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14 Daily Habits That Contribute To Your Success

It’s hard to picture yourself making decisions that can help you live longer and achieve more in life. Feeling successful is the key to happiness as an individual. There are many daily habits or routines you could practice daily to make your life easier, keep your self-esteem at a high level, and, quite simply, enjoy a life of success.

Some people find that they can create better daily habits by writing out a plan. This strategy will only succeed if the plan’s elements are ones that you will follow each day. Keep in mind that you must be able to stick to the program over time to see results.
Think about how these tips will help you balance your competing needs and achieve your fullest potential.

CONSIDER HOW THESE DAILY HABITS CAN STEER YOU INTO SUCCESS

1. GET ENOUGH SLEEP.
One study looked at the ways that people’s habits in early life affects their success. It noted how previous studies on the subject had not considered the influence of the socio-economic status of young children and how it impacted them through life. However, this study showed people could be very successful if they are getting enough sleep in early life.
2. PRACTICE SELF-CONTROL TO FIND SUCCESS.
The same study found that good daily habits are as important as displaying self-control in early life. For example, if a 4-year-old child could learn to delay gratification, as studied by Mischel et al. in the 1960s, it could be a predictor of higher educational achievement, a higher sense of self-worth, and a more exceptional ability to deal with stress, as well as a lower risk of drug use.
3. BE POSITIVE THAT YOUR LIFE WILL GET BETTER IF YOU DO DELAY GRATIFICATION.
Another study by Casey et al. referenced in the same research found 4-year-olds tested showed less self-control in their forties. Not having self-control could lead to problems including early aging and shorter life expectancy. Also, the quality of one’s life could be less during any stage.
4. CHANGE YOUR HABITS SO YOU CAN START LIVING BETTER.
Another resource from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases found lifestyle changes prevent diabetes and obesity. It’s not enough to want to feel better. You must be willing to commit to those good habits that are based on self-control.
5. MAKE AN EFFORT.
If you want to live better, you still have to make an effort. People who don’t want to develop health problems associated with a poor diet can do two things. They can become more active and eat better. You have to make time in your day to take a walk, ride a bike, go to the gym, or play a sport.
6. TAKE YOUR HEALTH SERIOUSLY BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE HAS THAT DUTY BUT YOU.
A good example is if your employer or social organization offers free or low-cost programs to make you successful. If your employee wellness program has free exercise classes, try asking a co-worker or a friend to go too. Save money on a gym membership and do this program as often as you can.
7. INSPIRE OTHERS TO MOTIVATE YOU.
You are more likely to set goals and meet them if other people are monitoring your progress. If you don’t think that your boss will check an assignment, you won’t do it, or at least you would pay less attention to detail. Right? If you need to get regularly checked for certain diseases, make the appointment. Ask a loved one or a friend to remind you. He or she could even go to the appointment, so you feel likely to follow up.
8. PRACTICE SHOWING YOUR GRATITUDE EVERY DAY.
This will help you live longer. This means that you take the time to acknowledge what you are thankful for. In some cases, it could mean actually taking time to thank someone for his or her contribution to your success. Start with your parents!
9. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.
Your body has many built-in ways to help you succeed. If you ignore signs of pain, for example, a fixable problem could worsen. If you pay attention to what your body tells you, there could be time to change bad daily habits. You could also seek medical treatment to address that information.
10. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE PEOPLE.
It’s hard to find success in isolation. Seek out opportunities to exchange ideas with other people. They can be like-minded even if they are working on the same project as you. It’s also recommended to find people with differing views. Any view that diverges from your own ideas will undoubtedly challenge you to consider a situation or problem from different angles. People who aren’t afraid to test your ideas are your equals.
11. NEVER CONSIDER YOURSELF ABOVE OTHERS.
Success is fleeting. Anyone can succeed or fail on a daily basis. The people who find long-term happiness aren’t afraid to fail. They see each challenge as a learning opportunity and know they learn more from failure.
12. PUT OTHERS IN A POSITION TO SUCCEED AND MAKE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE TEAM.
You will find more success by using daily habits such as bringing others along with you towards a shared goal. Four-term U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was known for having the best people in his Cabinet.
President Roosevelt surrounded himself with talent from everywhere. He used to have fireside chats with the American public over the public radio. Once, he famously said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” A top speechwriter on Delano’s staff coined that often-cited famous quote.
Recognize when others have more talents that can be used to solve a problem. Don’t be afraid to give credit to others and step down if you aren’t the best candidate for the task.
13. TRY TO BECOME AN EARLY BIRD.
Give yourself an earlier start to the day. This starts by going to bed early. When you wake up, eat a good meal and get started on the day’s agenda. At night, you end up feeling that you have accomplished a lot. You feel successful because you have practiced good daily habits. You feel more likely to achieve tomorrow’s goals.
14. PROTECT YOUR BODY TO PREVENT DISEASES.
It makes sense that we will find more success if we try to avoid people who make us feel bad about ourselves or stress us out. If you are going to work outside, you need to wear sunblock and prevent skin cancer. If you work a stressful job, you need to schedule breaks and vacations. Both examples are based on the premise: Please don’t expose your body to unnecessary harm. It only takes a few minutes to practice prevention each day.
ADOPT THESE DAILY HABITS, DRIVE TOWARDS SUCCESS
Each type of daily habit that we have described above is meant for your own improved health and well-being. People with good habits feel better about themselves.
People who enjoy a level of success feel healthier. Thus, they attend work more. They also take more recreation time. They feel hopeful about the future. It’s easier for them to solve problems. If they can’t solve a problem, they ask someone who can help. They enjoy the company of others, and these same people help them out when they are down.
If you can make small changes in your habits, you will feel better. It’s possible to become happier too! Help yourself feel better most of the time! You are worth it!
The alternative to good daily habits is poor habits. These will bring you down. Wrong choices will make you feel like you are less able to get through the day. Some poor habits, such as over-eating, substance abuse, and smoking, will, at a minimum, cause long-term damage to your body. This can decrease your life expectancy, which means you will have fewer years to enjoy your loved ones. Give yourself every opportunity to live a long and happy life filled with success by making good choices!
optimism-equals-success

The 7 Strengths and Habits
That Successful People Possess

There’s no secret recipe that will make you a successful person, but these seven strengths and habits can greatly increase your chances of success.
Finding and developing success within yourself can come easily when you look at the strengths and habits of other successful people. The attributes of successful people don’t develop overnight and didn’t just happen by accident — although they may make it look effortless.
Successful people continue to work on their success habits as part of a daily routine so that success becomes a way of life. Let’s walk through seven of the most important strengths and habits of successful people.
1. They have a success-driven mindset and the passion to achieve
Successful people have a strong will to succeed and achieve in life. They look forward to growth and have a deeply rooted desire to do much more than the average person. These people take action to make positive changes and move outside their comfort zone. Even when their attempts fail, they can quickly see opportunities that surround them, adjust when things go wrong and move in a new direction.
Unsuccessful people, on the other hand, feel defeated, throw their hands up in the air and give up way too soon.
2. They are self-aware and have self-confidence
Successful people face challenges with confidence and trust their skills and knowledge. Even when they don’t have the right skills or knowledge to begin with, they move forward with enthusiasm and commitment to succeed despite the odds. Successful people have a strong sense of self, which allows them to make stronger commitments. They are comfortable speaking their minds. Successful people stand up, speak out and enjoy sharing ideas and opinions.
Unsuccessful people who lack confidence are often unwilling to open up and speak up, which holds them back and causes missed opportunities.
3. They are vision-focused and achievement-oriented
Successful people create a clear vision for goals and take action toward achieving that vision, which doesn’t allow anything to stand in their way. A strong vision serves as a guideline to keep them motivated and on track to achieving their goals. They set and conquer smaller goals first and then move on to bigger and bolder benchmarks so they can hit larger targets.
Unsuccessful people are frequently unclear, unfocused and misguided, so they often waste time and money getting to their goals or even missing the targets altogether.
4. They value time wisely
Successful people are extremely productive. They value and use their time wisely and don’t allow others to take advantage of or waste their time. They create barriers around their time by adding structure and systems into their businesses, which are respected by clients and peers. They clearly understand that time is their most valuable asset.
Unsuccessful people waste time doing unproductive things that don’t allow for effective growth and give away their time too freely to others. Therefore, they create fewer income-generating opportunities.
5. They own it!
Successful people build a solid business and brand foundation that sets them apart from the competition. They are known as experts and authorities within their respective industries. They own their business and their brand, which allows them to easily maximize their avenues to success.
Unsuccessful competitors either do things like everyone else, lack a success plan to build on, or do just enough to survive.
6. They think differently than the average person
Successful people think differently. They look one step — or more — into the future and see opportunities everywhere. They think outside the box and come up with creative and innovative ways of doing business.
Unsuccessful people follow the crowd or wait to copy other people’s ideas, so they usually remain one step behind the competition.
7. They love what they do
Successful people don’t think of work as work. They take pleasure in their business and love what they do for a living. This gives them a sense of achievement and happiness that fulfills their definition of success.
Unsuccessful people see work as survival, and they work simply to earn a living. Most don’t enjoy what they do for a living and consider what they do to be a J-O-B.
Debbie Allen
Speaker, Business Mentor & Author
November 6, 2019 
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More links about SUCCESS ~


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Make Sustainable Lifestyle Changes Instead of New Year’s Resolutions

When January 1st rolls around, many people commit to making changes to their lifestyle, especially those that relate to their health. Whether someone’s goal is to lose weight, eat less sugar, exercise more, or drink less alcohol, the start of a new year seems like the perfect time to “turn over a new leaf.”

Unfortunately, studies show that New Year’s resolutions are often pretty unsuccessful; it’s estimated that between 80 and 90% of New Year’s resolutions are never fulfilled!

Many give up on their newfound goals and resort to old habits by the end of February, usually because their resolutions are somewhat unrealistic and lead to burnout and disappointment.

What’s a better way to improve things like your diet, weight, and activity level? Experts tell us that making small changes is the best approach, as well as celebrating our success along the way.

Why Resolutions Don’t Work As Well As Slower, Sustainable Changes

If you find yourself making promises to turn your life and health around this year, then you’re not alone. In North America about half of adults make New Year’s resolutions each year.

One reason why January feels like the perfect time to adopt new habits is because of the indulgences associated with the holidays; many find themselves eating, spending, and drinking more at the end of the year, but sleeping and exercising less.

One way that people rationalize their poor habits during the holidays is by stating that they’ll change and improve once the new year rolls around. Typically, this mindset only serves as an excuse to make poor choices.

So what’s wrong with resolutions then? Why do they so often fail to lead to lasting changes?

Here are some of the reasons that experts believe over-ambitious resolutions may wind up backfiring:

  • Motivation usually declines after the first few months, and often it’s extrinsic motivation (such as to impress others) rather than intrinsic (self-motivated).
  • A clear action plan is never established, rather goals remain ambiguous.
  • People don’t think long-term; James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, estimates that it takes most people between two to eight months to develop a new habit.
  • Stress and interference aren’t taken into account.
  • Unmet milestones can wind up lowering self-trust and self-confidence, making it harder to push forward.
small-steps-can-lead-to-big-changes

To make new habits stick this year, here is what experts recommend focusing on instead:

1. Set small goals

Begin with small challenges that seem doable, rather than over-promising that you’ll make drastic improvements. Once you’ve gotten better at keeping up with a new habit, set the bar a bit higher as the months go by.

Write down your goals and be specific, as this has been shown to improve the odds of you following through with them. Ask yourself what specific steps you can start taking to eventually reach a bigger goal.

As Forbes Magazine puts it, “keep in mind that choosing realistic goals or resolutions and achieving them improves our mindset. Even a small victory is still a victory.”

2. Be realistic about your schedule and capabilities

If you want a habit to stick, you have to figure out how to make it fit into your life. Make your habits as simple, automatic, and stress-free as possible.

For example, determine the easiest place and time to exercise, or the best day to do healthy grocery shopping.

Remove as many interferences and obstacles as possible, such as lack of motivation at the end of a busy day (which may mean hitting the gym in the morning instead).

3. Plan for how you’ll handle stress

While you might feel very motivated at first to tackle your goals, eventually you’ll lose some steam and life will get in the way. We all deal with stress and difficult feelings at times that make healthy habits hard to sustain, whether due to feeling anxious, depressed, frustrated, fatigued, or bored.

Plan ahead for setbacks and stressors. Identify situations that tend to trigger you so you understand your patterns better. Come up with ways to overcome things like a busy schedule or trips that involve dining out more.

The more you can plan ahead, the better you’ll be able to handle whatever comes your way.

4. Sustain motivation by celebrating your successes

Small changes made today that are sustained will yield larger results in the long run. This is why every success is something to celebrate, even if it’s something small like replacing one unhealthy meal with a better one each day.

Find ways to give yourself immediate positive feedback while you’re on your journey.

Take pictures of your progress, write down fitness goals you’ve reached, or track anything else that makes you feel proud, such as your weight, measurements, or other health markers. This builds confidence and trust in yourself which is important for pushing you forward.

Consider rewarding yourself along the way when you’ve reached a milestone, even if it’s something small like a massage, manicure, or day off of work to have fun.

Examples of Healthy “Lifestyle Changes” To Make This Year

  • Ready to set some realistic goals during the New Year? Consider focusing on some of these changes that can lead to substantial health improvements when practiced over time:
  • Cut out major sources of added sugar from your diet, such as soda, desserts, candy, or energy drinks.
  • Remove specific foods from your diet that tempt you to overeat, such as pizza, french fries, chips, etc. Alcohol is another substance that you may want to commit to cutting back on.
  • Carve out 1-2 hours per week to food prep healthy meals at home.
  • Identify ways that you can swap one unhealthy habit for a better one, such as by going to bed one hour earlier rather than watching more TV.
  • Find and join a local gym or fitness studio and sign up for several months of classes ahead of time if possible.
  • Consider hiring a personal trainer if you know that a partner helps you stay accountable. Asking your partner/spouse for help to clear up your schedule, or joining a fitness/diet challenge with co-workers or friends is another way to gain support.
  • Buy a fitness tracker and aim to walk 8K to 12K steps per day.
  • Prioritize sleep, aiming for 7 to 9 hours every night.

Source: www.activefitblog.com


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Can’t Find Time For Self-Care? Try ‘Habit Stacking.’

This extremely simple productivity hack will instantly carve out time for yourself in a way you never thought of before.

Try this technique instead of making self-care an afterthought.

We live in a world where it seems like everyone is doing the most. They’re getting their work done, they’re keeping their houses clean and they’re seeing their loved ones ― all while making time to practice self-care. Seeing others “mastering” balanced lives can feel defeating, particularly when you struggle to get through even two tasks on your to-do list.

Of course, sometimes doing nothing is productive, and we all know what we see on social media isn’t always a reflection of reality. But if you are struggling to make some time for yourself, you might just need to do some strategizing.

This is where “habit stacking” comes in, a term created by author SJ Scott in his 2014 book on the topic.

Habit stacking might seem like another kitschy self-improvement hack, but it may just be the mental trick that helps you stick to your quests long term. The strategy involves listing habits you already have ― such as walking the dog or driving to work ― that are already quite easy and routine for you, and attaching new self-care methods on top of them.

Ready to try it yourself? Here’s how to make sure your habit stacking sticks:

Start by picking a small new habit

This can include anything you are hoping to improve on. It should be a self-care technique that makes you feel good, but not necessarily something you always have time to do.

The key here is to start off as granular as possible. Say you want to get some movement in, but just writing “exercise” on your to-do list seems like a lofty goal. Instead, add a workout move you’re trying to master to the end of a habit you already do each day.

Diane Boden, host of the “Minimalist Moms” podcast and author of “Minimalist Moms: Living & Parenting With Simplicity,” practices this each morning by adding pushups after the habit of brushing her teeth.

“If I already practice one behavior, why not attach another to it? The connectivity makes all the difference in maintaining new habits you’d like to develop,” she said, noting that eventually your new habit will become second nature. “Can you get yourself to a point where the habits you desire to cultivate become reflexive?”

Write out a list of everyday habits you already do, then stack them together in a way that makes sense

Mentally roll through your normal routine and jot down the automatic behaviors you do each day, like Boden with brushing her teeth. Other options can include getting out of bed, brewing coffee, changing out of work clothes or getting into bed.

Listing these on paper will help you realize the long list of possibilities and find the area of your day that works best for you. For example, Allison Chawla, a psychotherapist in New York, recommended stacking sitting down to dinner with a gratitude moment.

Other potential combinations could be something like meditate for just one minute while brewing your coffee, doing a few yoga poses immediately after changing out of your work clothes or journaling for five minutes when you get into bed.

Boden prefers to stack habits in categories, such as combining two health and fitness habits. For example, you could drink a glass of water before and after your daily walk, improving your health habits in multiple ways.

glass_water

An example of habit stacking: If you want to drink more water, set a glass by your bed to drink when you first wake up before you get out of your sheets.

Build up these combinations slowly for most success

The endgame here is for your brain to automatically associate one habit with another, so this won’t happen overnight.

And don’t try to do too much at once, either. Say you have multiple self-care habits you want to try, like journaling and meditating. What you should not do is string all these habits together or try all the combinations in one day — hence the “stacking.” Focus on making the journaling a daily routine before jumping to that and meditation.

Try not to get discouraged if it takes a long time. “It’s a lifestyle change, so people often don’t see the results they want because they are productive in one aspect but they lose that productivity in another way,” said Andre Pinesett, a physician and student productivity and performance coach.

Also keep in mind that multitasking, which research shows can be inefficient and counterproductive, is not habit stacking and is not helpful, Pinesett added. Instead of trying to do these habits at the same time (can you brush your teeth while doing a pushup?), use one as a cue for the next one to start.

Finally, make acknowledging your progress its own habit to stack

It’s essential to build in validation as its own habit as you succeed toward a greater goal of self-care. Take some time to acknowledge the work you did ― whether it be sticking to journaling before bed or your pushup after brushing your teeth. You can do this by writing it down, which often helps reinforce positive emotions.

Keep at it, and you’ll find it’s easier to prioritize yourself than you thought.

By Alexandra Frost  11/11/2021

Source: www.huffpost.com


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 ‘A Life of Choice’: Routine, Ritual or Habit?

Grabbing a mask on the way out the door and a thorough hand-wash upon returning home, or perhaps more commonly staying home and meeting virtually for work and fun are just a few of the new habits picked up during the pandemic, and experts say some might stick around even after restrictions lift.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many people to change their habits, something that is usually very difficult for people to do.

“If you want to adopt a new habit, it’s like climbing up a mountain, and I imagine so many people would respond to the pandemic as a habit imposed on them,” Sam Maglio, professor of marketing and psychology at the University of Toronto, told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview on June 16.

Having rules and regulations in place has made it a lot easier for people to adopt the new rules, such as mask-wearing and physical distancing.

“When we talk about habits sticking, people often look to individual factors such as willpower, motivation, and decision. But “friction” in our environment also makes a difference – friction involves factors that make behaviours we want to do easier and behaviours we do not want to do harder,” clinical psychologist and board director with Anxiety Canada Melanie Badali told CTVNews.ca in an email.

WHY HABITS STICK

Determining if these habits will persist post-pandemic gets a bit hazy for Maglio, because while we can see each other’s behaviour, we never really know the “why” behind it.

“It is kind of a black box, you don’t really know why or what need is being satisfied by that behaviour. So, I would imagine that the answer, the peek inside that black box, might be very different for the different habits that people are expecting to stick around after the pandemic.”

And some habits that people want to maintain, such as remote work, virtual cocktails and at-home workouts, come with benefits. They can eliminate lengthy commutes, for example, or save money by making DIY cocktails and skipping the gym membership.

“A consistent theme through all of that, is people are doing it because they are, at least they think they are, getting some sort of benefit from this new pattern of behaviour that the pandemic forced them to adopt,” said Maglio.

It’s evidence people can find the silver lining in a situation, even one as challenging as the pandemic has been.

“One of the silver linings that comes out of this might be an 18-month hard reset on kind of just going along with the day-to-day and approach to how we’ve always done stuff,” said Maglio.

mask girl

ROUTINE, RITUAL OR HABIT?

And some of the habits picked up along the way, such as wearing a mask, and washing hands upon returning home have become ritualized.

“Rituals can make your life better by giving a sense of consistency,” he said.

A daily ritual such as making the bed each morning can set the tone for the entire day, he added.

Already, putting masks on has become such a part of our daily lives that when those restrictions begin to lift, some might feel naked without them.

“That ‘where’s my mask?’ might be the phantom phone ring of 2021, where it’s something that you think is there, but you don’t need to be there,” said Maglio.

Some of our new habits or rituals may make returning to normal life a bit awkward as we readjust to eased restrictions. For Maglio, because his mask hid his smile, he began laughing out loud while checking out at the grocery store, and he’s not sure that it’s a voluntary response anymore.

“It’s become automatic to make a sound, because for a while, the visual cue hasn’t been there,” he said.

The automatic behaviour is what he believes will carry on after restrictions are lifted, whether they are good behaviours or bad.

“Having an automaticity, for better or worse, is likely to stick around for a while until we learn that some stuff that we picked up isn’t needed or is destructive, and maybe the silver lining is that some stuff is helpful,” he added.

But for some people, wearing a mask and following physical distancing guidelines and other pandemic related restrictions has been more difficult. Badali says that this behaviour is to be expected.

“For some people, putting on a mask before they leave their home may be a routine (they have to think about putting on their mask) rather than a habit (they automatically grab their mask after their keys and put it on),” she said.

Some routines, she added, can turn into habits, especially if there’s a reward involved, such as a midnight snack. So some habits might come on faster than others, and some may be hard to break.

“In general, the habit memory system learns slowly over time and is resistant to change. Habits are like “autopilot mode” – we have to consciously switch out of it but it will remain the default setting for a while as your brain learns a new habit. The good news is that habits are more conducive to change when people are experiencing disruption in routines,” said Badali.

It will be important to pay attention to context as restrictions ease and lift across the country as it may no longer benefit to continue a habit.

“Habit loops may cease to be rewarded or reinforced when public health recommendations change,” she said.

We may also find ourselves quickly and easily returning to old, pre-pandemic habits, because as the saying goes: Old habits die hard.

“In areas where we return to pre-pandemic-like environments, we may find that we shift easily to old habits because habit memories are there to be activated. As the world opens up, we may fall back into old routines and habits mindlessly. There is an opportunity for us to be mindful about routines and habits in a way that enables us to choose what still fits for us and what we want to change,” said Badali.

WHEN FEAR INFORMS HABIT

Some people may be more anxious than others about losing the mask and getting up close with strangers on the bus or subway. For those who look upon those days with a sense of dread, Badali recommends using cognitive behavioural therapy techniques to help with the fear and anxiety.

“It is possible that mask-wearing, hand sanitizer use and other behaviours, could transition from beneficial behaviours that are worth doing to unhelpful behaviours that don’t really offer much benefit in terms of actual safety and, in fact, start to become problems because they fuel our anxiety,” she said. “The solution becomes the problem. In cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for anxiety, we often look for “safety behaviours” that are used in an attempt to prevent harm and to feel more comfortable in anxiety-provoking situations.”

For Badali, it’s important to keep up to date with the science and pandemic guidelines.

“My advice would be, live a life of choice. Follow the science rather than letting emotions boss you around. Don’t get stuck. Take small steps if you need to do so.”

Brooke Taylor   CTVNews.ca Writer     @newsmanbrooke      TORONTO    Wednesday, June 23, 2021

source: CTV News


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5 Things You Should Do First Thing In The Morning To Be Happier All Day

If you roll out of bed feeling tired or stressed, these a.m. habits can help you turn your mood around.

A few tweaks to your morning routine can help set you up for improved well-being for the rest of the day.

Mornings can be rough for many people who tend to feel sleepy pretty regularly, which in turn makes them report feeling irritable a lot of the time. And yes, it’s hard to feel cheery when you’re overtired and stressed — much of which, alas, is outside of people’s control.

But happiness experts say there are simple habits people can practice in the morning that will that have a profound influence on how they feel throughout the day. They’re easy tweaks that can help improve overall mental well-being.

Ready to take stock of your general day-to-day happiness and incorporate some new practices that can improve your mood all day long? Here are five strategies to consider:

1. Pick a wellness habit, then link it to an a.m. ritual you already have.

This first tip is pretty broad, and that’s on purpose. Because the truth is there are many evidence-backed strategies people can use to try to boost happiness.

So you might take some time to cultivate awareness through meditation. (One simple strategy: Close your eyes and focus on the act of taking 10 breaths.) Or you might be intrigued by the research that shows incorporating exercise into your daily routine can help boost happiness. Maybe you’d like to spend a few seconds every morning simply focusing on whatever nature you see outside your window, whether it’s the grass in your yard or the sky over the city.

There really are so many different wellness habits that can help you, according to psychiatrist Murray Zucker, chief medical officer of the health care platform Happify. The key is simply to start with one — whatever it is— then attach it to a routine that you already have. You’re linking habit to ritual, he explained.

So maybe every morning you get up, go to the bathroom, then make your bed. Link a moment in that routine (say, the bed making) to the habit you want to cultivate (maybe it’s reading 10 pages in a book). By tacking it on to something you already do, you’re much more likely to actually stick with it. And consistency really is the key to boosting happiness over time, Zucker said.

“Start slow and build gradually,” he added. He encourages people to really just start with one new habit you want to link to your existing routine, then go from there.

2. Get your phone out of your room.

“Do not have your screen in your room,” said Allison Task, a career and life coach who said that she insists on this as a non-negotiable with her clients. That’s because when you reach for your phone (or tablet, or computer, or click on the TV) first thing in the morning, you’re really inviting the outside world to dictate your mood first thing, she said.

And there really is a lot of evidence supporting the idea that screens hamper happiness. Studies have linked frequent social media use to decreased mood over time; other research has shown that a high volume of emails is connected with overall feelings of unhappiness.

Furthermore, screens can get in the way of sleep, which is deeply connected to people’s overall sense of well-being.

“Sleep is just a game changer,” Task said. You might not be able to control what time your toddler shuffles into your room in the morning or what time your alarm starts to blare, but you can at least try to protect your sleeping hours by keeping screens out of your room.

3. Talk to yourself…

Zucker noted that people tend to spend a lot of time talking to themselves in their own heads, particularly in the morning when feeling frazzled or stressed about what’s to come. He is a big fan of noticing self-talk and self-correcting using this simple technique: say your name.

“If you use your own name in your self-talk, you’re more likely to follow cognitive advice,” Zucker explained.

If, for example, you have a big presentation at work and you notice that you’re spending the morning psyching yourself out, telling yourself that you’re going to flop, you really can make yourself pretty nervous, Zucker said.

“But if I say: ‘Murray. You’ve done this before. You like doing this,’” you really can take some control over your own thoughts, which can set you up for greater happiness throughout the day.

“Just using your own name can be very helpful,” Zucker said.

Connecting with someone – even on your phone – in the morning can offer mood-boosting benefits that will linger throughout the day.

Connecting with someone – even on your phone – in the morning can offer mood-boosting benefits that will linger throughout the day.

4. … and somebody else.

“Make a social contact with somebody you have positive regard for,” Zucker said. This could really be anyone — a spouse or child, a friend, an extended family member.

What that “social contact” looks like really depends on your personality and your schedule. “For someone who is busy, it may be a phone call or a text. If you have more time, meeting someone for a cup of coffee to start your day is really a boost,” Zucker said.

But research suggests that even if you don’t actually meet up with someone or send them an email or text, it can be enough to simply send good thoughts their way. “You can start with a simple appreciation practice,” Cortland Dahl, a research scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Center for Healthy Minds, previously told HuffPost. Just bring a friend or loved one into your mind, then consciously focusing on the things you really cherish about them.

5. Incorporate gratitude.

While it’s true that there is a huge range of habits that can help boost happiness in the morning, researchers and clinicians tend to return to one again and again because it’s so powerful: gratitude.

In research trials, people who journaled about the things they’re thankful for during the week scored much higher on measures of happiness than people who instead noted things they’d been irritated by. And a daily gratitude practice may even contribute to improved physical health — which, in turn, contributes to overall feelings of happiness.

There are many different ways to work gratitude into your morning routines, but it can (and should!) be simple.

“Many religions do a morning prayer,” said Task, who added that spending a moment doing something similar — whether you’re religious or not — can be a doable morning habit to cultivate.

“Take that pause to appreciate that you’re alive, whatever that means to you,” she urged. Say to yourself: “I’m so glad I’m alive, and I get to play with my 2-year-old daughter,” Task offered by way of example. Or that you get to go to work. Or you get to walk your dog. Or even that you get to hit the snooze button again — yes, even if experts generally say it’s not a great idea.

Just find some way to express some gratitude in the morning, because it truly can be enough to put you in a better frame of mind all day.

By Catherine Pearson   04/23/2021

source: HuffPost


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25 Habits That Help You Take Charge of Your Health

When you’re healthy, you feel good about yourself as it puts a bounce in your step. Now is the time to take control of your life and your health by changing a few of your bad habits into positive ones. If you wish to energy to climb to a mountain’s peak or to make it around an amusement park with your kids, then you need to get rid of those dreadful tendencies that are holding you back.

25 ACTIONABLE WAYS TO TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH

If you know you need to make a change, but you’re not sure where to start, then here are a few simple things that you can do that will make a dramatic impact on your life and health.

1. FIND A GOOD BALANCE BETWEEN WORK AND PLAY

While you must maintain a job to pay the bills, there needs to be time for play. You need to have sufficient time to let loose and have some fun. Plus, your children and spouse will want to see the exciting side of you rather than the person that’s always in work mode.

2. HAVE ROUTINE CHECK-UPS AT THE DOCTOR

Routine check-ups at your doctor can save your life. It would help if you had blood work done on occasion to make sure no cancers or other conditions have developed. These simple tests can help you to stay on top of your health.

3. ENSURE YOUR BRAIN HEALTH

Stress is a killer when it comes to your life. Your brain health is just as important as the rest of your body. When you’re under constant pressure, you’re at an increase for a heart attack or a stroke.

It’s essential to find ways to destress from the day. When you walk out of the door from work, leave your job behind.

4. INCORPORATE AEROBIC EXERCISE

Aerobic exercise is good for your heart. You need a few sessions each week to keep heart disease at bay. According to the National Institute of Health, if you’re overweight or obese, then these sessions can help you lose weight too.

5. MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT

Obesity kills. If you are more than 30 pounds overweight, you need to get down to your targeted range. Each day, your weight puts a strain on your heart and increases the possibility of a heart attack or stroke.

6. EAT A HEALTHY DIET OF FRUITS AND VEGGIES

It would help if you had lots of fresh fruits and vegetables incorporated into your meals. The vitamin and fiber content in these plants can help ward off disease and keep you at a healthy weight.

Look to nature for your food sources, and it’s effortless to maintain good health when you’re consuming your daily requirements.

7. MAKE TIME FOR SELF-CARE

It would help if you always take time for yourself. While you want to do a good job and take care of your family and your career, nothing else matters if you don’t take care of your health. Take time to decompress by listening to some music in a candlelit room, or you can get a massage to melt your stress away.

8. NO WHEN TO SAY “NO.”

Stop putting too much on your plate. You need to know your limits and when to say no. While you think you’re doing others a big favor, you’re doing yourself a great disservice.

You only add to your pressure and strain when you take on things you know will be a burden to complete.

9. HAVE FUN

Laughter is good for you and those around you. It would help if you had fun in life and plan adventures. These outings not only give you something to look forward to, but an occasional break from the norm will be great for lowering your stress levels.

10. DON’T SMOKE

If you smoke, then you need to stop! Smoking is bad for your health as your putting toxins into your lungs. According to the CDC, around 80 percent of all lung cancer cases come from cigarette smoke.

11. LIMIT ALCOHOLIC DRINKS

Alcohol is something that you should enjoy only in moderation. While a little wine is good for the stomach and heart, the overabundance can pack on the pounds. Alcohol is high in calories, and you don’t want to develop the proverbial “beer belly.”

cheers

12. EAT YOUR CALORIES DON’T DRINK THEM

It’s very tempting to drink soda, fruit juices, and all other types of sugary drinks. However, you can easily consume more than your daily caloric intake in beverages. Water is the best drink for you, and you need to eat your calories and do not drink them.

13. MAKE TIME FOR YOUR FAMILY

No matter how busy your job and life become, it would help if you always made time for your family. Having a good balance is essential for your health and theirs. You don’t want to be the reason they’re sitting on a psychiatrist’s couch ten years from now.

14. USE HERBS AND SPICES RATHER THAN SALT

There are so many herbs that can flavor your food and make it extraordinary. The one seasoning that you need to steer clear of is salt.

Salt causes inflammation in the body, and it can increase your blood pressure. Get creative and use some other seasonings for your food.

15. UNPLUG OFTEN

Sometimes you need to unplug from technology. The mental torment of being frequently tied to a device can be overwhelming. For your sanity’s sake, please turn off the phones and all electronics, and you should enjoy the peace it brings.

16. TAKE A MULTIVITAMIN

A multivitamin will help you to keep your body healthy. As you age, you might find it hard to absorb the proper nutrients from your food. So, a multivitamin is an answer for many people to balance their levels and feel great.

17. GET OUTSIDE IN THE SUNSHINE

There’s something warm and healing about being out in the sunshine. Since the sun provides your body with ample Vitamin D, you need to get about 20 minutes out in the golden rays each day.

18. GET SUFFICIENT REST

Are you getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night or more? Your body needs this time to rejuvenate. If you have a sleep deficiency that’s accumulating, then it can affect your health.

19. LEARN HOW TO MEDITATE

A healthy diet is an excellent place to start for whole-body health, but you also should learn how to meditate. Meditation can help you eliminate negativity and chaos in your brain, and it can teach you how to deal with stress effectively.

It’s one of the best ways to get control of anxiety too.

20. DEVELOP AN OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK

You can change your life and your immunity by simply being optimistic. Quit living in the past and looking at failures. Now is the time to press forward and look for positive things.

21. ADD MORE EGGS TO YOUR DIET

Eggs once got a bad rap as being high in cholesterol. However, eggs are a great source of protein. Studies documented on the National Institute of Health show they have little effect on your blood cholesterol levels.

22. AVOID PROCESSED JUNK FOODS

It’s tempting to snack on chips and sweet treats while you’re watching television. However, you need to choose healthier snacks if you want to maintain your weight. Try carrot sticks and broccoli with a little bit of ranch dressing.

23. DRINK MORE WATER

It would help if you had plenty of water to keep your system processes going. How much water do you drink each day? According to the Mayo Clinic, a woman needs about 2.7 liters a day, and men need to have at least 3.7 liters.

24. SOCIALIZE

Don’t stay closed in behind four walls as it’s not good for your mental health. Instead, you need to get out and socialize with your friends. Make sure that you have time to laugh, catch up with your buddies, and think about anything other than work or family responsibilities.

25. PRACTICE GRATITUDE

When you learn to be thankful for all the things you’ve been blessed with in this life, it will have a good effect on your overall health. Gratitude comes from a positive attitude and outlook, and pessimism comes from being overly pessimistic.

When you learn to see the glass as half full rather than almost empty, it changes everything about your life.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON HABITS TO TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH

Did you find anything in these 25 habits that could change your life or health? What if you stopped eating fast food and processed junk and started snacking on fruits and veggies? This alteration alone would have a significant impact on your overall well-being.

Pick a few things from this list to incorporate into your life. You will be amazed at how much of an impact just a few small changes in your habits can make. Today is a new day and a chance to be a better you.

source: powerofpositivity.com     March 04, 2021


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How To Create A Morning Routine That Reduces Anxiety And Stress

The self-care rituals you practice in the morning
can improve your mental health for the rest of the day.

As a person who’s dealt with anxiety since I was a kid, I find that I’m often most anxious first thing in the morning. When I open my eyes, all of the worries and potential stressors that await me flood my mind. The pit in my stomach makes me want to stay in bed as long as I can so I don’t have to face the day ahead.

Of course, this avoidance only exacerbates what I’m feeling. What alleviates it is just the opposite: Getting up on the earlier side so I have time for my morning routine. These days, that’s making an iced coffee, taking my dog for a walk, following a short workout video, writing my to-do list for the day and ― when time permits ― meditating and journaling.

“Morning routines are powerful and set our pattern for the rest of the day,” Lee Chambers, an environmental psychologist and well-being consultant in Britain, told HuffPost. “A worry-filled morning will often flood into an anxious afternoon.” Conversely, starting the morning with intention creates a sense of calm and confidence that makes the rest of the day seem more manageable.

So how do you create those morning rituals that will quiet your racing mind and stick with them? Below, experts offer some helpful advice.

How to start a solid morning routine

Be realistic about how much you can dedicate to your morning routine. 

Consider how much time you can realistically carve out for yourself.

“We all have a period of the morning that we have some level of control over,” Chambers said. “For some people, that may be an hour, for others, it may be 20 minutes.”

For example, if you have young kids or a long commute to the office, you may have less time to work with. So figure out what’s realistic for your circumstances.

Waking up earlier may help your mornings feel less frazzled. That said, you shouldn’t force yourself into becoming an early riser at the expense of getting a full night’s rest. Remember that sleep plays a pivotal role in your emotional regulation.

“Often we hear of routines that start in the early hours of the morning,” Chambers said. “For some people, this is a high-energy time and a perfect time to start your routine. But if you’re limiting your sleep or you just don’t function well so early, it is going to be detrimental.”

Experiment to figure out which rituals work best for you.

Finding out which morning routine additions alleviate your anxiety may take some trial and error. What works for your partner, friend or that random influencer you follow on Instagram may or may not work for you.

“Think about your biggest stressors and problems that trigger your anxiety, and then consider what really helps in these situations,” Chambers said. “Then look to those activities and experiment. There are many ways and methods to exercise, plan, journal, listen and read, and some will feel just right for you.”

Make it easy and enjoyable so you stick with it.

You don’t need to come up with some elaborate 20-step process to reap the benefits of a morning routine (but, hey, if you want to, more power to you).

“Morning routines are most effective when we enjoy them and they are easy to integrate into our lives,” Chambers said. “They are not about completely changing what we do, but adding small, positive changes that compound together.”

“Morning routines are most effective when we enjoy them and they are easy to integrate into our lives.”

– LEE CHAMBERS, ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND WELL-BEING CONSULTANT

One way to make the morning smoother? Do some preparation the night before, like laying out your workout clothes, whipping up a make-ahead breakfast or putting your journal by your coffeemaker.

“Leave things to trigger you to remember, make what you need accessible and craft a space where it is possible,” Chambers said.

But know that you’re not going to execute your routine perfectly every day ― and that’s OK.

You might be on a roll for a couple of weeks and then fall off for a few days. If you mentally prepare for these hiccups, you’ll be less likely to beat yourself up when they happen.

“It’s easy to move into judgment and criticism of yourself when things don’t go as you would have wanted or when you don’t immediately want to jump out of bed in the morning to start a new routine,” said marriage and family therapist Lynsie Seely of Wellspace SF in San Francisco. “Expect that there will be difficult moments and connect with your internal voice that offers kind words and encouragement along the way.”

And when you do follow your routine, give yourself some praise.

“Celebrate a little,” Chambers said. “Similarly, when you miss it, be kind to yourself and get prepared for the following morning.”

Some habits worth trying to incorporate into your morning

Here are some expert-recommend practices to reduce anxiety. Experiment to see what works well for you and then narrow it down. 

We asked mental health professionals to recommend some practices that help soothe anxiety. Try out a few of these and check in with how you feel afterwards — but know that it may take some time to see the benefits. Then you can determine if you want to add any to your a.m. routine.

1. Start your day by drinking water.

Before you have your tea or coffee, hydrate with a glass of a water as soon as you wake up.

“It gives us increased cognitive function, allowing us more clarity of mind, can elevate our mood and energy, and promotes more balanced emotional regulation and takes less than a minute,” Chambers said. “And it’s a great habit to stack your next part of the routine into, and you can even prepare your water the evening before.”

2. Walk outside.

Taking a walk outdoors is a calming, grounding way to begin the day.

“It is also great as it gets sunlight into our eyes, stimulating serotonin, which boosts our mood,” Chambers said. “It also ignites our senses, as the wind hits our face, sounds of the environment fill our ears and we smell the external world. It makes us mindful and eases our worries in the process.”

3. Practice gratitude.

Take a moment to reflect on all of the good in your life. You can list a few things in your head, share them with a partner or child, or write them down in a journal.

“Start your day with a grateful heart before you even get up from bed,” said Renato Perez, a Los Angeles psychotherapist. “Start naming all the things you’re grateful for. This could be done through prayer or simply a list you say out loud to the universe or Mother Nature.”

4. Try to avoid checking your phone first thing.

Those work emails, text messages, Instagram notifications and news alerts can wait a bit. If you charge your phone by your bed or use it as an alarm clock, you’re going to look at it right when you wake up. Before you know it, you’re sucked in and two minutes of scrolling turns into 20. Try charging your phone across the room so it’s not within reach. Or charge it outside of the bedroom and use an alarm clock instead.

“I see so many people who immediately check their work email in the morning, which automatically puts them in ‘work mode’ and makes them feel anxious about the day ahead before they even get out of bed,” said Gina Delucca, a clinical psychologist at Wellspace SF. “Similarly, some people hop on social media or start reading news articles while lying in bed, which may trigger anxiety by reading or seeing something negative or scary.”

That doesn’t mean you have to avoid your phone altogether, which just isn’t realistic for most of us. “But I definitely recommend giving yourself some peace and quiet in the morning before the daily grind begins,” Delucca added.

5. Take some deep breaths.

When you’re anxious, you might notice your breathing is quick and shallow, rather than slow and deep.

“This is a part of our body’s natural stress response, and it coincides with a few of the other physical sensations you may notice when you feel anxious — like rapid heart rate, dizziness and upset stomach,” Delucca said. “While we don’t have voluntary control over some of these bodily sensations, we do have control over our breathing, and we can use our breath to help induce a more relaxed state.”

“Morning routines are powerful and set our pattern for the rest of the day.”

– LEE CHAMBERS, ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND WELL-BEING CONSULTANT

Those deep, nourishing inhalations and exhalations stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, producing a sense of calm.

“To begin, try to spend a few minutes each morning sitting or lying in a comfortable position, closing your eyes and taking a few slow, controlled, deep breaths,” Delucca said. “Try breathing in through your nose and then breathing out through either your nose or mouth. When you inhale, imagine that you are filling up a balloon in your abdomen rather than just breathing into your chest.”

6. Meditate.

“There is no better way to quiet the mind than by practicing meditation,” Perez said. “Start small — two to three minutes — and increment every week.”

When your mind wanders away, which it inevitably will, gently bring it back to your breath.

You can sit in silence, listen to relaxing music, do a guided mediation through an app like Calm, Headspace or Insight Timer, or find one on YouTube

You can also try repeating a mantra — “I am safe, and I will be OK,” is one Delucca suggested. Or do a body scan: Start at the top of your head, bringing awareness to each body part and releasing tension from that area as you slowly work your way down to your toes.

7. Eat a nourishing breakfast.

“Our mood is highly influenced by what we eat,” Chambers said.

Opt for a balanced breakfast that contains protein, healthful fats, fiber and complex carbohydrates — think a vegetable omelet with avocado toast or oatmeal with nut butter, berries and chia seeds. Refined carbohydrates, such as doughnuts and sugary cereals, can lead to a blood sugar spike and crash, “causing challenges with emotional regulation, which may leave you feeling anxious,” Chambers added. (That said, if the occasional croissant or chocolate chip muffin brings some joy to your morning, it’s totally fine. Food is meant to be enjoyed, after all.)

8. Read a few pages from a book.

Rather than reading news or catching up on your social media feeds early in the morning, Perez recommends picking up a book that inspires you and reading for a few minutes ― even just five pages.

“Find a book that really speaks to you and makes you feel good,” he said.

9. Move your body.

It could be yoga, walking, running, dancing, cycling, strength-training or even stretching.

“When you exercise in the morning, you may notice improved focus and energy during the rest of the day, as well as better sleep at night, which can also help to tame anxiety,” Delucca said. “In addition, exercising in the morning can enhance your mood by giving you a boost of endorphins and a sense of accomplishment at the start of your day.”

It’s worth noting that some people report that certain workouts, especially very intense ones, actually stoke their anxiety rather than reduce it. So just be aware of that.

“We react differently to exercise, and it is a stressor,” Chambers said. “Exercising with too much intensity for some people can lead them to become fatigued and more likely to feel anxious.”

10. Do some visualization.

A visualization practice can help you set the desired tone for your day. If you’re feeling anxious and distracted, perhaps you’d like to feel calm, focused and empowered instead. Seely recommends calling on a memory that evokes that feeling for you. Tune into the small details and sensations of the experience.

“For example, if I’m visualizing a memory where I hiked up to the peak of a mountain and I’m overlooking the summit, I might notice the details of the incredible view, the sounds of nature around me, the feel of my muscles after climbing the steep terrain, the smell and temperature of the air, the sensation of feeling accomplished, proud, unstoppable,” she said. “Really getting into every sensation of the memory helps your body to soak in the experience and primes your physiology for that particular state of being ― in this example, empowered and ready to take on the day.”

And if you can’t think of a specific memory, allow yourself to daydream and build the desired experience in your imagination.

How to stick to your morning routine

“You’re more likely to follow through on behavior change when you set clear and specific goals versus vague aspirations,” said psychologist Gina Delucca. 

You may think your biggest stumbling blocks are a lack of willpower or hitting the snooze button half a dozen times. But often it “comes down to a lack of clarity with the routine,” Delucca said.

“You’re more likely to follow through on behavior change when you set clear and specific goals versus vague aspirations,” she added.

So instead of saying something general, like, “I want to work out in the morning,” make the goal more concrete: “I’m going to do a virtual yoga class at 7:30 a.m. after I finish my tea.”

Delucca also recommends getting up around the same time each day and outlining what specific activities you want to incorporate into your routine and in what order. It may help to write them down.

“When you do something repeatedly in the same order, you can eventually develop a habit,” Delucca said. “When a habit is formed, you’re not solely relying on how you feel in the moment in terms of your mood, motivation or willpower. Habits feel automatic without any guesswork as to what you should do next.”

She offered the example of taking a shower. You likely shampoo, condition, shave and wash your body in a specific order without giving it much thought.

“It’s automatic because the routine is clear and you’ve created a habit in which one action flows directly into the next action without any questioning,” Delucca said. “So, try to be as specific and consistent as possible when creating a morning routine. Each activity will serve as a cue for the next, and with time, your morning routine will flow.”

Kelsey Borresen – Senior Reporter, HuffPost Life        09/16/2020 

source:  www.huffingtonpost.ca

 

breakfast
 
 

5 Habits You Should Avoid
First Thing In The Morning

Don’t make these mistakes when you wake up.
Here’s what to avoid in your a.m. routine and what to do instead.
 
A few simple changes to your morning habits
can make a big difference in your overall well-being.
 
A good morning routine is a foundational part of self-care, affecting everything from your energy levels and productivity to the state of your skin.
 
But it is easy to fall into less-than-ideal habits without even realizing it ― particularly during a global pandemic when we are collectively coping with much bigger issues and routines have long gone out the window.
 
Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to get back on track. We asked experts for some of the most common morning routine mistakes and easy fixes to try instead.
 

Mistake #1: Hitting The Snooze Button

More than half of Americans say they hit the snooze button daily, so know that if you do too, you’re in good company. Also, it’s really not your fault. Growing research suggests that workdays and school days start too early, causing millions of kids and adults to lose out on the hours of sleep their brains and bodies need. So trying to sneak in a few last-minute ZZZs might seem like your only recourse. But alas, it doesn’t work.
 
“It’s so tempting to keep hitting snooze,” said Niket Sonpal, a New York City-based internist and faculty member with the Touro College of Medicine. “But it’s not beneficial.”
 
That’s because the extra minutes you eke out at that point aren’t actually restorative, even if they feel good at the time.
 
Plus, you could be disrupting the longer periods of REM sleep that tend to happen early in the morning. And frequent interruptions to the natural sleep cycle have been linked to range of both mental effects (like cognitive issues and depression) as well as physical ones (like metabolic problems).
 
“If you want some extra time in the morning, a better idea would be to set your clock ahead 15 minutes and wake up the minute it goes off,” Sonpal said. “If you have to set a really annoying alarm tone, then do so.”
 

Mistake #2: Letting Your Mind Be ‘Directed’ By Your Phone

Another big morning mistake people make is reaching for their phones while they’re still under the covers, said Naomi Parrella, a primary care physician with Rush University Medical Group.
 
If the very first thing you do in the morning is check email, look at social media or scan the day’s headlines, you’re essentially letting things outside of your control “hijack” your very first thoughts and feelings, Parrella said.
 
You’re giving your mind “inputs that are effectively somebody else deciding for you what goes in your brain,” she said. And she is worried that people have become almost “addicted” to the up-and-down news cycle.
 
So now is the time to be diligent about boundaries. It’s OK if you reach for your phone first thing in the morning because it’s your alarm; it’s not great if you’re picking it up to immediately connect to the outside world.
 
Take a few deep breaths instead. Do some stretches. Say “hi” to your partner or kids. Drink some water.
 
Set boundaries with your devices by not doomscrolling when you first get up.
 

Mistake #3: Filling Up On Sugar Right Away

“Sugar and super, ultra-processed breakfast foods cause a hormonal shift in the body,” Parrella said. “Now you’re going to be on this roller coaster of being hungry, being moody, possibly having a sugar crash.”
 
The average North American consumes 77 grams of sugar a day, according to the American Heart Association, which is about three times the recommended daily amount for women. (The recommended amount is slightly higher for men.) And experts tend to warn that breakfast is the most problematic meal of the day when it comes to added sugar thanks to common offerings like sweetened coffee and tea, cereals, syrup, breakfast bars, sugary smoothies and yogurts, and on and on.
 
So what does “too much” actually mean? Public health guidelines are a good starting point, but Parrella doesn’t like to be too prescriptive or harsh. Basically, the more sugar you can cut out of your morning routine, the better.
 
“If you want to really start the day strong and solid and anchored, it’s really helpful if you can cut out the sugar completely,” she urged — but that’s not necessary.
 
Sugar isn’t the devil, it’s just recommended that you choose wisely when to enjoy it. And if you do have a sugar-heavy morning, try incorporating some movement into your routine right after.
 
“You might go for a little walk, you might do some sun salutations or a few yoga moves, but the worst would be to go from [eating sugar] to sitting at your chair or in the car for hours on end,” Parrella said.
 

Mistake #4: Not Washing Your face Properly Or Using SPF

One morning mishap that really bothers some skin care experts? Not washing your face because you did it the night before, said Stacy Chimento, a Miami-based dermatologist with Riverchase Dermatology.
 
There is a chance your skin can pick up yucky stuff at night, like dead skin cells that collect on your pillowcase or dust that might be circulating in your sleep space while you get those ZZZs. (One stomach-churning investigation suggested that our pillows have as many microbes as our toilet seats.)
 
We must note that this tip is a little contentious: Some dermatologists say it’s not strictly necessary to wash your face with products in the morning if you’ve done a thorough job the night before. Using soap or cleansers multiple times might dry out your skin.
 
If you do go that route, take note of the water temp. “Although it might be tempting to wash your face with very cold water to wake yourself up, the temperature of the water should not be extreme,” Chimento said. “Wash with lukewarm water. Most people are rushing in the morning. Take care not to tug at your skin or be overzealous if you are exfoliating your face.”
 
Whatever you choose, make sure to slather on plenty of SPF. “You need at least a teaspoon to cover your whole face,” Chimento said — as well as your neck and chest.
 

Mistake #5: Completely Overlooking Your Mental Well-Being

The mornings can be rough: You’re tired, you’re often rushing or balancing walking pets, getting kids out the door and catching up on last-minute deadlines.
 
However, “if you don’t start the day right, you can spend the next few hours trying to work your way out of a ‘funk,’” Sonpal said — and she urges everyone to make sure they find even a few moments to tend to their well-being.
 
The strategies you use can be quite simple. “Open the blinds or shades wherever you can in your home to let in natural light,” Sonpal said. Then find a few moments to stretch, to meditate, to write in a gratitude journal or just connect, in a positive way, with a loved one.
 
One recent research paper that offered brief, actionable steps people can take every day to boost well-being pointed to the potential benefits of just taking a few deep breaths or spending a few moments focusing on the qualities you admire about a friend or loved one. Those kinds of quick and easy exercises can set you up for the day and train your brain over time.
 
“Not everyone is a ‘morning person,’” Sonpal said. But “if you establish the right routine, you can help yourself to function better.”
 
 
Catherine Pearson   02/10/2021
 
 


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The Pandemic Diet: How to Lose the ‘Quarantine 15’

The company that makes snacks like Oreos and Ritz Crackers is having a very good year. Sales in North America have leapt more than 16% over 2019. And there’s one big reason: When we started to go into lockdown, Americans stocked up on comfort food.
Why not? We thought it would be a matter of weeks. Seven months on, that includes some extra pounds for many of us. A survey done for Nutrisystem found that 76% of Americans have gained weight, as much as 16 pounds between March and July. Another survey, done in August by RunRepeat, found that 41% of the 10,000+ respondents in the U.S. had gained more than 5 pounds since quarantine began — and those are people visiting a website devoted to running.
“Back then it was a shock to the system, the challenge of staying home,” says Kristin Kirkpatrick, a dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic. “Now we’re seeing people struggling with stress, boredom, and the inability to focus on making a lifestyle change when there are so many other things going on.”
So, does that mean we should just keep going the way we have been? Not so fast, says Kirkpatrick: “Some people are changing the narrative, looking at this as an opportunity.” Not going to the workplace means there’s no long commute, which makes space for exercising and cooking healthy meals. “While about half of my patients are saying this is the worst thing ever, the other half say, ‘There’s so much I can’t control, I’ll control making a true lifestyle change.’ They’ve finally got the time to do it,” she says.
Such was the case for Dianne Simmons of Frederick, MD, who has lost 40 pounds on WW (formerly Weight Watchers) during the pandemic. “COVID made me look differently at how there are some things I can control, and some I have no control over whatsoever,” she says. “I think I needed something to focus on that allowed me little victories going along. It makes 2020 feel a bit less dire.”
How to Lose Weight in Quarantine
Kirkpatrick says there’s not a single “pandemic diet” that will help shed those pounds. But she does offer some suggestions – including specific ways of eating – that take into account the times we’re living in. Complicated diets that require extensive shopping and meal prep may be too difficult or stressful to tackle right now.
To start, all the usual weight loss advice still applies: Focus on healthy eating, regular exercise, and a good night’s sleep. But given the realities of pandemic life, that may not be enough. Here’s what Kirkpatrick suggests:
  • Take baby steps. We’re all stressed right now, so trying to overhaul your lifestyle completely might be asking too much of yourself. Instead, start with one small step. “What’s something you can change right now?” says Kirkpatrick. “It’s too hard to make five different changes when you can just pick one to start.” For many of her patients, that means experimenting with intermittent fasting, in which you eat only during a set number of hours each day. (More on that below.)
  • Embrace semi-homemade. Yes, you have more time to cook. But if you just don’t have the mental energy to choose recipes and shop for specific ingredients, stock your kitchen with ready-to-use items that are easy to transform into a nutritious meal. “Now isn’t the time to become a grand chef,” says Kirkpatrick. “Learn to be a great short-order cook.” Frozen chicken breast + frozen broccoli + a pouch of pre-cooked quinoa or brown rice = dinner.
  • Eat on a schedule. Working from home means you’ve got food accessible 24/7, and your days probably have less structure than they used to. Plan when you’ll take a coffee break and eat lunch, and stick to it.
  • Consider intermittent fasting. “Even a Mediterranean or low-carb diet takes planning, and most of my patients can’t wrap their heads around that right now,” says Kirkpatrick. Intermittent fasting limits your eating to a set window of hours each day. The idea isn’t to gorge on cookies during those hours – you should still aim for healthy meals and snacks — but you don’t have to count calories or nutrients. Simply by not eating early in the morning and late at night, you’ll probably find you’re eating less. Pre-pandemic, Rachel Kahan of Brooklyn, NY, was doing a 12-hour intermittent fast, largely because her commute required eating breakfast early and dinner late. In lockdown, her family ate breakfast later in the morning and had dinner earlier in the evening, which left her with a 10-hour window for eating. She’s lost 5 pounds, and her husband has lost 10.
  • Or maybe go vegan. Many of Kirkpatrick’s patients have adopted a vegan lifestyle during the pandemic, which they hope will be better for their immune systems. Experts say a plant-based diet supports your immune system. “It’s transformed how they eat,” she says. “A lot have lost weight without that being the goal.”
  • Lock the liquor cabinet. Not only does alcohol provide excess calories, it also takes away your ability to regulate your food intake, Kirkpatrick says. “If you start drinking while you’re cooking, you stop caring about what you’re eating.” You don’t have to give up alcohol entirely, but drink more consciously.
  • Start the day ready to play. Get dressed every day, but skip the comfy sweats. Opt for clothing that encourages you to move. “Loungewear doesn’t foster physical activity,” says Kirkpatrick. “Whatever clothes make you more likely to go for a walk, choose that.”
  • Use your commute time for exercise. Now that you don’t have to leave home by 8, you can spend that time moving your body. “The intensity of your workout doesn’t have to change, but you might have 90 minutes now, instead of 45 minutes during your lunch break on the job,” says Kirkpatrick.
Get Help Losing Weight
If the DIY approach doesn’t feel right to you, virtual help is right at your fingertips. To decide what kind of plan will work best for you, ask yourself a few questions:
  • What’s realistic in your current environment? A young person quarantining with roommates probably can’t ask everyone else to adopt the same approach to eating, but you can be honest with them and ask for their support. A parent with small children, on the other hand, has more control over what food comes into the house — but less time to focus on your own needs, so a health-oriented meal-delivery program might do the trick. And a senior living alone might want the sociability and group support of a plan like WW.
  • What kind of communication do you prefer? If you’re just looking for structure and guidance, a tracking app or website might do the trick. For structure as well as support from others, a formal weight loss program could be a good fit. Or if you’d prefer a one-on-one approach, opt for Zoom sessions with a dietitian.
  • How much support do you need? Maybe you already understand what changes you need to make, but don’t have people in your life who’ll support you. Thanks to the pandemic, neighborhood groups have sprung up on sites like Facebook and Nextdoor. “People share ideas about what to make for dinner, or say, ‘Hey, I’m going for a socially distanced walk at noon. Who wants to join?’” says Kirkpatrick. “They’re supporting one another, and they don’t necessarily have to see each other.”
When it comes to measuring your progress, Kirkpatrick says you can aim for one-half to one pound a week – but in terms of your overall health, keeping track of your waist measurement might be the better bet. Studies have shown that central obesity (carrying more weight around your middle) has a higher risk of chronic illness and death.
“Waist size also matters because central obesity is more inflammatory, which may have a worse effect on COVID compared to someone who is holding weight in the butt or thigh area,” Kirkpatrick says. “This is the time to focus on accurate, measurable indicators for health, and studies show that waist is a better predictor.”
By Debbie Koenig      Oct. 29, 2020
WebMD Health News Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD on October 29, 2020
 
Sources
Article: The Pandemic Diet: How to Lose the ‘Quarantine 15’
Mondelēz International: “Mondelēz International Reports Q2 2020 Results.”
SWNS Digital: “Americans have gained up to 16 pounds while quarantining.”
Nick Rizzo, fitness research director, RunRepeat.
Kristin Kirkpatrick, registered dietitian, Cleveland Clinic.
Dianne Simmons, Frederick, MD.
Rachel Kahan, Brooklyn, NY.
The BMJ: “Central fatness and risk of all cause mortality: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of 72 prospective cohort studies.”
MD Anderson: “5 benefits of a plant-based diet.”
John Whyte, MD, MPH. Chief Medical Officer, WebMD,
Drew Ramsey, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Columbia University
source: WebMD
scale

The Quickest Weight Loss Technique

People in the study lost 8 pounds in four weeks.
Eating as much as you want one day and fasting the next is one of the quickest ways to lose weight, research finds.
Alternate-day fasting not only helps people lose weight, but also improves their health and reduces the risk of disease.
People in one study who fasted on alternate days lost 8 pounds in four weeks.
Fasting helped them to reduce biological markers of aging and disease, as well as decreasing their levels of bad cholesterol.
On the fasting day, people are only allowed to have zero-calorie drinks, such as unsweetened tea and coffee and water, or to chew sugar-free gum.
Studies on both mice and humans have shown that alternate-day fasting can be effective.
One study has tested the effects of alternate-day fasting on mice.
This also looked to see if fasting at 50 percent on one day followed by eating freely the next could be effective.
The results showed that total fasting one day was, unsurprisingly, the most effective.
However, 50 percent fasting on one day also reduced weight and improved the health of the mice.
The size of fat cells in the bodies of mice who fasted at 100 percent on alternate days was reduced by more than half.
Dr Thomas Pieber, co-author of the study on humans, said:
“Why exactly calorie restriction and fasting induce so many beneficial effects is not fully clear yet.
The elegant thing about strict ADF [alternate-day fasting] is that it doesn’t require participants to count their meals and calories: they just don’t eat anything for one day.”
Professor Harald Sourij, another co-author of the study on humans, said:
“We found that on average, during the 12 hours when they could eat normally, the participants in the ADF group compensated for some of the calories lost from the fasting, but not all.
Overall, they reached a mean calorie restriction of about 35% and lost an average of 3.5 kg [7.7 lb] during four weeks of ADF.”
About the author
Psychologist, Jeremy Dean, PhD is the founder and author of PsyBlog. He holds a doctorate in psychology from University College London and two other advanced degrees in psychology.
 
He has been writing about scientific research on PsyBlog since 2004. He is also the author of the book “Making Habits, Breaking Habits” (Da Capo, 2003) and several ebooks:
Accept Yourself: How to feel a profound sense of warmth and self-compassion
The Anxiety Plan: 42 Strategies For Worry, Phobias, OCD and Panic
Spark: 17 Steps That Will Boost Your Motivation For Anything
Activate: How To Find Joy Again By Changing What You Do
The study was published in the Journal of Lipid Research (Varady et al., 2007).
source: Psyblog


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Healthy Habits for Working From Home

8 Healthy Habits for Working From Home

For some of us, working from home is normal, but for others, this pandemic may have you working remotely for the first time. Whichever category you fit into, it’s important to have healthy habits when working from your home “office”.

  1. Pretend like you are actually going into the office. Set your alarm, make coffee, take a shower and change out of your pjs to help you get into the “I’m going to work” mindset.
  2. Set boundaries such as defined hours and breaks throughout the day. Just as you would leave the office, you need to know when to stop working and take a breather for a good work-life balance.
  3. Don’t forget to give your eyes a break too! It’s not healthy for your eyes to be glued to a screen all day. Several times throughout the day, take a few minutes to look at something else to make sure you’re not straining your eyes.
  4. Working from home with your new “co-workers” could take some getting used too. Stock up on time consuming projects like, puzzles, crafts or activity books help to keep the kiddos busy. Take advantage of video chatting to continue learning opportunities such as piano lessons. Mix up your hours (if your job allows) – try to squeeze in work when your toddler is asleep such as early morning, nap times and at night – you’ll be more productive if you have quiet time to yourself.
  5. Create a dedicated work space – although it’s tempting to work from your bed, it’s important to set up a dedicated work space with a door that you can close if you need to drown out the noise of your pets, kids or TV to remain productive and professional. Also, if possible, invest in a good chair. Your home chair/desk/keyboard setup might not be the same as at the office and comfy sofas or bed pillows don’t offer the necessary support for your back, which can lead to poor posture and back, shoulder and neck pain.
  6. Set goals by writing out a daily and weekly to-do list involving your work and the tasks that need completing.
  7. Working from home can be isolating especially if you’re used to a busy office environment – check-in with people throughout the day. Just because everyone is practicing social distancing doesn’t mean you need to actually feel so distant.
  8. Keep your kitchen stocked with healthy food. Since you’re now so close to your kitchen, it’s even easier to snack on everything and anything. To avoid unhealthy snacking, keep healthy snacks readily available. Drink a lot of water throughout the day, too, which can help curb mindless snacking.

March 23, 2020

Clinical Contributors to this Story
Michael Carson, M.D. contributes to topics such as Internal Medicine.

source: www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org

 

work-from-home

 

 

5 Healthy Habits for When You’re Working From Home

We all know working from home can be both a blessing and a curse. Gone are the days of commuting to the office, and in are the days where you roll out of bed and hop onto the computer, right?!

For the majority of us, working from home requires a lot of willpower and developing loads of healthy habits to stay on top of work and home life together.

When you’re working from home, it’s easy to get distracted by household chores, friends and family and find the motivation to get on with the hard work tasks that simply need to get done.

So to help, I’ve put together 5 work from home tips and healthy habits that you can start implementing in your working life.

Working from home and starting your own service-based business? Sign up for my free workshop and start making some money on the side.

Develop a morning routine

I’ve heard it a million times, to get the most of your work from home life, a little discipline goes a long way.

However, where I differ is I’m not encouraging you to get up at 4 am, do some yoga, make a smoothie, journal and meditate. Instead, I believe in a simple and tailored approach that’s tailored to you.

A routine is simply something you do over and over again to flip the switch in your brain to tell you it’s time to get into ‘work mode’.

For you that might mean waking at 7 am, making a cup of coffee and reading. For someone else, it might mean waking at 6 am, getting your kids ready for school, dropping them off and then unwinding before work with a hot drink and a book.

Experiment and find a routine that works for your unique situation, is easy and enjoyable and the rest will fall into place.

Open windows even in the winter

We’re spending more and more time indoors and because of this, our indoor air quality is suffering.

“Indoor air pollution is dust, dirt or gases in the air inside a building such as your home or workplace that harms us if we breathe it in.”

What’s more, if you have any kind of lung disease such as asthma, then you’re indoor air quality should be something to take seriously.

“Indoor air is often 10 times more polluted than outdoor air and as people spend 90% of their time indoors the importance of indoor air quality is critical to health and wellbeing.”

One of the simplest things you can do to improve the air quality in your home is to open your windows. Even in the cold months, for just a few hours a day, you could vastly improve the air quality in your home.

Once you do it, you’ll realize how heavy your air was and as a bonus, the new fresh air will give you a boost, trust me.

Move your body

I like to keep things simple, so the next healthy habit is determined by you. If you’re working from home, chances are you’re not moving from your desk very often.

The fact is, the human body was not built to withstand this much sitting. Depending on your ability and desire, anything from a few desk stretches, to a lunchtime walk would give your body and your brain the boost it needs to keep those creative juices flowing.

Because let’s be real, the last thing we’re all thinking about when working is doing 50 lunges or rolling out a dusty yoga mat.

Plan breaks

When you’re working on a project, writing, or generally doing any kind of absorbing task, it’s easy to lose track of time. The last thing you want is to be working so hard that you miss a valuable snack or coffee break.

Set a rough schedule for yourself and stick notifications on your phone to remind you. Or if you’re a bit more analogue, write it in your to-do list to take breaks at certain times of the day.

Here’s mine as an example:

11 am – coffee break (snack if required)

12 noon – lunch

3 pm – snack break or simply walk around a bit

“Taking breaks refreshes the mind, replenishes your mental resources, and helps you become more creative.”

Even if you’re not hungry or would rather keep working, these breaks act as a switch in your mind to take a break. Your brain simply can’t keep working for hours straight, give it a rest and give your body some fuel.

Remove your distractions 

It’s no surprise that when we’re working from home it’s almost impossible not to get distracted. In fact, it’s the reason why we’re developing these healthy habits in the first place.

Raise your hand if any of these distractions apply to you:

Social media

Email

Friends messaging you

Family ringing you

Family in the room with you (I’m talking about you, kids)

Unwashed dishes

Other people’s clutter

Your own clutter

Anything and everything that isn’t your work

Yeah, I raised my hand multiple times too!

The fact is, we can never remove 100% of our work from home distractions. After all, we are working from home, not a remote cabin in the woods. But we can reduce that list significantly.

If social media is your problem, remove the apps from your phone. Is it email? Schedule to read at only certain times of the day. If it’s friends and family, start setting boundaries with them. If it’s household mess and chores, ask your family to help, or schedule in time to clear your space. After all, your home is your office, it needs to be treated as one.

Roundup

Creating healthy habits for your work from home life can be difficult, especially if you’re just starting out, or things have gotten out of hand.

If this is the case, I recommend starting with just one of these and implementing the changes over the course of a few weeks. Then add another. Be patient, your ideal work from home life will take time to happen.

by Gina Lucia      10 October 2019

source: limitbreaker.co

How to Work From Home and Stay Healthy

Healthy habits when working from home


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How To Get a Good Night’s Sleep Right Now

“Doesn’t it feel like the zombie apocalypse?” I recently asked my boyfriend. We were taking our daily sanity stroll when suddenly the sleep-deprived eyes peeking over surgical masks started to feel extra eerie. I may have even traumatized a small child in a window when I waved excitedly, forgetting a big black piece of fabric was covering half my face and I hadn’t bothered with concealer.

Honestly, the lack of concealer is probably what drove the poor thing to run. The insomnia has been brutal lately.

I’m certainly not alone. Everyone I speak to, from my grandmother to Kaia Gerber, mentions how badly they’ve been sleeping. That’s because the current situation is a veritable perfect storm for sleeplessness, and that goes for sassy 80-year-olds and teen top models alike.

“The biggest issue is stress and anxiety: worrying about your health, worrying about your job, worrying about your finances,” says Dr. Atul Khullar, medical director at the Northern Alberta Sleep Clinic and senior consultant at MedSleep.

Then there are the changes to your routine. “Being more restrained, not being able to get out as much, less light, less exercise, worse eating habits — it’s just a hurricane of things that can disrupt sleep.”

While we can’t control what’s going on in the world, there are some things we can do to help rest our minds and bodies, and get that much needed shut-eye.

Make sleep a priority

In our performance-obsessed culture, rest is often undervalued. A chronic lack of sleep is linked to a whole host of issues including heart disease, stroke, obesity and diabetes. “Some studies show you’re less likely to catch things, including the coronavirus, if you get proper sleep because sleep deprivation weakens your immune system, even in the short term,” says Khullar. Poor sleep also hikes stress hormones, which make it harder to deal with everything going on, on top of making us more irritable. “Sleep is going to get your entire family in a better mood,” says Alanna McGinn, sleep expert and founder of the Good Night Sleep Site. “We’re all stuck together, so we need to be as happy as we can.”

Stick to a schedule

With no commute to worry about, it’s tempting to sleep in more and, since you don’t have to wake up so early, you might be going to bed later, too. But all of this can throw off your sleep and your energy levels throughout the day. “A lot of people don’t have the discipline to keep the structure, so we find people not keeping consistent bedtimes or sometimes napping excessively,” says Khullar. McGinn says to set an alarm. “It doesn’t have to be as early as when you were going to work, but getting up at a more reasonable hour builds up more drive for sleep, which will help you fall asleep a lot better at night.” Regular exercise also helps with that and promotes a deeper, more restful sleep.

Make your bed sacred

Both experts are adamant your bed should be for sleep only. “Protecting your sleep space provides a positive association between sleep and your bed,” explains McGinn. “Now our bedrooms are becoming our home office and that can make falling asleep even harder.” What happens is your brain no longer equates being in bed with just sleeping, so you lose that signal to wind down. “If you start doing many other activities in bed, you can get very strong behavioural insomnia,” warns Khullar. This is also why you shouldn’t lie awake for long periods. “We should be sleeping 85 per cent of the time we’re in bed, so if you’re struggling with that, it’s OK to get out of bed for 10 to 15 minutes,” says McGinn. “Do a quiet activity in low light like reading or doing a puzzle — don’t turn on every light or check your email — then try again.”

sleep



Optimize your sleep space

There are plenty of small tweaks that can make your bedroom more conducive to sleep. Mornings are getting brighter, so incorporating blackout drapes can help keep your room dark. There’s also the matter of temperature. “The best sleeping temperature is usually a little cooler than people think: between 16 and 19 C,” says Khullar. McGinn suggests switching to more breathable bedding and moisture-wicking materials like bamboo, eucalyptus or linen. And if you sleep with a partner, don’t be afraid to customize your side. “You don’t need to have the same pillow, comforter and sheets,” she says. Finally, pay attention to how your room smells, too. Certain scents like lavender and camomile have been shown to promote sleep, so don’t discount those trendy diffusers and pillow sprays.

Implement a bedtime ritual

Pre-pillow quiet time is key to telling your brain you’re about to go to bed, say the pros. “It can be 10 minutes or 40 minutes, but there should be some time where you don’t do any other activities except prepare for bed,” says Khullar. For McGinn, that means putting down devices and steering clear of all things stressful. “We need boundaries on what we’re absorbing with the news and the scary stuff that we’re bringing into our brains right before going to bed,” she says. You also want to limit screen time in the evening as the artificial light confuses your internal clock. Things like meditation apps or relaxing podcasts can help get you into a calmer state.

Give your body a break

Another important part of prepping for bed is what you eat. Avoid big meals at least four hours before bed so that your body is not focused on digestion. “A lot of people are turning more to carbs and desserts right now, and if your body is not used to that it might have a harder time metabolizing it,” says McGinn. She suggests having sweets earlier in the day so that you’re not hyped up on sugar later. Many of us are also consuming more alcohol these days. “Alcohol is probably one of the worst things you can do for your sleep,” says Khullar. “It can put you to sleep, but that wears off quickly, and the sleep it gives you is artificial and not restful. Long term, it damages your ability to sleep.” What about weed? “If cannabis is helping you sleep, then maybe there’s something else that you need to look at, such as anxiety, depression or chronic pain,” says Khullar. “As a general rule, we don’t recommend people use anything to help them sleep without addressing it and getting assessed by a medical professional.” Many sleep clinics offer virtual consultations right now, so if you try these tips and still find yourself sleepless, reach out for help. From coping with the stress to staying healthy, you need your rest more than ever.

By Katherine Lalancette     Mon., June 22, 202
Katherine Lalancette is the beauty director of The Kit, based in Toronto.
Reach her on email at kl@thekit.ca or follow her on Twitter: @kik_tweets