To Your Health
March, 2022 (Vol. 16, Issue 03) |
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Time for Spring Cleaning?
By Editorial Staff
Not your house or garage; let's develop a spring-cleaning plan for your body and mind that improves your physical and mental health as winter comes to a close. Here are three things to dust off, throw out or modify to help you take the next steps in your health and wellness journey.
1. Assess your sleep situation: Not just your actual sleeping environment, but also your sleep habits. Let's start with your habits: Do you turn in at around the same time every night? Do you prepare for sleep by shutting down electronics at least an hour before bed? Do you get at least 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night? If your response to one or more of the above is a wholehearted "No," then you've got work to do.
What about your mattress and pillow? Are you giving yourself a fighting chance to enjoy restful, restorative sleep - or do you find yourself tossing and turning all night, struggling to find a comfortable sleeping position – and then waking up in the morning with back and/or neck pain? You can't reap the benefits of sleep if you're not enjoy good sleep in the first place. Do something about it.
2. Cough up that stress ball: You can feel it swirling in your stomach all day, pounding in your head, turning your daily existence into a nightmare. It's called stress, and whether short-term or long-term, it can have dire consequences that impact your health and wellness from head to toe.
What can you do about it? Start by determining the source. To many Post-It notes at work that need to be condensed into short, achievable daily lists? Procrastinating on things you can easily cross off your To-Do List? Keeping things inside that deserve to be shared with a colleague, friend or loved one? Cough up that stress ball and feel a deep, profound sense of relief that will last all year round.
3. Take a self-wellness survey: At least quarterly, if not every month, check in with yourself. Ask yourself this simple question: How are things going? If you can honestly answer, "Great!" then keep doing what you've been doing. But if the question exposes your unhappiness with any aspect of your life, it's time for spring cleaning – no matter the season. Potential areas to evaluate: eating habits, workout program, stress management, relationships (at work, home and everywhere in between) and more.
What happens at your house if you don't clean periodically? Things pile up, get filthy and cause problems. It's the same way with your health and wellness. Take care of your personal home – your body and mind – and you'll be able to enjoy 365 days celebrating your journey, rather than agonizing over when you'll get around to cleaning yourself up.
