3 Tips to Increased Wellness

This is a super interesting one, as when tribes of wild people are observed, various ages of the family group go to bed and get up at different times and this keeps everyone safe, as there is usually someone awake. For example, the grandparents go to bed early and wake up early, while the teenagers stay up half the night and sleep through the morning. The various cycles mean there’s naturally someone on look out.

In our society everyone is expected to get up and go to bed to fit the 9-5 routine. So, it’s no surprise many people struggle with their sleep patterns.

The worrying thing about a lack of sleep is that it’s a bit like eating too much food leads to weight gain which leads to lots of poor health outcomes in the long term. A lack of sleep has the same cumulative effect, but we tend to think of it as just in the last 48 hours. Rather than the long term which is much more important.

Our Top Tips for Improving Sleep

1) No caffeine after 2pm

2) Regular exercise (at least 4 hours before bed, If you’re exercising before bed something like yoga is ideal. Intense exercise late on can perk you up like having a coffee)

3) Avoid alcohol 3 hours before bed. You just don’t get the right recovery from sleep if you’ve had a few.

4) Avoid blue light: this is the light that comes off computer and phone screens. Most newer phones have a blue light filter you can switch on. Blue light can inhibit your body’s ability to create melatonin, the hormone your body produces to promote sleep, which means you may find it tricky to sleep.

Staying connected to family and friends gives you a boost, it’s easy after a long day to just switch on the TV in the evening. In a world where more and more people work remotely, here’s a few tips to stay connected:

• Message one person a day to spark up a chat
• Share recipes on WhatsApp, we all get stuck in a routine of what we cook each evening, so everyone loves a new recipe.
• Try a new exercise class to freshen up your routine and meet new people. If a local exercise class seems scary try an online workout class with a local instructor to build your confidence.
• Almost everywhere has book clubs. And yes, half the people don’t get around to reading the book each week, you can still go.

Exercise is important for our wellbeing because it can improve both our physical and mental health. Regular physical activity can enhance our quality of life, boost our muscle strength, endurance, cardiovascular system, insulin sensitivity, brain health, weight management and bone and muscle health.

Exercise is also a powerful tool for improving mental health. It promotes changes in the brain, including neural growth, reduced inflammation, and new activity patterns that promote feelings of calm and well-being. Exercise can boost our mood, concentration, alertness and even give us a positive outlook on life.