Back when I was in college, I remember hearing from my older friends, “man, my body isn’t what it used to be.” I never quite understood it when they said this since they didn’t seem that old to me. How could someone in their late twenties already be complaining about their body health? Well, now that I’ve hit that age, I completely understand what they were talking about. And the sad part is, it only gets worse as you get older!
But of course, there are many ways that you can help improve your overall health and ease the pain on your body. As Sue Hitzmann says, “a little proactive self-care goes a long way toward keeping you pain-free and active for a lifetime.” That’s so true.
In today’s blog post, I want to focus on ways in which we can all take the time to improve our well being and help with stress relief. It’s never too early or too late to start caring about your body!
#1 Organized thoughts and space
There’s nothing more stressful than having too much on your mind. If you’re like me, trying to juggle what feels like a million thoughts and tasks may come as a struggle. However, if you take the time to sit down every morning for a few minutes to gather and write down your thoughts, it can be a lifesaver!
Besides organizing what’s in your head, you need to clean up your home and work space as well. You can dedicate one day per week to clean one area of your home at a time (unless you’re ambitions, go for more!). Once you’ve tided up, just remember to put things back where they belong!
#2 Exercise, duh!
Now this is an obvious one, but also one that’s the easiest to put aside and tell yourself, “next time.” Just remember, any exercise is better than no exercise at all! If you can spare just a couple minutes a day to walk or stretch, it can make a world of difference. Doing weekly yoga sessions at home has proved to be a good neck pain treatment for me. Even a simple 2-minute stretch each morning has helped provided me with lower back pain relief as well.
Another exercise that I’ve been hearing about is the MELT Method. The Melt Method only takes 10-minutes a day to do and is perfect for anyone regardless of age or activity level, who want a healthy and pain-free living. All you need is the melt method kit and you can find local classes to join or do them in the comfort of your own home. There are so many different ways to look and feel good. What’s your excuse for not?
#3 Eat smart
Okay, so you’ve heard this a million times. Well I’m going to say it again loud and clear right here because you’re still doing it wrong! Don’t skip meals. You should be eating 3 meals (8am, 12pm, 5pm) and 2 snacks (10am, 2pm) a day. Dinner should be your smallest meal, and make sure not to eat anything 2 hours before you go to bed. Try to eat foods that are high in fiber and look up foods that naturally keep you full, such as a boiled egg or almonds.
Alright now, don’t forget your vitamins! Especially for women, calcium and vitamin B is good for us! I’ll share a little secret with you, my grandfather lived to 105 and had 1 banana and 1 glass of milk a day. I’m very sure that has something to do with his longevity.
#4 Get your beauty rest
I know a lot of people who like to sleep late and follow some very unusual schedules, but this isn’t the way to live. Get in sync with your body and learn how much sleep it needs. Not everyone needs the same amount, so you need to do what’s best for you. I personally need 8 hours of sleep. Did you know that I can’t just get “any” 8 hours of sleep in a day? There are studies that show that the ideal time to sleep is 10pm. Our bodies have biological clocks that sleep when it’s dark, and wakes up when it’s light. Further, a lack of sleep actually accumulates, causing us to have to “catch up on sleep” that we’ve lost during the week.
#5 Lastly, give yourself some “me” time
Relax! So many of us forget how to relax properly. No, plopping yourself on the couch every night after work to watch TV is not relaxing (unless it’s something that you don’t normally do and you find comfort doing it). Lately, I’ve found a love for dim lights, lavender scented candles, a bottle of red wine, and my kindle. There are many ways to relax, pick your poison.