Staying active can help support overall wellness and a robust immune response, as well as reduce stress during trying times. Please consider taking advantage of the following tips on taking care of yourself to benefit your health.
- A tip from Energy Medicine Yoga shared by EMYoga certified instructor Annette Hyde:
- Go outside and get some sun for prevention and cure…it’s free for all! Although we have been taught to fear the sun, it provides many benefits. Throughout the entire day, the sun hits our skin and eyes sending us important signals. In the morning, when there is no ultraviolet light, the sun tells us to create the hormone melatonin. Known as the hormone of darkness, melatonin also significantly controls and supports our immune system. It is only in the morning sun that melatonin can be made. The more melatonin that is made, the stronger your immune system. Then, when the sun sets, our brain releases the melatonin to help us sleep. It doesn’t matter if it’s raining or overcast. Just being outside and allowing the light to reach your skin and eyes, with no glasses, is all it takes. Look at least 15 degrees away from the sun. For bad or extremely cold weather, put on a hat and coat, or you can open a window. Most of us live the majority of our lives inside. Let’s start to change that a few minutes at a time, every day.
- Do at least one thing every day that makes you feel good. Maybe it’s something you didn’t have time or energy for before. Whether it’s meditating, taking a bubble bath, cooking an amazing dish, knitting, or just sitting and reading a good book – cherish that time!
- Catch up on your sleep. Adequate sleep supports good health!
- Create a routine and stick to it. This can help you feel productive and less like the days are passing in an indistinct blur. You might consider identifying a few goals for each day. There can be tremendous satisfaction in reaching a goal or checking items off a list!
- With your exercise routine, remember stretching. Check out these hamstring and psoas muscle stretches from our Training Tips, as well as how to release muscle tension through foam rolling. Another useful resource: The Mayo Clinic also offers a slideshow on stretching
