SPRING CLEAN YOUR HEALTH ROUTINE

It’s It’ time ti to t wake k up your wellbeing llb i come the change of season

We’re saying goodbye to the winter chill and hello to the spring sun. And with the new season, it’s the perfect time to hit refresh on our routines to make sure we’re all feeling our absolute best.

We spoke to the experts to find out what we should be doing for our wellbeing...

GET MOVING

There’s no question how hard it is to stay motivated to work-out in the cold and miserable winter months, but the sun is shining again and it’s time to get your body moving. It doesn’t even have to be going to the gym – small changes to your daily routine can make exercising simple and fun.

“Catching up for coffee with a friend? Make it a takeaway and you can drink it while taking a walk,” says Fitness Australia’s Chantal Brodrick. “Or ditch the date night movie with your partner and take them to do something that gets your heart pumping, like a dance class.”

Try to take your exercise outdoors if you can, not just for the physical benefits but the mental, too!

“Even going outside for as little as five minutes is enough to improve your vitamin D levels [which helps with mood and wellbeing],” says Chantal.

NO BURNOUT ZONE

While it’s important to be moving your body, it it’s s eq equally as important to allow yourself yourse time to rest a and recoup when you’re stresse stressed. The Panadol Panado Rethink Care study recen recently revealed that whil while Aussies know how important self-care is, 58 per cent of us still prioritise work over our health, feeling too guilty to take sick or personal leave.

Leadership author and Panadol ambassador Michael Bunting says we need to start putting ourselves first before we burn out.

“Body awareness is the single most important aspect of self-awareness,” he says.

“The mind is capable of denial and rationalisation, but the body never lies. Your body is telling you when it’s time to take a day off and rest. But are you listening?”

Michael suggests developing a habit of mindfulness. Start to really tune in with yourself and notice when you’re feeling stressed through the day. When you do, allow yourself time out re-enter a calm state – whether that involves taking some deep breaths, a walk outside or calling a friend to talk. You do you!

GP CHECK-UP

New research by Bayer Health Yourself research reveals that Australians are more likely to go to the internet for answers to their health concerns than to a GP. In fact, 55 per cent say