know this always sounds so simple on paper and is often more difficult to implement in real life. Be patient with yourself. Remember this a journey and journey’s most often have a few bumps in the road. Grace friend!
Check out the remaining tips HERE!
I’d love to hear if you’re already implementing any of these above or if you plan to add in one or two this week in the comments.
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