WELLNESS RITUALS FOR MORNING AND NIGHT
Someone beautifully said that “The power is in your hands to make today healthy & amazing”. We often find ourselves searching for ways to enhance personal wellness. While the list is endless, what we need to realize before starting is that wellness doesn’t need to be complicated. By making a few changes in our daily routines, we can positively transform how we feel mentally, physically, and emotionally.
Supercharger: The Morning Routine
It can’t be emphasized enough that, the way you start your mornings, sets the tone for the rest of your day. Mornings should be filled with activities that are most meaningful to us. Here are 3 activities that will supercharge you for an amazing day ahead.
Focus on the power of ‘Now’
Take a few moments each morning to reconnect and observe the life around you. Be it soaking in some sunshine, touching, and watering your plants or checking up on a friend, these moments are essential. Here is a small mindful practice you can try to be present in the moment.
– Notice 5 things you can see
– Notice 4 things you can feel
– Notice 3 things you can hear
– Notice 2 things you can smell and
– Notice 1 thing you can taste
Practice Movement
Movement is the body’s natural way of reducing stress. Be it going to the gym, practicing yoga or just walking, morning movement offers heaps of benefits.. Exercising first thing in the morning gives you an energy boost, which results in achieving better focus and increased alertness. Movement further increases the ‘feel-good’ hormones in your body leading to a much better and optimistic mood throughout the day. Asanka, our health club colleague shares his favorite 15-minute energy booster workout that races the heart, releases stress, and prepares you for the day.
Fuel your soul
Your first step to a healthier day starts with the first meal you intake – breakfast. It helps in removing the brain fog, gives you the right nutrients, aids in weight management, and reduces your risk of obesity and types 2 diabetes. Be it a glass of luscious smoothie, eggs on toast or a bowl of mixed fruits, commit to nourishing your body with a healthy and protein-packed breakfast every morning. And don’t forget to drink lots of water!
Wind-down: The Night Routine
An evening routine is as invaluable for a healthy and happy life as is the morning routine. Set the tone right for your night by indulging in a simple set of night-time routine which will help you disconnect from the outside world, fall asleep more easily and wake up refreshed.
Indulge in a hobby
Activities of joy & pleasure are as important as activities that give tangible results. Make time for what you like i.e., indulging in a hobby before bed gives you an avenue to disconnect from digital screens, keep aside the chatter of daily life and engage in activities that spark your imagination and creativity. So, pick up a book, paint a page, whip up a warm beverage or learn a new language, hobbies will help you unwind, lower your anxiety and will put you in a happy mode before bedtime.
Practice light stretches
Light stretching is a powerful way to shake the day off. It signals the brain to move from fight-or-flight mode to rest-and-digest mode which helps the heart to also slow down and facilitates blood circulation Combine this with deep breathing to buy you moments of mindfulness, making you feel calm and ready for bed. Here are some easy stretches Asanka shares to incorporate in your bed-time routine.
Prep your bedroom
The quality of your sleep is highly dependent upon your surroundings. Our mind needs signal from our environment that it’s time to sleep which doesn’t happen in noisy or well-lit rooms. Switching on soft lighting, investing in good quality window shades, setting the right temperature between 65 to 69 °F , lighting scented candles, playing soothing music and switching off digital screens are some easy ways to prepare for a healthy goodnight sleep.
Aristotle once said, “we are what we repeatedly do”. Holistic wellness isn’t just a list of activities but a set of actions that we should indulge in every day. Practice what suits you and makes you feel the best. Just remember, with these actions you are decoding wellness each day!
