Wellness Wednesday!
Welcome to our Wellness Wednesday Blog Post! Last week I talked about different ways of infusing more wellness into our everyday lives. But maybe you feel like these ideas are great in theory, but you’ll never have the time to actually try any of them in the morning?
I try my best to provide you with a mindful fitness schedule that checks off some of the items on many morning, afternoon, and evening wellness routine lists. But we can always do more as individuals, we can always be a better version of ourselves, for ourselves, and we can do this by trying some of the ideas discussed in last week’s blog on a daily basis, outside of class. It is an individual pursuit after all, and fortunately, as I also eventually realized, you are in control of creating more time in your mornings before (or while) you get ready for work. Even just an extra half hour in the morning can allow you to fit in a positive thinking exercise, a better breakfast, or a yoga session.
But where do we start? To put it bluntly, get a good night’s sleep. I know I know. You may be rolling your eyes at me as you read this, but it is the truth. I struggled with getting a “good night’s sleep for what seemed like forever. I always felt like there was never enough time in the day to get everything done and still get 8 hours of sleep. “Most adults feel and function best with 7-9 hours per night. However, keep in mind that you’re likely to need more sleep if you’re strength training, fighting an illness, or recovering from an injury. This may seem hard to come by in a jam-packed schedule, but it’s really worth it for your physical and mental health, well-being and longevity.”
Some people may feel as though they can function perfectly fine on just a couple hours of sleep. I was one of them. Why is sleeping well so essential? “Lack of sleep can weaken the immune system, increase stress hormone levels, and increase risk of obesity, heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke. Sleep deficiency often results in cognitive and emotional un-wellness, such as irritability, inability to concentrate, trouble making decisions and solving problems, as well as mood swings or trouble controlling emotions.”
What is a “good night’s sleeps purpose? Well, “while you’re asleep, your body works to repair tissues (including those involved in muscle growth and healing injuries), regulate hormone levels, and form new pathways in your brain for learning and memory. Sleep is essential for growth and development, which is why babies and children (and teenagers!) need so much more of it than adults.”
When it comes to sleep, both quantity (hours) and quality (sleep cycles) matter.
here are some tips for waking up earlier:
Go to bed earlier. Trade a half hour for a half hour. And if you really want to wake up earlier, enforce it.
Set your alarm 10 minutes earlier each day until you reach your new desired time. You’ll barely notice the change.
Make it impossible (or at least less likely) to hit snooze.
Give yourself something to look forward to when you get out of bed. Have a yummy breakfast lined up, a new playlist you’re looking forward to, or scheduled time for an activity you enjoy, like reading the news or taking a morning walk.
If you have an electric coffeemaker, set the alarm to have coffee start brewing around the time your alarm goes off so a hot cuppa joe is waiting for you when you get out of bed—the smell will help too!
Next week we will be looking at sleep cycles and how you can get a better-quality sleep! Be mindful!
Namaste!
Amber Green
Owner/Founder
Querencia
Works Cited
Four Wellness Co.https://fourwellness.co/blog/start-your-day-with-a-healthy-morning-routine
Four Wellness Co.https://fourwellness.co/blog/9-natural-ways-to-get-better-sleep