Category: Wellness

Our moods can be as unpredictable as the weather – one moment basking in sunshine, the next caught in a downpour of negativity. But what if there were ways to influence these emotional fluctuations? Not by waiting for the storm to pass, but by building an internal weather system that promotes overall wellbeing.

Our mind and body should operate as a finely tuned unit. When we prioritise activities that enhance wellbeing, we send positive signals throughout our system. This translates to increased levels of neurotransmitters – dopamine and serotonin, for example – that play a crucial role in regulating mood.

Regularly engaging in wellbeing-enhancing activities builds resilience against stress and negativity, giving us a more stable emotional foundation. So when a storm does hit? You’re ready for it!

Here’s how to create a powerful link between your wellbeing practices and your emotional state, essentially weatherproofing your emotional landscape.

Your mood-boosting toolkit

The beauty lies in the vast array of wellbeing practices available – explore and experiment to discover the tools that best suit you. Consider these options to get started:

1. Move your body. The mood-lifting power of physical activity is well-documented. Find an exercise you genuinely enjoy, whether it’s an exercise class, a gym session or simply taking a brisk walk in nature.
2. Find mindful moments. Mindfulness practices like meditation or breathwork can be great for combatting stress, particularly when you integrate them into your daily routine. Even a few minutes of focusing on your breath each day can bring a sense of peace and clarity.
3. Make time for creative expression. Unleash your inner artist! Drawing, writing, playing music: any form of creative expression allows you to tap into emotions and process them in a healthy way.
4. Connect with others. Humans are social creatures. Nurturing positive relationships with loved ones provides a sense of belonging and support, which can significantly impact mood.
5. Give back to the world. Volunteering or helping others can boost feelings of purpose and self-worth, leading to a more positive outlook. Look for volunteer opportunities in your community to donate your time to a cause you care about.

How to turn wellbeing practices into a habit

Like any positive change, consistency is critical. Start small and integrate wellbeing practices into your daily routine. Even short bursts of activity can make a difference. Schedule dedicated time for your chosen practices, and treat them like essential appointments you wouldn’t miss.

Here are some tips to make your practices a habit:

1. Set realistic goals. Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to overhaul your entire routine at once. Start with small, achievable goals, such as meditating for 5 minutes every day or taking a 30-minute walk three times a week. Gradually increase the duration or frequency of your practices as they become more ingrained in your routine.
2. Find an accountability partner. Enlist a friend or family member as your accountability partner for valuable support. Share your goals with them and check in with each other regularly to stay motivated.
3. Make it enjoyable. The key to sticking with any habit is to find it enjoyable. If meditation isn’t your cup of tea, explore other mindfulness practices like yoga or mindful colouring. If running is a chore, find an exercise you genuinely enjoy, such as swimming, tennis or exercise classes.

Tracking your journey

Developing self-awareness is crucial. Start a mood tracker or journal to record your emotions and the wellbeing practices you engaged in throughout the day. Over time, you’ll identify patterns and discover which activities have the most significant impact on your mood.

Final thoughts

Individuality is key. What works wonders for one person might not resonate with another. Don’t get discouraged if a specific practice doesn’t click with you – keep exploring and experimenting.

Be kind to yourself. Building a wellbeing routine is a journey, not a destination. There will be days when you struggle to maintain your practices. Be gentle with yourself and get back on track when you’re ready.

And don’t forget to celebrate your wins. Acknowledge and mark your progress. Noticing
positive changes in your mood is a great motivator to continue on your wellbeing journey.

Do you ever experience a late-morning low or a mid-afternoon slump? Before you dose yourself with coffee or sugar to stay alert, consider trying a new sleep technique: the micro nap.

As the name suggests, micro naps are very short periods of rest – 5 to 10 minutes. While that may seem insignificant at first glance, for some people a micro nap can pack a surprising punch.

As with all sleep-related techniques, micro naps won’t suit everyone. After all, our sleep needs and habits are individual. Read on to find out more about micro naps and explore whether these brief moments of rests could transform your afternoon energy levels.

Micro naps: An overview

Think of micro naps as mini power naps. The aim is to avoid deeper sleep stages and the grogginess that often follows.

It’s important to differentiate between micro napping and unintentional micro-sleep episodes, which are brief lapses in consciousness that occur even when trying to stay awake. Micro sleep is often caused by sleep deprivation.

Micro naps, by contrast, are a wellness practice you do intentionally. During a micro nap, your brain activity shifts towards a state of reduced wakefulness. This allows for a mini-reset, potentially boosting your mental acuity and improving memory, problem-solving abilities and creativity.

Micro naps are particularly useful if you need a short-term boost. According to one study, a brief nap provides immediate cognitive benefits, improving performance for 1 to 3 hours afterwards.

The benefits of micro naps

• Enhanced cognitive function: Research shows micro naps can improve memory, problem solving and creativity.
• Increased alertness and productivity: Combat the afternoon slump with a micro nap to feel sharper and more focused.
• Mini mood boost: Anecdotally, some people report feeling better for taking a break, however brief.

Micro naps vs long naps

While long naps have their merits, they can lead to sleep inertia – that groggy feeling you get when you wake up. Micro naps, on the other hand, are designed to be short and sweet, avoiding deeper sleep stages and minimising grogginess.

Making micro naps work for you

• Identify your low-energy periods: Recognise the typical time of day when your energy dips and use micro naps to combat that.
• Schedule your breaks: Consistency is key. Set specific times for micro naps in your daily routine.
• Embrace alarms: Use alarms to start and end your micro nap, preventing accidental
  oversleeping.
• Mindful moments: Treat your micro naps as mini-meditations, focusing on deep breathing and relaxation.
• Include white noise: Incorporating white noise or other sleep sounds can create a peaceful environment for your micro nap.
• Stay hydrated: Dehydration can contribute to fatigue. Drink plenty of water throughout the day.

Micro naps and night-time sleep

Micro naps aren’t a substitute for getting enough sleep at night. Chronic sleep deprivation can be detrimental to your health, impacting everything from your cognitive function to your risk of chronic diseases, so talk to your doctor if you’re consistently unable to get enough sleep for you.

While not meant to replace quality night-time sleep, micro naps can indirectly improve it by helping to manage sleep anxiety. If you struggle to drift off at night, micro naps can help manage anxiety by providing reassurance that you are able to fall asleep.

What’s more, a study found that a 10-minute nap is the most restorative length after a night of restricted sleep.

Micro naps can be powerful tools in the fight against modern-day sleep challenges. They can improve focus, combat sleep deprivation, and boost productivity. Remember, timing and brevity are key to their effectiveness. Embrace the science of short slumbers and see how micro naps can enhance your wellbeing.

What if there was a simple way to create lasting, positive habits in your life? Habit stacking might be just the technique you’ve been looking for.

This is a concept popularised by author James Clear in his book Atomic Habits. It involves integrating new bite-sized habits into your existing routines, making them manageable and realistic.

Habit stacking is a simple yet powerful technique that harnesses the effectiveness of consistency and incremental progress. By incorporating well-being habits into your existing routines, you’ll find it easier to make positive changes in your life – ones that you can stick to. Over time, these small changes can have significant and long-lasting impacts on your overall well-being.

Here’s how you can start habit stacking:

Take an inventory of your existing habits

Start by taking a close look at your daily routine and make a note of the habits you already have. These can be as simple as brushing your teeth in the morning, making a cup of coffee or checking your email. You’re looking for the actions you do consistently.

Choose well-being goals

Decide which areas of your well-being you’d like to improve. Whether it’s physical health, mental well-being or personal growth, select specific goals that align with your values and priorities. For example, you might want to meditate, exercise or read more.

Find complementary habits

Once you’ve identified your existing habits and set your well-being goals, find habits and goals that complement each other. For example, if you want to improve your physical health, you can pair your morning coffee habit with a 10-minute stretching routine.

Create your habit stack

Develop a habit stack by linking your existing habit with your new well-being goal. In this example, it might look like this: “After I make my morning coffee, I will do 10 minutes of stretching.” Or, “During my commute, I’ll spend 5 minutes on breathwork while sitting on the train.”

Think little and often

The key to habit stacking is to start small. You don’t need to overwhelm your entire routine all at once. Begin with just one habit stack and focus on consistency. As you build momentum, you can gradually add more stacks to your daily routine.

Track your progress

1. Use a journal or a habit-tracking app to monitor your progress.
2. Celebrate your successes and learn from your setbacks.
3. Tweak your habit stacks as needed, making adjustments to what doesn’t work, and this will make them more effective.

Remember that building habits take time and effort, so be patient. The key is to stay
committed and keep refining your habit stacks as you go along. With habit stacking, you can transform your daily routine, bringing you one step closer to a healthier and happier life.

Even though there are some key differences between yoga and Pilates, there’s a tendency to group these two exercises together. And that’s understandable.

Both are holistic exercises, which means they affect the whole person, going beyond physical training to help you look after mental well-being as well as fitness. Yoga and Pilates are open to pretty much everyone as low-intensity, low-impact workouts. Both types of exercise can support you with strengthening your core and improving posture.

But as we’ve said, there are differences – and it’s important to know about these before you choose your class. Let’s take a closer look.

What is yoga?

The ancient practice of yoga emphasises asanas (postures), breath control and meditation to promote overall well-being and self-awareness. While there are multiple forms of yoga and a wide variety of poses, the focus is always on connecting the mind and body by matching breathing to movement. The good news is that yoga is easy to start and can be a great way to help manage anxiety, depression, high blood pressure and more, especially if you’re over 50.
While it all sounds very chill, it’s a myth that yoga isn’t a “proper” workout. Poses can be challenging and build serious strength and flexibility throughout your body. With so many different forms of yoga, you can choose a class to suit your needs — whether it’s a dynamic, power-oriented session or a calming Yin class that will help you unwind after a long day and maybe even alleviate some lower back pain.

What is Pilates?

Developed in the 1920s by Joseph Pilates, Pilates is a much newer form of exercise that was initially for rehabilitating injured soldiers. It aims to strengthen the core, stabilise and elongate the spine, and improve overall strength and balance. When we think about its roots, it’s no wonder Pilates is recommended for those with arthritis, back pain and other physical challenges. It’s also an effective way to prevent future issues if you’re already fit and injury-free.
While there are several forms of Pilates — with some using specialised equipment, such as Reformer Pilates — most classes take place on the mat, emphasising small movements and controlled breathing to work the core and pelvic floor. Although the speed and intensity of Pilates classes vary, movement is controlled and builds gradually, making this a safer option for those recovering from injuries or exploring Pilates for the first time.

The differences between yoga and Pilates

• Mind-body connection and spirituality: Yoga often incorporates meditation, breathing exercises and mindfulness. While Pilates teaches mental focus and breath control, its primary goal is alignment and muscular balance. It doesn’t delve into spirituality to the same extent as yoga.
• Variety of classes: There is a range of yoga styles, from intense to relaxing, all of which can vary according to the instructor. With Pilates, on the other hand, movements and principles stay consistent across different Pilates classes.
• Focus on resistance training: One of the defining features of Pilates is its emphasis on resistance training. With exercises such as squats, Pilates aims to build strength, particularly in the core. Yoga also builds strength and flexibility but doesn’t use resistance in the same way.
• Equipment: Most types of yoga require very little equipment, usually just a mat and occasionally props like blocks. Pilates often incorporates more equipment, especially in a studio and with the machines used in Reformer Pilates.
• Approach to movement: Yoga classes will include either holding static poses or flowing from one pose to another in sequences. Pilates often involves holding a base pose and then adding movement to challenge the core and improve stability and strength.
• Intensity: A typical yoga class might start with gentle poses, gradually build up to more challenging ones, and then wind down with relaxation and meditation. Pilates tends to maintain a steadier pace throughout the session, focusing on consistency.
• The relaxation pose: Most yoga classes culminate in Savasana, or the Corpse Pose, which involves lying on the yoga mat and absorbing the benefits, relaxing mind and body. While Pilates might also end with relaxation stretches or techniques, it’s not the same everywhere.

Pilates vs yoga: which is right for you?

It’s completely up to you! While they share some similarities, yoga and Pilates each have their unique philosophies, techniques and focus points. If you like routine, structure and attention to detail, you may prefer Pilates, while yoga may be more appealing for creative types looking for more freedom and flow.

That being said, there’s no reason you can’t do both! Strengthening your core in Pilates class will give you better balance in yoga, and improving your flexibility in yoga will see you move deeper in Pilates. It’s a win-win.

Do you ever feel the urge to get out in nature? A desire to drop everything and head to the coast for a beach walk, for example; or even just to get out to your local park and surround yourself with greenery?

There’s a word for that: biophilia, the theory that all humans have an innate urge to connect with the natural world. The idea is that outdoor settings feel intuitively good, and can have profound healing effects on our physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Mood-boosting benefits of being outdoors

These healing effects are backed up by scientific research. Studies have shown that being in nature can increase the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter responsible for regulating mood.

What’s more, spending time in natural environments, whether it’s a serene forest, a tranquil beach, or a peaceful park, has been shown to lower levels of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress.

Bringing the outdoors in

Even if you can’t get outside, there’s research that suggests even looking at the natural world can have health-boosting benefits. According to one study, patients recovering from surgery with a window view of nature have faster recovery rates than those with a blocked view of the outdoors.

Even in hospital rooms containing plants, patients recorded lower blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety levels.

Nature’s healing patterns

A possible explanation for this is that man-made objects tend to be created in straight edges and right angles. By contrast, in the natural world you’ll see repeating patterns called fractals, which the human brain seems to find soothing. There are studies that suggest looking at fractals can reduce stress by up to 60%.

Tech companies, as always, are ahead of the game – most devices’ default backdrop resembles some type of natural outdoor setting. That’s because these images, containing fractals, have an impact on our capacity to feel calmer.

Getting active outdoors

So far we’ve considered the impact of simply being in, or looking at, the natural world. But a more active approach to the outdoors is also worthwhile.

Engaging with nature brings numerous physical health benefits. Outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, or gardening provide opportunities for exercise, helping to improve cardiovascular health, strengthen muscles, and enhance overall fitness levels. In colder temperatures, just make sure you’re wearing the right outdoor workout clothing for winter weather. In summer, make sure you follow advice for exercising in the heat.

The importance of vitamin D

Of course, we can’t talk about the benefits of the outdoors without mentioning vitamin D. Research over the last few years has associated it with everything from boosting the immune system to improving bone health. Nowadays it’s one of the most popular vitamin supplements in the UK. However, there is another source: exposure to natural sunlight allows our bodies to produce vitamin D.

Nature for sleep and peace

There’s evidence to suggest vitamin D can help with sleep regulation. But simply spending time in nature in general has also been linked to improved sleep patterns.

Sunlight helps to calibrate our sleep/wake cycle, known as our circadian rhythm. Research shows that absorbing natural light first thing in the morning is the most effective way to keep our energy levels well distributed throughout the day, avoiding those mid-afternoon crashes and sleepless nights.

What’s more, in our technology-driven world, our minds are often overstimulated, and our senses are overloaded with fast-moving images, sounds and information. Nature offers a much-needed respite, allowing our minds to unwind and slow down.

Studies suggest that spending time in natural environments enhances cognitive function, improves focus and boosts creativity. Whether it’s a leisurely walk in the woods or a hike up a mountain, natural surroundings provide space for mental clarity, enabling us to think more clearly and find innovative solutions to problems away from the everyday business of life.

Nature and mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of noting what’s happening in the present, without judgment. And the natural world is the perfect environment for this.

Whether observing a delicate flower, listening to the gentle breeze or feeling the earth beneath our feet, nature encourages us to slow down, embrace stillness, and forge a deeper connection with ourselves and our environment.

With all of these benefits, it’s easy to see why outdoor wellness is increasingly popular, from forest bathing and walking meditation and outdoor spa gardens. Breathing in the fresh air, and allowing nature’s wonders to heal and rejuvenate us, is a way of returning to the harmonious balance between ourselves and the world around us.

Morning routines are increasingly under the spotlight in the world of wellness. On podcasts, social media and in chart-topping books, you’ll find everyone from celebrities to CEOs sharing their secrets to AM success.

Alarmingly – to those of us who are night owls rather than larks – many of these ‘ideal’ morning routines involve 5am starts, ice-cold showers, at least an hour on a treadmill and a frankly improbably amount of coconut yoghurt.

The thing is, though, the perfect morning routine doesn’t exist.

Or rather, it does – but it’s unique to each of us. There’s no one-size-fits-all, objectively perfect schedule that everyone should be following.

Building your morning routine, then, is about identifying what matters to you, how you function best, and what kind of schedule will make you feel happy and productive. It’s about adding morning rituals to your routine that make you feel good. The process will be one of trial and error – be prepared to make tweaks as you try out different timings. And whatever you do, don’t force yourself out of bed at 5am unless you want to (or small children demand it). Cold showers and coconut yoghurt are also optional.

1.Note your ‘hard stop’

Your hard stop is anything you have to do at a certain time in the morning without fail. This can be leaving the house for your commute, heading out for the school run, or logging on if you’re working from home.

2.Explore how much sleep you need

Most advice puts the ideal amount of sleep of adults at 7-9 hours per night. However, that of course will vary according to the individual.

3.Check your timings

Once you know how much sleep you’re aiming for – and have set your bedtime and morning alarm accordingly – look at the difference between your wake-up time and your ‘hard stop’. That’s the amount of time available to you for your morning routine.

There are many and varied types of sleep advice. One thing most experts agree on, however, is that you should try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.

4.List your essentials

What are your morning must-haves? The things you need and/or want to get done in order to set you up for the rest of the day? Items to consider include:

• Breakfast – a sit-down affair or are you happy to get something on the go?
• Exercise – do you feel your best after an early yoga class or run? Interestingly, exercise can have a real impact on sleep
• Shower and grooming
• Meditation – – if this is something you practise, is morning the right time?
• Journalling
• Housework and/or life admin – some people prefer to get this done nice and early, particularly if it that means freeing up the weekend
• Stretching
• Getting children ready for school – timings on this can be unpredictable, we know…
• Catching up on the news
• Reading a book, or listening to a podcast or a morning playlist
• Replying to messages
• Walking the dog/feeding pets

5.Allocate timings

Work out how long you’ll need for each of your essentials. Do you have time to fit everything in?

If not, the temptation may be to get up even earlier. Certainly, there are productivity experts who will advise this, pointing out that we only get one life and so should make the most of every moment. On the other side of the coin, you may want to ponder, if we only get one life, do you want to spend it heaving yourself joylessly from your bed every day at an unnatural hour, before spending the rest of it dogged by a grinding sense of exhaustion?

Instead of reducing your sleep – or going to bed even earlier, potentially depriving yourself of time with loved ones in the evening – it might be better to consider moving some of your must-haves to a different time of day.

6.Plot your schedule

You may be getting up at the same time, but each day may look a little different. You could keep stretching as a daily activity, for example, but keep any morning cardio to three times per week. Or you could give the life admin a rest on weekends and instead dial up the time you spending on messaging or reading.

7.Get set up

Preparation will help you stick to your morning routine. If you’re exercising, pack your gym bag the night before or lay out your at-home exercise clothes. If you’re out and about that day, try to plan your outfits in advance, so you don’t spend time vacillating between looks. Stock your fridge so you don’t find yourself making an unscheduled trip to the shops that sets everything back.

Anything you can do to save precious time once you’re up will be useful.

8.Think about how you’ll wake up

Some people like to be jolted into wakefulness by an alarm clock like Usain Bolt on hearing the starting pistol; others find it’s more pleasant to be eased into consciousness by a wake-up light. Ideally, don’t use your phone – and don’t be lured into the snooze button cycle; you know full well you’ll eventually emerge 45 minutes later than planned.

And if you are using an old-fashioned clock, turn it away so you can’t see the time if you have a tendency to wake up in the night. There are few things in life more disheartening than lying in bed in the early hours calculating how much sleep you’re not getting.

9.Write down your routine

Once you’ve decided your routine, make sure you note it down somewhere – ideally a calendar on the fridge, or even the Notes app on your phone. You don’t want to waste precious morning time trying to remember whether Wednesdays are weights days or not.

Keeping a diary is nothing new. From Samuel Pepys to Alan Bennett, there are plenty of famous examples. However, it’s something that many of us seem to abandon as we leave our teenage years behind. One study found that just 9% of 45-54-year-olds regularly keep a diary, compared to 37% of 18-24-year-olds.

But it turns out that this is a habit that can have real mental health benefits. Now more commonly known as ‘journalling’ in well-being circles, keeping a diary has been shown by various studies to reduce stress and anxiety, and even boost the immune system.

If we write down our thoughts and feelings, we can understand them more clearly. That should help us to gain control over our emotions – and improve our wellbeing.

According to social psychologist James Pennebaker, “Writing helps us focus and organise the experience”. This means that if we experience something negative or stressful, writing down how we feel about the situation can help us better connect with our thoughts to determine whether they’re true or false.

How to keep a journal for wellbeing

It’s important to note that everyone thinks and organises their thoughts differently, so there is no one size fits all. For some, writing in a stream of consciousness may feel therapeutic. For others, it would be beneficial to create bullet-pointed lists – some may even prefer to doodle! Take time to find the technique that works for you.

Journalling prompts

If you are someone who is tempted to give journaling a go but doesn’t know where to start, here are some simple but effective prompts to try:

• Write down three things you are grateful for – practising gratitude in itself can have mental health benefits
• Write down your personal or career goals
• Describe yourself
• What can you do today to make you feel great?
• Diarise your day
• Challenge yourself to write whatever comes to your mind

What methods of journalling are there?

There are many different ways you can record your thoughts and feelings. In fact, not all of them involve writing, if that’s not something that resonates with you. Different methods of journalling include:

• Writing in a paper diary or notebook
• Using a notes app on your phone
• Audio journalling – recording your thoughts aloud
• Taking a photo every day
• Drawing pictures

Whatever method you choose, it can be beneficial and encouraging to make time to look back on your past journaling and see how far you’ve come.