Simply Happy

Simply Happy

What are we without our health? Not only does good health feel great, but making your health a priority makes all your other priorities in life a little easier to manage.

Think of your body as like a bank account. Stress is like withdrawals from your account. Eventually, your body gets to the point of being overdrawn, which affects your health and happiness. Instead of stress, you can deposit wellness activities like eating well, movement, sleeping, mindfulness and gratitude into your account. Imagine what you could do with an account full of this?!

Self-care can be easier said than done. By breaking it down and making small positive changes that can be maintained, better health can be closer than you think. Try these three tips to fill back up your health bank…

Create and Maintain Energy

You need energy to build and maintain health. This starts with a good quality sleep routine. A good night’s sleep allows your body to repair and renew cells, clean your organs, regulate core body temperature, reduce inflammation, and consolidate memories. The most restorative sleeping time is between 10pm and 2pm, so trying to reduce late-nights can help build good energy. Some ways to get your body ready for a good night’s sleep include dimming lights, turning off electronics at least an hour before bed and doing something relaxing like a bath or reading. Find what works for you, and practice it until it becomes a natural part of your daily routine.

Regular physical activity will help you create and maintain better energy. When your body gets moving it releases endorphins, dopamines and serotonin. These leave you feeling great and ready to take on more of life’s activities. This doesn’t have to be regularly going to the gym, or playing a sport. Low-impact everyday movement like walking, stretching, Pilates, or yoga are easier to practice throughout the week to help build energy and release tension.

Organise Routine and Structure

A weekly routine allows your days to run a little smoother. Rouine lets you instinctively know when and where to do certain things, removing the decision making and effort it takes to do some tasks. Creating a family routine at home also can help share the load and make everyone feel like they are an important role in the family. Things like school drop-offs, hobbies and activities, work commitments, and household chores are examples of things you could include in your family routine.

Writing down all the things for your family routine will reduce the amount you have to think about it and give your family something clear to follow. You may like to break things up in categories like work, errands, household chores, or kids activities. However you like to organise, make sure you can easily look at your list and work out when and where in your week you need to do that task.

Be Present and Practice Gratitude

Our minds can get lost thinking about the things we have to do, and have done in the past. It’s easy to get caught up in things other than what’s happening in the present moment. While planning and reflection can be great, too much of this can leave a lot on your mind. By taking a step back from these thoughts and focusing on the present moment, you will benefit your health and wellbeing. Building mindfulness into my daily routine is how I’ve been able to reduce my overthinking and worry. It helps me work through my emotions and feel more positive.

Mindfulness is about experiencing the present moment and acknowledging all the good things in life you are grateful for. It slows down your thoughts and calms your body. Try some mindful techniques like slowing down your breath, writing in a gratitude journal, or practicing Yin Yoga (link to simply happy). You can even just attach calm and controlled breathing to a habit you’re already doing, like walking the dog, doing the dishes or brushing your teeth. See if you notice the difference!