Our busy lives are challenging, to say the least. On top of that, trying to find a path to a clean and healthy lifestyle during a pandemic might feel like participating in Iron Man after food poising the night before. Check out these three tips below to support your mental and physical health in these complicated times.
Deep Breathing – Yogic or meditative breathwork can calm the nervous system and help prevent stress and anxiety. If you are soaking up all the chaos in our world today, try sitting down for 15-30 minutes and filling your diaphragm with a long inhale of fresh air. Feel your ribs, side body, and lower back expand and slowly exhale all the stale air out of the body to a count of 6 or 10, whatever feels right. Repeat this process and begin to relax. There are applications on your phone that can help guide you through a body scan to help calm the mind and keep your focus on your breath and being present in your space. Search your app store and find something free to get started.
Quiet Time – Find some quiet time away from your electronics and social media. Turn off your phone and computer for an hour around lunchtime and take a walk or find a quiet place to get lost in a book. Whatever helps give your mind and spirit a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life is great to build into your daily routine.
Volunteerism – One of the best ways to shift perspective or lift your spirit is to give back to our society. Try volunteering for a local non-profit or picking up trash in the park to help clean up our environment and support healthy air quality. Another idea to try is writing cards to people in the military or finding a pen pal who might be lonely and looking for a friend across seas. There are numerous ways to build your community up and give your time to help change the world without having to spend money. Not only will you make a positive impact on your community, but volunteering often brings happiness and joy to your life too.
Jump into one or all three of these tips and find what works best for you. We are here to help at New Start Clinics so feel free to reach out at any time.
