A DEEPER WELL
Forget short-term pick-me-ups and commit to boosting your health year-round for the best result, says fitness expert RUTH LYNCH
THERE’S nothing better than relaxing, putting your feet up and being pampered. It’s little wonder then that spa days and summer holidays are high up on the list of priorities for those of us in need of some TLC, especially at this time of year.
The problem is that such ‘treats’, as well as being expensive, are generally shortlived. The occasional seaweed wrap and pool day is going to make you feel fantastic, but for how long? Even the feeling of wellbeing after a week’s holiday in the sun will only last for a little while before reality strikes.
The solution? Simple. It’s all about you. More specifically, about learning to make wellbeing an all-year-round focus, not a series of one of luxuries. By making just a few simple changes, we can all wake up feeling more refreshed, relaxed and energised more often.
Here’s how:
IT may sound counter-intuitive but being more active really is one of the best ways to feel more relaxed. In body and mind.
Yes, 30 minutes a day will help you keep fit, but activity also releases important endorphins that help us relax and feel happy. Boosting our overall feeling of wellbeing.
Remember, 30 minutes doesn’t just count if it’s an official exercise class or sporting activity. In many cases, gardening, vigorous hoovering or even dancing to your favourite songs for half an hour can be just as effective as ‘traditional’ exercise – it all counts!
All that matters is that you move enough to get your heart beating faster and to make your breathing heavier.
So go on, get those endorphins flowing!
WELLBEING is also about taking time out for yourself and clearing your mind of worries – a step which happens to be integral to the practice of what we commonly refer to as ‘mindfulness’.
Yoga and meditation are the most obvious activities to help develop mindfulness. These calming exercises aren’t just good for you physically (helping you get your 30 in!), they also provide an opportunity to reflect on the day, put negative thoughts out of mind, and help you to relax.
Experienced instructors will be able to guide you through some mindfulness techniques.
Alternatively, you could try some yoga and meditation at home. There are plenty of online videos to follow and doing it as a family will provide a perfect opportunity to spend some (quiet!) time together.
IF yoga or traditional mediation techniques aren’t your thing, you could try and introduce mindfulness into your day-to-day activities. One idea is to take five minutes to closely observe what’s going on around you – even if you are doing something you’ve done hundreds of times before. Observing how your body reacts to smells, touch and sight will calm your mind and give you something to focus on without having to concentrate too much.
Again, this is something you can also do with the kids. Take them for a walk and talk about what you see, the sensations of walking through leaves and what they can smell. It’s such a small thing, but it really will help empty busy minds of worries or concerns.
Focusing on the here and now can really help mental wellbeing.
WE all know friends are great to have around. But did you know that friendships also have a major impact on our feeling of wellbeing? Regular contact with good friends has been reported to increase happiness, reduce stress and improve feelings of self-esteem. All of which play a vital role in our wellness.
And here’s some even better news. Remember those endorphins from exercise mentioned earlier? As well as making us feel better – they can help us form friendships too!
It’s been shown that people sharing an endorphin rush through a collective activity actually bond more easily. Group exercise classes are often successful because they harness that bonding mechanism to build communities which then fuel feelings of wellbeing.
Regular contact with good friends has been reported to increase happiness, reduce stress and improve feelings of self-esteem. All of which play a role in our physical and emotional wellness