In the next 10 seconds, without waiting to think, quickly write down 5 relaxation techniques that come to your mind. These are your most used & abused stress relief activities! Are you surprised?

Well, for me, it’s a nice long hot bath, movie time curled up on my favorite couch, and a cup of hot chocolate. Pure bliss. But, I’ve started adding some fun stress relief activities too that do not border so much on the lazy : D

These stress relief activities are not only fun but also carve out some much-deserved self-care time. And no, self-care doesn’t mean just scented candles & a hot bath. It also means some calm, reflective time when you can have a conversation with yourself. Instead of simply filling your mind up with information, you get the time to find out more about yourself –

• Your changed likes & dislikes.
• Your little wins that got lost in the buzz of bigger duties/responsibilities.
• How you really feel about something important.

Basically, having the time to date yourself.

But first let’s see what actually does help take the weight off of our brain, switch off that fight-or-flight stress response and platter up some much-needed relaxation & calm.

What helps relieve stress?

Broadly speaking, most stress relief activities can be grouped under one or other of these –

• Relaxing not only the body but mind
  too.
• Slowing down the pace of our life.
• Taking a break from everything
  that’s going on.
• Venting or sharing.
• Triggering happy memories.
• Being less self-judgmental.

Related:

How to Deal with Feeling Overwhelmed at Work

5 Effective Ways – Take the Steam Out of Stress

Stress relief activities that are fun & absolutely calming:

1. Just create something, anything:

Not an artistic person? No problem. The idea is to just give a much-needed time-out to the analytical part of our brain. So just doodle away, or do some finger painting, do scrapbooking or any DIY craftwork.

Did you know that some researchers believe repetitive motions while doodling or drawing relaxes the brain to a near-meditative state. That in itself sounds so soothing, doesn’t it?

When you’re focused on creating something, it distracts your mind from the issues stressing you out. You don’t have to display what you created if you’re not proud of it. Just let your creativity take over without self-judgement & focus on how you feel.

Related:

How to Use the Power of Positive Thinking – Overcome Limiting Beliefs

2. Coloring books:

Yup, they really do work & are one of the most popular stress relief activities for adults. When you focus on filling up complex spaces with color, keeping the colors from bleeding out & concentrating on choosing the next color to fill, your brain switches from constant thinking & stressing out to focusing on the present.

This calms your brain by focusing on the moment. Colouring is such a simple activity that thoughts focused on it relaxes the brain. It reduces activity in amygdala (big word for part of the brain responsible for fight-or-flight stress response). And yes my friend, this view is backed by research.

There is no minimum skill level required. So get yourself a pack of pencil colors & an adult coloring book, and you’re all set to create some masterpieces : D zoning out into a zen state of mind.

Related:

Top 10 Quotes By Masters Inspiring Today’s Artist

3. Journaling:

There are many types of journals that you can keep. It might not be jump-around fun, but once you start keeping a journal, you’ll understand what the excitement around it’s all about.

Say for example, you keep a gratitude journal. It’ll be a positive distraction from all the things stressing you out plus, you get a handy book of personalized reminders of how great your life is when you need a quick pick-me-up. As a bonus, it’ll help you develop a habit of focusing more on the positives in any situation.

Don’t try for perfection. Have fun. Let it evolve with you so that you can see how far you’ve come from when you started.

Related:

9 Amazing Art Blogs to Get Your Creative Mojo Back

4. Paper art:

Take a 10″ x 10″ sheet of paper (old scrap paper will also do). Fold it accordion style or any way you please. Once you are done, use scissors to cut and take out different sized chunks out of the paper. Then, unfold it to reveal the amazing design you created.

Create a scrapbook for your designs if you wish. Creating paper art is one of the fun stress relief activities that works on many levels.

Remember how much you liked using the sneaked away scissors on paper as a child? It brings back happy childhood memories. It also relaxes the brain with simple activity and distracts the analytical stressing out part of the brain with focusing on the action in hand.

Related:

How to Pep Up and Infuse Zest in Your Life

5. Clay it up:

Get your hands dirty with modeling clay or just enjoy the squishy goodness of play dough. Who said play dough is only for kids? I can mix, match & squish the life out of play dough any time of day, especially when stressed out.

Roll it up into a ball over & over again. Watch the colors mix. Focus on the feeling of moldable, soft, cool play dough in your hands. When you focus on the present action in hand, stress fades away. The therapeutic effects of colors is an added benefit!

If you’re working with modeling clay, shape it up into abstract forms. Who knows but you might just end up with something you’re really proud of! Your efforts at focusing on this creative action will make it hard for your analytical brain to stress out. Simply watching what your hands are doing, frees up the mind to relax and unwind.

Related:

How to Get Restful Sleep – Improved Mental and Physical Health

.

Now, some (or most) of these stress relief activities might sound childish, but you know what? It doesn’t actually matter! As long as it’s de-stressing & you don’t have to give a public performance, it should be absolutely fine.

Mental peace & physical health are closely interlinked. Managing stress with simple stress relief activities & daily care is the best way to stop it escalating into serious health issues. There is a huge number of suggestions to choose from. Pick & select the ones that you like, try them out & select the ones that suit you best.

So, tell me are you still sticking with your initial list of 5 relaxation techniques or are you now pumped up to find more versatile & fun stress relief activities?

The post Relaxation techniques: Fun stress relief activities appeared first on Nandyz Soulshine.

“Wellness is the compete integration of body, mind, and spirit – the realization that everything we do, think, feel, and believe has an effect on our state of well-being.”

– Greg Anderson

A healthy sense of wellbeing is one of the most important but equally frequently ignored staples for a well-balanced, fulfilling life. The health & wellness tips that you would find here don’t just cover physical health, but mental and emotional health too, including thequality of our relationships.

Sections/Navigation

• Improving wellness at home.
• Wellness tips while at work.
• 7 wellness tips and facts.
• About becoming healthier.

How can I improve my wellness at home

We spend a big chunk of our life at home. And so, it’s logical to set it up to add to your wellbeing. Here are a few wellness tips that will help you maximize the benefits of your time spent at home on your health and overall wellbeing.

1. Indoor air

You might think, “No one smokes in my house and my home is well-ventilated. What’s there to worry about my indoor air quality.” Apparently, lots. Did you know even usual things like disinfectants, aerosol sprays, nail polish, cleaning products, and even building materials give out harmful irritants?

These harmful chemicals called VOCs (volatile organic compounds) can cause many health issues like dizziness, headache, bad quality sleep, breathing issues, and even serious illnesses.

The cheapest way to reduce these toxins and create a healthier environment to promote wellness is having home plants. There are easy-to-care plant varieties that can survive through quite a bit of neglect and keep purifying your home.

Bill Wolverton, The NASA scientist who performed a study showing how indoor plants can detoxify home air , suggests golden pathos as the easiest and best option. You can buy it at any nursery, keep it in your home, and water it may be a couple times a week.

2. Small pockets of free time

Being at home doesn’t always mean having loads of free time, especially not if you are a caregiver or parent. But, it’s possible to amp up your wellness even in the short pockets of free time you get between spinning to complete chores and crashing down on the couch exhausted.

Healthy habits like healthy snacking, not skipping meals, walking as much as possible, preferring to use the stairs whenever possible, or doing simple daily stretches make it easier to improve wellness whether at home or anywhere else.

There are simple 2-3 minute modulated breathing routines that can help you feel relaxed and even bring major health benefits like anxiety management, lung detox, and headache relief. Spread these sessions throughout the day to get major benefits.

Download the 9 quick breathing exercises cheat sheet + access to my entire resource library

3. Mind your mind

Taking care to relax our mind is a big part of any wellness routine. Take mini breaks every hour or so. Close your eyes and visualize somewhere calm and peaceful involving all your senses. What can you feel, smell, touch with your feet, hear? You’ll see how refreshing it feels over time.

Do a brain detox every night or weekend. Keep a brain dump diary to write down every thought going on in your head, whether important or not. It will help stop those rushing thoughts and a million things going on in your mind, bringing your focus back to priorities.

It’s important to do something for stress relief every day. Because when we keep ignoring every day stressors as a normal fixture of modern lifestyle, it can add up over time to get you feeling overwhelmed and burnt-out.

Some fun wellness tips for stress relief would be doing something that you don’t normally do. Like jumping in the puddle, making a snow angel, watching birds or stars, taking a bubble bath with rubber duckies…anything that brings a smile to your face!

4. Wellness tips for the body

Our lifestyle, the food we eat, products we use, even medicines that we take occasionally add or leave back unwanted chemical residues in our body. When we let these toxins build up, they start affecting our overall feeling of wellbeing.

Though I wouldn’t advise a full-on overhaul without professional medical advice, it’s okay to go in for gentle body detox techniques. Like, drinking about 8 glasses of water a day, having home-made detox drinks, or relaxing with a hot apple cider vinegar foot soak if not expressly advised otherwise by your doctor.

Lifestyle changes like choosing to be more active by using the stairs instead of an elevator can make you sweat, which also flushes toxins from your body naturally.

5. Little things count

Simple things like being mindful of your posture while sitting, standing, working or any other time, can help you get a healthier lifestyle. Bad posture causes a lot of health problems including neck pain, migraine, digestive issues, to every discomfort related with a bad back.

Check whether you are slouching throughout the day. Take short breaks and do simple stretches if you spend most of your work-from-home time at the desk. There’s a very simple exercise to open-up rounded shoulders and improve posture.

Stand in the doorway, grab the doorway on either side with both your hands. Your arms should make an L-shape with elbows at the same height as your shoulders. Lean with one leg forward until you feel a slight stretch. Hold for 5 seconds and repeat with the other leg. Do 5 reps each.

I can personally vouch for posture playing a major role in maintaining healthier lifestyle because I’ve wasted a lot of days dealing with frequent migraines triggered by rounded shoulders in the past.

Wellness tips for the workplace

Wellness advice for work isn’t much different than at home, because the focus is on maintaining a healthier lifestyle by being mindful of what you eat, posture, taking mini breaks to refresh the mind, and choosing more active options.

1. Take mini breaks, even if it means closing your eyes for 2 minutes, focusing on your breathing, and relaxing every hour or so.
2. Take care of your hydration and carry a bottle of infused water to sip throughout the day for easy detox.
3. Mind your posture and do simple sitting stretches whenever possible.
4. Use lunch breaks to connect with nature even if it means adding a small plant to your desk. Green, especially nature, uplifts mood.
5. Maintain a journal to log in your thoughts, ideas, and important tasks to keep your brain free to think creatively.
6. And, one of the most advised wellness tips – make stress relief at the end of the day a standard part of your daily routine.

Wellness tips and facts to enjoy your life better

“It’s up to you today to start making healthy choices. Not choices that are just healthy for your body, but healthy for your mind.”

– Steve Maraboli

1. Your attitude towards problems

Tip:

Our thoughts affect how we feel. Ever felt physically sick with worry? When your thoughts stay stuck in what is or can go wrong, it sends you down an emotional spiral.

A better option would be to take it as noted, keeping your focus on what you have, and finding solutions. The good thing about problems is that they always have a solution whether we can see it right now or not.

Let’s say, you’ve an important appointment but something unexpected pops up which means you might be late for it. What do you do?

Do you go, “this is not good…this is not good…why does this always happen with me?”

Or, do you say “Okay, it’s not good but it happened. Let’s see what are my options.”

The first option makes you anxious, may be even angry. You feel physically unwell and go, “I can’t think…this is too much”. Not very constructive use of energy, is it? Plus, you get the added disadvantage of unnecessary emotional pain.

But the second option gears you up to think creatively by turning the problem into a challenge. You are ready to find solutions, choose the most effective one, and give your best to make it work as best as it can.

You feel all charged up, alive. Having got the best of a tricky situation makes you feel, adding to your value of self-worth & confidence.

Fact:

A research by scientists at Stanford University found people’s beliefs and their health were connected to a surprising extent. Even how we feel about ageing has a connection with how our health pans out. These are just a few examples, but I feel are strong enough to show the connection between your outlook and how you physically and emotionally feel.

2. Take care of your body

Tip:

When you’re scampering to keep all the balls in the air and everything working smoothly, it’s no wonder you aren’t left with enough time or energy to take care of yourself. And the most common results are a slouched posture, waking up tired, hurried meals, unhealthy snacking, spotty exercise routine…feel free to add to the list 😉

Take care of the very thing that’s helping you to make everything else possible!

Give your body the attention it deserves.  It’s difficult to focus on your mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing dealing with physical pain and discomfort. Little things will take you a long way even if you don’t have time for lengthy routines.

If you’ve only a few hours to sleep, make it count. Do everything you can to get quality sleep. Drink warm water first thing in the morning because it gently wakes up your internal organs.

“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.”

– Francois La Rochefoucauld

Include enough probiotics and fiber in your diet. Eat vegetable, fruits, and don’t overcook meat. Make healthy food choices like having fresh or dry fruits for snacks. Tweak your routine to make it more physically active if you don’t have time to fit in a regular exercise routine. These are just a few wellness tips to make you feel good physically.

Fact:

Research showed a 44% increase in weight loss with drinking water 30 minutes before meals. A vegetable and fruits-rich diet will lower you risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and more. According to many studies, refined carbs can cause metabolic diseases.

3. Be mindful

Wellness tip:

Being mindful about anything means focusing all your attention on that task, making aware choices, and experiencing its every aspect rather than just going through the motions.

Be mindful of

• what, how much & what kind of information you expose yourself to.
• The kind of people & emotions you surround yourself with. Do they add value to your life and help you feel good or grow?
• Your own thoughts. Do you have a healthy value of self-worth? Do your beliefs push you to play small?

Making mindfulness a part of your personality can help you manage stress better, reduce anxiety, better manage your emotions, and even enjoy improved physical health.

Fact:

Studies have shown mindfulness can help manage stress better by lowering stress hormone cortisol levels. It can also nurture and improve the quality of our relationships by improving our ability to listen, communicate, and empathize.

4. Relationships

Tip:

Healthy & fulfilling relationships have care, respect, and compassionate boundaries. All this combines in different proportion to create the various kinds of love we feel for our loved ones, whether friends or family. The quality of our relationships has a direct impact on our feeling of wellbeing.

Be clear about ‘why’ you have that relationship and how much you are willing to stand, even if that extreme situation may not arise ever. Because when you keep dragging a heavily lopsided relationship, it loses its actual value and simply turns into a tough-to-break habit.

And like all bad habits, they don’t do any good to your feeling of wellbeing – whether mental, emotional, or physical.

Fact:

According to research the quality of our relationships and it’s connection to how long we live is similar to other risk factors that can cause death.

5. One of the most effective wellness tips – Be your best friend

Tip:

Whether you do it already or not, remember that putting yourself first isn’t selfish. Compassion, kindness, regard for others is good. But extend that to yourself too so that there’s a good balance.

Your duties and responsibilities are important, but so are your dreams and aspirations. Because when you sush down your needs, you gradually turn bitter towards the things you ‘have to’ do. You get the feeling of a life not lived, scattered away being responsible for others.

Even if it’s a simple thing like taking a leisurely walk in the park and enjoying the fresh air, start doing things that feel good. They show your subconscious mind that you too are important and so make decisions that take you too into consideration.

You feel alive, energetic, and happy when you do things that fulfill your unspoken needs. Work on the inner voice holding you back asking you to play small or chipping away at your confidence.

Fact:

Self-compassion can help you recover more quickly from heartbreaks by helping you be better able to cope with suffering, failures, or feelings of being inadequate. Research shows that it makes you more resilient.

6. Explore

Wellness tip:

Explore not just new places around you or as far as you can travel, but new areas of interest too. Learn something new, something different that would never have been your first choice.

When you learn something new, it triggers creative thinking in other areas of your life too. You would be able to find out hidden sides of your personality & talent. Plus, it keeps your brain functioning at a high level by exercising it and so slows down dementia more effectively.

Learning a new skill will boost your self-confidence, value of self-worth, and satisfaction. And so, it obviously is good for your psychological wellbeing.

Explore new places, cultures, lifestyles, and people. It’ll make you look at your problems in a very different light, either highlighting their insignificance in your life or showing a way to make it all work.

Fact:

Even the excitement of starting something new adds to your wellbeing. According to a 2010 study, the anticipation of a vacation boosts happiness considerably.

7. Gratitude

Tip:

Make a 5-point gratefulness list every day or every week, whichever feels comfortable to you. What do you appreciate in your life at this moment? Is it the presence of someone in your life that you usually take for granted? Is it something that’s normal for you, but which you’ve known others struggle for?

What this does is, it brings your focus back to the good in your life. It makes you appreciate the little things adding to your happiness that you might otherwise miss in the daily rush of life. You start looking, experiencing and not just seeing life swoosh past you in your hurry to reach life goals.

Gratitude helps your mental and emotional wellbeing by taking your focus away from the negatives in life, boosting your morale and letting you be open to satisfaction & happiness with whatever you achieve when you have given your best.

Fact:

Gratitude makes us focus on what we did get and do have in life. And research has shown that you can live a happier & longer life when you are more focused on positive feelings and emotions.

How can I become more healthy – wisdom behind wellness tips

Mind –

“The elimination diet: Remove anger, regret, resentment, guilt, blame, and worry. Then watch your health, and life, improve.”

– Charles F. Glassman

Body –

“What most people don’t realize is that food is not just calories: It’s information. It actually contains messages that communicate to every cell in the body.”

– Dr. Mark Hayman

Soul –

“Wellness is the complete integration of body, mind, and spirit – the realization that everything we do, think, feel, and believe has an effect on our state of wellbeing.”

– Greg Anderson

Improving our sense of wellbeing is all about holistic healing of our

• body inside and out
• attitude, thoughts, beliefs, and mindset
• emotions and relationships.

Awareness and intention are the first steps towards any change, including a healthier lifestyle. Now, that you are aware of the facts and wellness tips related to different areas of wellbeing, all that’s needed is your conviction in their importance in your life.

Which wellness tip here did you find most helpful? Talk with you over in the comments below 😊

The post 7 simple wellness tips to enjoy your life better appeared first on Nandyz Soulshine.

“Sleep is an investment in the energy you need to be effective tomorrow.”

– Tom Roth

Tired to the core but not able to fall asleep? We have all been there asking how to sleep better at night to stop waking up groggy and unrested….feeling “Oh, I so need a break.”

Sleep plays such a big role…in how well we are able to focus or manage our mood and so basically, our attitude towards anything in life…that it becomes a non-neglectable part of how we take care of ourselves mind, body, and soul.

It’s not simply a question of getting 7-8 hours of shuteye every night, but of how to get quality sleep to wake up refreshed, revved up to take life head on, and equipped to begin the day with better clarity than we ended the day before.

SECTIONS/LIST OF CONTENTS

• Why restful sleep is a big part of self-care
• Sleep time changes to sleep better at night
• Getting ready for bed tips to keep in mind
• Lifestyle changes for better sleep management
• How to develop the habit of sleep hygiene

Restful sleep is a big part of self-care because aside from the obvious benefits of relaxing our body, it offers that downtime which is essential for our subconscious mind to process all the information we collected during the day.

That’s why it’s well-known advice to sleep on problems. It gives our brain leisure to make connections, find a pattern, and give us the best possible solution…diffusing situations that could ultimately become stressful.

How to sleep better at night naturally

According to a research study, lack of sleep affects the performance of tasks controlled by frontal lobe of our brain, tasks like planning, concentration, and other high-level intellectual skills. Regular low-quality sleep can start compromising our body’s immune function.

So, let’s see how to sleep well with small corrections of our lifestyle and daily routines, basically improve overall sleep hygiene.

A. Sleep time

1. Can’t fall asleep

Turn the clock away if you find yourself getting more wakeful watching time advance without you being able to fall asleep. If you are too stressed to sleep and haven’t been able to doze off 20-30 minutes after going to bed, instead of lying worrying, get up and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy enough. It’s the worry that’s going to keep you awake. Read a relaxing book, listen to soothing music, write in your journal to transfer the thoughts from your mind on to paper, take up your coloring book, or whatever unwinds you mentally.

2. Disturbed sleep

Try switching sleep position if you keep waking up at night without knowing why. Some people have sleep apnea or sleep breathing disorder that’s not severe enough to cause visible problems, but does interfere with sleep. Switching sleeping position can help reduce stress on the airway passages and help breathe better.

3. Ambiance

A quiet and dark room, plus a comfortable temperature helps sleep better at night. The décor should be relaxing with soothing colors. Make sure there’s good ventilation for fresh air to circulate keeping the oxygen level healthy.

Snake plants, gerbera daisy, and aloe vera produce oxygen well into the night helping maintain quality sleep. Gardenia and jasmine flowers give out a sweet fragrance encouraging stress release, relaxation, and restful sleep.

4. Timing

Keep your sleep pattern consistent, go to bed and wake up at the same time every day to keep your internal clock sane. Research studies have shown they confuse our internal clock and interferes with the production of natural sleep hormones in our brain.

5. Natural aids

A few drops of essential oils in a diffuser or sprinkled on your pillow can help create a calm, relaxed. Frankincense helps with bedtime anxiety and also stress, pain, and mood. Roman chamomile creates a peaceful, relaxed ambiance.

Cedarwood essential oil is believed to promote sleep hormone production in our brain. You can also try out valerian, ylang-ylang, and marjoram. A word of caution, check for any contraindication or allergies before using these natural products.

6. Distractions

Remove all distractions that might keep you awake or wake you up at night. Keep your pets in their bed, not yours. Turn off notifications on your phone and turn the ringer volume down if you don’t want to put it on silent mode for possible emergencies.

B. Getting ready for bed

1. Unwind

Make a habit of enjoying a warm relaxing bath or at least a warm foot soak before bed. Keep the hour before bedtime as relaxing and quiet as possible. Get into a regular routine of winding down so that your body knows you are getting ready for sleep.

2. Exercise

Avoid any vigorous exercise at least 3 hours before going to bed. Do gentle modulated breathing exercises before going to bed to relax those strained nerves and muscles.

3. Screen time

Make the hour before bedtime a screen-free time because the blue light from these makes our body think it’s still daytime.

4. Stimulants

Research has shown that caffeine (tea, coffee, chocolate, soda), alcohol, and other stimulants don’t mix well with sleep…so keep them at least 3 to 4 hours away from your bedtime. Warm herbal tea with honey instead of an after-dinner cup of coffee will help you relax more effectively.

5. Liquids

To avoid trips to the bathroom at night, limit the amount of liquid you drink at least an hour before bedtime. It will give you time to advance into deeper restful sleep. However, a glass of warm milk before this time could help relax and also encourage the production of melatonin.

6. Food for good sleep

Be mindful of what you eat before bedtime. A light snack with warm milk is a good choice because nuts, milk, and dairy products contain tryptophan that boosts the production of the sleep-inducing hormone, melatonin. Try and avoid late-night meals.

7. Comfort

Make sure the mattress, pillows, comforter, and everything else is comfortable. Wear loose-fitting, comfortable, breathable clothes.

8. How to sleep better with better stress management

Stress triggers the fight-or-flight hormones that obviously go against sleep. As far as possible, avoid confrontation or emotional discussions just before bedtime. If unavoidable, then it’s better to stay awake and resolve it.

Keep a brain dump diary to transfer all the thoughts rushing about in your head. We are better able to sort our thoughts and ideas when we see them in writing. This will help your mind wind down effectively and stop racing thoughts at night.

C. Lifestyle

1. Sun

Spend some time (at least 30 minutes) every day in sunlight to keep your inner clock or circadian rhythm healthy. But, remember to wear sunscreen before going out. Get a blue-enriched white light for cloudy days because research shows it improves alertness, focus, mood, and nighttime sleep.

2. Sanctuary

Keep your bedroom a sanctuary for sleep and relaxation. No TV or computer in the bedroom. Don’t drag work or other activities into that space.

If you have to work in your bedroom, install a comfortable chair with a footstool or other comfortable sitting arrangement to do your work rather than sitting propped up in bed. But, remember that in order to be productive, we also have to make relaxation a priority…give your brain time to process everything collected throughout the day.

3. Exercise

According to Dr. Karen Carlson of Harvard Medical School, “exercise boosts the effect of natural sleep hormones such as melatonin.” Move your body, get some exercise (at least 20 minutes) during the day to get better quality sleep at night.

4. Naptime

Avoid napping during the day because it confuses our internal clock says a study done at the University of California. But if you must, limit to less than 30 minutes. It will help maintain sleep continuity at night.

5. Diet

Avoid heavy dinner or having food during the day that could cause indigestion and heartburn. Plan to have the last big meal of your day a couple of hours before bedtime. Food for good sleep – whole grain products, brown rice, lean meats, lettuce, kale, sage, and basil help reduce stress and promote sleep. So, try and plan your dinner menu around at least one of these.

And what drink helps you sleep better at night? Cherry juice that boosts melatonin production, warm herbal tea with honey that helps us relax, and warm milk which does both.

6. How to sleep better by monitoring your lifestyle

Keep a sleep diary that notes what you feel helped you sleep better or what you thought kept you up at night or woke you up several times. They will show you the pattern that works for you and what to avoid to sleep better at night.

7. Stress Management

We have started seeing daily stress as a normal part of life. We don’t even notice it any longer until we go on a vacation or for a massage and feel the difference – tightness of shoulder and neck melting away, being able to notice little things like chirping birds outside the window, and all the pain in the lower back gone.

Even though we don’t notice it, it keeps piling until we end up feeling burned out and overwhelmed into inaction. Make managing daily stress a priority because it not only affects sleep, but also our physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing.

Start small and manage your sleep routine as best as you can accommodate around your commitments. Try out a couple of tips in the beginning that stretches but don’t snap your comfort zone. Then, keep gradually building on that…that’s how lasting healthy habits are created. Make yourself a priority and start taking care of your mind, body, and soul – your health and happiness are your own responsibility.

Which of these tips for better sleep would you like to try out first? Let’s take this conversation to the comments below…meet you there 🙂

The post How to Sleep Better at Night for Good Mood and Energy appeared first on Nandyz Soulshine.

“If you don’t take care of this the most magnificent machine that you will ever be given… where are you going to live?”

― Karyn Calabrese

Did you know that coriander benefits not only our physical but mental and emotional health too when given a place in our life? Taking care of our body & health becomes very important when we decide to improve the way we tackle life.

Putting in time & effort for your health isn’t selfish or wasted time, but is actually as important as regular maintenance work for the smooth, trouble-free working of your car.

Coriander is one of the easily available pantry regulars that can help you stay healthy inside and out pretty effortlessly & efficiently.

LIST OF CONTENTS/SECTIONS

• Detox and stress relief with coriander
• Health benefits of coriander
• Coriander for natural home remedies

5 Ways to Get Detox & De-stressing Coriander Benefits

1.       De-stress/mental detox:

Mental detox or doing something for stress relief helps us to maintain a detoxified body. It minimizes the chemical imbalance in our body caused due to stress and worry.

Coriander has great anxiolytic powers. In many cultures, it’s widely used to soothe symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. Cilantro replenishes the body with vitamin B. This helps calm us down, feel relaxed and de-stressed. Added benefit – you get quality sleep.

Here’s a simple de-stressing and calming drink. Mix one tablespoon of coriander juice in a glass of cucumber and celery juice. Season lightly with salt and pepper if needed. You can take it any time of the day to help relax & calm down, but it works best taken towards the end of the day.

Related:

Declutter your life: How to effectively spring clean your mind

2.            One of my favorite coriander benefits – removing heavy metal toxicity:

Our lifestyle today has become such that we all end up with some amount of heavy metal deposits in our body whether a little or a significant amount. Getting vaccinated, using deodorants or regular water supply, getting dental metal fittings, using aluminum foil, taking antacids and such other common things opens up ways for heavy metal toxicity.

The metal residues bond with tissues of the brain, central nervous system, and different internal organs. How they basically harm us is by speeding up the appearance of health issues like dementia, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, kidney issues and more. It generally impacts the smooth functioning of major organs of our body.

Cilantro has chelation agents that bind with these heavy metals and loosen their grip on our brain and other body tissues. Our blood and lymphatic system then carry these freed-up particles flushing them out of the body.

To get the heavy-metal-toxicity-removal benefit of coriander, include it in your daily diet as garnishing or dips.

If you want to drink it as a detox drink, here’s a simple recipe. Take a handful of fresh clean coriander leaves and roughly chop them up. Boil for 10 minutes in a glass of drinking water. Let it cool. Strain. You can add a dash of lemon juice and a pinch of salt to make it tastier. Sip on it throughout the day.

Related:              

7 Super Simple Body Cleanse Detox Drinks Recipes

3.            Liver detox:

Why is liver detox important? Because liver detoxifies our blood of alcohol & medicine residues, helps our digestive system deal with fat better for, and does so much more. Our body’s metabolism & immune system also requires the involvement of our liver.

Coriander benefits the liver with a powerful antioxidant called linalool. It not only helps detoxify the liver but also promotes bile production for better digestion and absorption of food. Which means better weight management.

Interestingly, the leaves of coriander are more potent than the seeds in this case. To gently introduce it into your diet, use it to garnish dishes and salads.

Related:

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4.            Anti-aging by minimizing oxidative stress:

Anti-aging coriander benefits come in the form of aging gracefully & elegantly. Free radicals and oxidative stress speed up the appearance of wrinkles, sagging skin, pigmentation, vision disorders, and macular degeneration.

Coriander has loads of goodness like vitamin A and C, phosphorus, beta-carotene, and powerful antioxidants. These not only promote healthy eyesight, skin, and mucus membranes but also slows down the onset of many diseases mostly associated with old age.

To delay & minimize the appearance of wrinkles & sagging skin, blend a handful of cilantro (leaves and stems) with 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon aloe vera gel, 1 egg white and 2 tablespoons oatmeal. Apply this skin-firming paste to your face. Leave it on for 20 minutes before washing off with lukewarm water. Repeat 2 to 3 times a week.

5.            Coriander benefits overall wellbeing through antioxidants:

The list of coriander benefits for our health & wellbeing is quite long. The antioxidants present in cilantro reduce oxidative stress caused by free radicals. This in its turn minimizes chronic degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, macular degeneration, heart diseases and even lowers the risk for cancer and diabetes.

Cilantro contains vitamin C, which is a natural antioxidant. Acting along with the iron present in this herb, it’ll help boost your body’s immune system too.

One of the lesser known benefits of coriander is controlling body odor. Body odor is generally caused by the collection of excess bacteria in the feet and under our arms. The antioxidants present in coriander flushes out these bacteria promoting agents and toxins from the body through the liver and kidneys. Et voila, body odor is controlled.

Related:

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What are the health benefits of coriander

The cilantro benefits related to health were known even as far back as the time of Hippocrates who advocated its use for medicinal purposes. Whether using it as facepack, infused oil, detox drink, as a spice or as garnish, coriander helps us stay healthy and enjoy a better sense of wellbeing.

• Cilantro is loaded with micronutrients and dietary fiber.
• It’s a handy source of magnesium, potassium, sodium, calcium and vitamins such as beta-carotene.
• In fact, some studies have shown that fresh coriander juice has about the same amount of antioxidant beta-carotene as in double the amount of broccoli juice.
• Increases good cholesterol in our body and is effective in reducing the bad one.
• As a detoxification agent, cilantro can be used to benefit a certain organ or offer overall detoxification.
• Coriander seeds offer hypoglycemic benefits and is thus known as an anti-diabetic food additive in some parts of Europe.
• In India, coriander is known for its anti-inflammatory qualities and is used abundantly for stomach problems.
• It helps a lot with the symptoms of nausea.

Related:

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Coriander benefits for skin & other things

It works wonders for skin problems like fungal infections and eczema with its antifungal, antiseptic and antioxidant elements.

1. Acne, pimples, and blackheads:

For pimples and acne, make a paste of coriander leaves and add a pinch of turmeric powder. Apply on the affected area for about half an hour and wash off with lukewarm water. Do it once a day and repeat if necessary.

For blackheads, add a dollop of milk to this paste, apply and rub it off when dry.

2. Stye:

Take a bowl of drinking water and add a tablespoon of coriander seeds. Boil, strain and cool. Damp a piece of cotton wool in this concoction and place it on the affected eye for 10-15 minutes. Repeat as needed.

Related:

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3. Using coriander benefits new hair growth:

Apply coriander juice to the scalp one hour before washing your hair. Do it at least twice a week.

Or, you can make coriander infused oil by adding crushed coriander seed powder in about 1:3 ratio to hair oil of your choice, preferably almond, coconut or olive oil. Keep it aside for 15-20 days. Massage it into the scalp twice a week, preferably leave it on overnight before shampooing it off the next day.

Related:

How to Banish Brittle, Dull, Damaged Hair Naturally – Easy Hair Care

Though not very likely, coriander too can produce an allergic reaction in some people like any other food item. Just keep a note if there’s any discomfort or changes in your body when starting an aggressive coriander regimen.

So you see, coriander benefits us in many ways including helping de-stress and detox quite easily. Like any other herb, you may or may not like its taste or smell, but those are very small things when you consider how much they can help with our overall wellbeing.

Sebastian Pole put it very nicely when he said, “because we cannot scrub our inner body we need to learn a few skills to help cleanse our tissues, organs, and mind.”

A clean, calm, and rejuvenated body and mind add greatly to our quality of life. When you work towards that goal, the benefits become priceless.

Which other coriander benefits do you know about? Let’s take this conversation to the comments below

The post Coriander Benefits – 5 Ways to De-stress and Detox Absolutely Effectively appeared first on Nandyz Soulshine.

“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.” – Anne Bradstreet

Winters can be really fun and at the same time make life sometimes feel really bleak. Reduced outdoor time & even lesser sunlight can make you feel down in the dumps. But with a bit of creative thinking, it’s actually rather quite simple to beat the winter blues.

Awareness is the first step towards any solution. What are the things that can make you feel sluggish & moody in the winters?

• Does it feel dull after all the energy & excitement of the festive season?
• Is it the darker days, freezing weather, and life-on-hold vibe all around?
• Or, is it something else?

But the more important question is what can you do about it?

So, here are 19 practical ideas that will help you beat the winter blues. Choose the ones that work for you & use the rest to inspire more ideas better suited to your style and needs.

Sections/Navigation

• What causes winter blues
• 19 ideas to beat the winter blues
• Motivational quotes to deal with the blues better
• Helpful tips for seniors

What ‘beat the winter blues’ means:

Shorter days, less sunlight, fewer outdoor hours, & lull after the amped up festive vibe makes many of us feel down in the dumps. It becomes a struggle to function at our normal level, fatigue sets in, motivation runs low, and it becomes tough to maintain a positive mindset. That’s what is generally called the winter blues.

Though it generally clears up on its own in 3-4 months, the better option is to make little tweaks to our lifestyle & beat the winter blues.

It means, taking up the responsibility for our own happiness, getting to the root of what’s pulling your mood down, and doing something about it. Beat the winter blues means looking for solutions, committing to take action, and staying aware to appreciate every little win along the way.

Persistent action turns into a habit. And if you stick to your intention of seeing this through, maintaining the right perspective to appreciate life and being alive to the beauty around you will become an effortless attitude.

19 how to beat the winter blues ideas:

1.         Add a goal to the day

Manage your mood by managing your time right. Instead of starting the day with checking your e-mails & social media feed, begin it by setting intentions for your day.

Starting the day right will generally set the tone for the rest of your day. Don’t let it be governed by what you receive in the mail…unpredictable at best!

A purposeful day with at least one intentional goal will help you get into a more positive mood by

• shifting your focus away from your mood to something productive outside, and
• reaching that mini-goal will bring you a sense of accomplishment brighten your mood. It’s something that our brain sees as a reward and so will motivate you to aim for more such meaningful days.

2.         Limit the layers

Warm & cozy is good. But if your clothes are making you feel bogged down physically, they most probably are pulling your mood down too. Limit the layers of clothing with either body warmers & fleece clothing or warm up from within.

Try out those dry nutty recipes. Use more ginger and garlic. Ginger & garlic have great healing powers. Replace sugar with honey to warm up & shift to a healthier diet. It will boost your health and immunity. Hot cocoa and dark chocolate after dinner for a good night’s sleep.

3.         Slow down to beat the winter blues

Take a cue from nature and slow down. Enjoy every hot meal, time spent around the crackling warm fireplace, hot cup of goodness held between your hands, and be mindful of what you feel, see, smell, taste, & hear. Notice how beautifully different the world looks around you in winter.

It will take your thoughts away from how everything seems so dull and focus it more on the good things you have in your life.

Slow down & pamper yourself. Lounge a bit longer in that hot bath. Enjoy a movie marathon or binge-watch your favorite show on Netflix with a big bowl of popcorn.

Go for a head-to-toe massage or enjoy a day with friends at the spa. Relax, stretch out, and become mindful of how much potential for life even the cold winter months have.

4.         Get cozy inside & out

Wrap up those cold feet in knit blankets while lounging on the sofa. Sip on a cup of hot chocolate or a glass of hot mulled wine. Wrap a cozy shawl around your shoulders to feel warm & comforted.

Spend some time around your fireplace. The comforting sounds, warmth, & smoky aroma of crackling fire reduces blood pressure & relax our brain. This effect is scientifically backed by a study by Lynn CD from the Department of Anthropology, University of Alabama.

5.         Plan a vacation

Plan a vacation, every detail, even if you can’t have that luxury before summers. Research has shown that even the anticipation of a vacation can make us feel happier.

Else, strike something off of your bucket list. Wanted to start a new hobby or project? Plan how you would go about it. And if possible, get a head start on it.

Plan something or do something for yourself that you have been meaning to do ‘someday when I’ve more time’.

6.         Detox

We end up with unwanted chemical buildup in our body because of our lifestyle, the food we eat, the medicines we take, and even the cleaning products we use around the house.

This toxic buildup affects our mood too.

Go for a gentle body detox during the winters to feel rejuvenated & calm. Relax with an apple cider vinegar foot bath or replace a few cups of coffee with different blends of green tea to detoxify & stay warm.

Wash away unwanted toxins & stay hydrated with a variety of detox waters that you can put together in a couple of minutes.

Go for a digital detox to control how much & what kind of emotions you expose yourself to while online. Mute or unfollow those that make you feel lagging behind somehow no matter what you do, jealous, or too emotionally charged up.

Assign time for screen time & stick to it. Because long screen times adversely affect our mood & energy level. If you ever felt tired after browsing too long on your phone, you’ll know this is true.

7.         Get your party on

Plan a pajama party and watch back-to-back movies cuddled up in your cozy comforter. Take your pick from rom-com, sci-fi, horror, or whatever does the trick for you.

If you feel up for it, invite a couple of your best buddies over for a beat-the-winter-blues party & go crazy. Peppy music, delicious food, & crazy fun games have a way of lifting the mood like no other.

8.         Comfort food to beat the winter blues

Make mealtimes work for your mood. Instead of ordering your standard takeaway, opt for filling comfort food. Hot nourishing meals are good for your health & mood too. Swipe your usual drink with red wine.

Get a few simple recipes of your favorite comfort food & try them out. They are mostly easier to make than they sound. Spending some unhurried time in the kitchen can help you relax too.

Plus, the feeling of accomplishment when you are at the table later with your dish is rewarding & really good for your mood. If you aren’t a very good cook, just go gentle on yourself & appreciate the effort.

9.         The aroma of happiness

Smell is very closely connected with our memories.

Ever had that experience when some random smell took you back to a memory you didn’t even realize you remembered and all of a sudden it feels so real as if it happened just yesterday? That’s how powerful the connection of smell is to memories & feelings.

Mix up a blend of mood-enhancing room sprays with essential oils or buy the ready-made ones. You can always search online & find the ones that suit your budget. If it’s safe to keep lighted candles in your home, you can get some scented ones too for a double mood-boosting effect.

10.       Add some music to your life

Give a hint to your brain how bleak things feel, and it will follow your command showing you the negative side of everything that happens with you.

Turn on your favorite happy song or just some peppy music to focus on the good that never leaves bad alone.

A study by Yuna Ferguson published in The Journal of Positive Psychology shows that peppy, positive music can boost up our mood significantly.

11.       Catch up

Catch up with people who bring out the best in you, motivate you, and are there with a compassionate ear. Surround yourself with people who value & appreciate you.

Take care not to stretch your emotional vulnerability spending time with toxic people who can send your mood down a negative spiral. Step away from those who get under your skin or irritate you. It’s better to keep your life uncomplicated.

It might sound selfish especially if they ‘need’ your company, but you would be able to help them far better when more emotionally stable.

12.       Volunteer

Volunteer at the local soup kitchen, church, old age home, pet shelter, or whatever brings a sense of purpose for you. It will keep you engaged & shift your focus from feeling down in the dumps to something active & pleasurable.

Not only will you be helping others feel better but would also be doing a lot of good to your emotional wellbeing.

13.       Go out to beat the winter blues

Just being around people outside can shift your focus away from your thoughts & clear your mind.

Go for a relaxed stroll in the neighborhood park or nearby trail. The fresh air and serenity will calm your mind, energize your body, & soothe your soul.

Layer up and go ice skating or for a snow fight. Make a snowman or snow angels. It’s not silly if it makes you feel better. Go to winter festivals or visit nearby museums.

Why not check out some of the city walk tours? You can explore food, art, heritage, or any other thing to strike off your bucket list.

14.       Stretch & breathe

Exercise can make you feel good emotionally.

According to Dr. Michael Craig Miller, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, “In people who are depressed, neuroscientists have noticed that the hippocampus in the brain—the region that helps regulate mood—is smaller. Exercise supports nerve cell growth in the hippocampus, improving nerve cell connections, which helps relieve depression.”

If you aren’t in the habit of exercising daily, it can seem like a chore. Start with a few lazy day exercises and gradually build up on that. The winter blues can make it tough to get out of your pajamas & into your gym gear. So instead, do some basic stretching & modulated breathing exercises at home.

Click here

to download the handy ‘simple breathing exercises’ cheat sheet + access to my resource library

Doing chores around the house, organizing, de-cluttering and redecorating can keep you active in the winter without actually having to exercise.

15.       Light matters

One of the big reasons behind winter mood is the lack of light. Sunlight is scarce & daylight hours are shorter. As we spend more time indoors because of the cold outside, bring in as much natural light into your living space as possible.

Let maximum light possible flow in through the windows by using sheer floaty fabrics for window curtains and removing everything from window sills or in front of it. Add heavy blinds that you can pull down at night to retain heat.

Amplify the light streaming in by placing a mirror or something with a shiny reflective surface opposite your window. Try to choose your fixtures & decor items with glossy surfaces to maximize the light reflected.

Light up the fireplace, add fairy lights or candles if safe to add a warm yellow glow when the sun goes down.

16.       Make your home work

Home should be a place where you feel relaxed, safe, & comforted. Since we spend more time here in the winters, so it makes sense to mindfully create a home environment that brings in joy & comfort.

To create a warm & inviting atmosphere add bright colored elements like a fiery orange showpiece, warm yellow cushions, brightly colored throws & rugs. If possible, add wooden features to add more warmth to an otherwise minimalistic setting.

Light up candles in tealight houses (safer option) or put up fairy lights in corners. How about bulbs on a string in your yard or front porch that you can see through the windows?

Add some floor cushions & a knit throw on the couch. Get creative & add touches to your home that brings in the essence of hygge, an environment that feels like a warm hug.

“Love life, engage in it, give it all you’ve got. Love it with a passion, because life truly does give back, many times over, what you put into it.”

– Maya Angelou

17.       Let the outdoors flow in

Nature, especially greenery, has a way of lifting the mood, relaxing our nerves, and add a touch of positivity. Add flowers, berries, leaves, & branches to your decor to let the outdoors flow in. Wooden accents add a touch of a cozy feel.

Get some indoor plants or bring in those from your garden or porch that won’t survive the harsh winter outdoors.

Plants not only clean indoor air but the splashes of green & life will boost your mood too. If you are not much of a plant person, choose the ones that are hard to kill & will survive a lot of neglect like the snake plant.

18.       Indoor air quality

We usually tend to keep the doors and windows tightly shut to keep the draft out. But after a while, the air indoors becomes stale and starts affecting mood and our general feeling of wellbeing. You get an uncomfortable feeling without being able to put a finger on what it really is.

Keep an option of ventilation at least in your bedroom and the room where you spend most of your time.

If not possible, then open up the windows a bit and let fresh air flow in even if only for 5 minutes at a  time.

It will make you feel a lot better immediately. You can also put in an air purifier or indoor plants that clean air but nothing works like fresh air.

19.       Hydrate to beat the winter blues

Even if not feeling thirsty, it’s important to stay properly hydrated to keep functioning normally. Lack of proper hydration can make us irritable, snappy, get a headache, & generally feel miserable.

Winters might make you feel less thirsty, but since the human body is 60% water, drinking enough water is really important to keep looking & feeling good.

Quotes to beat the winter blues

Here are some nuggets of wisdom & motivation to give you a more positive view of life when winter starts to pull the mood down.

1.         “Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.” –Edith Sitwell

2.         “We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.” – JK Rowling

“The great thing in this world is not so much where you stand, as in what direction you are moving.”

– Oliver Wendell Holmes

4.         “Love life, engage in it, give it all you’ve got. Love it with a passion, because life truly does give back, many times over, what you put into it.” – Maya Angelou

5.         “What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”  – John Steinbeck

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How to beat the winter blues for seniors

A bit different approach may be needed to beat the winter blues for seniors because of other added health concerns for some of them.

Getting out of the house & being around people helps, as does exercise even if it is simple stretching & breathing routines. Mood-boosting room sprays, a crackling fireplace, hot drinks, knit blankets, and favorite cheerful music can help a lot.

If waking up properly in the dark cold mornings is a problem, you can try getting a dawn simulator for around $50 that gradually brightens the lights in a room. It will make waking up & getting out of bed easier in the morning.

Pick up a new hobby or restart an old one to shift the focus away from those depressing thoughts. If possible, volunteer where you can. It will benefit someone and make you feel good too.

Slow down. Bring back the focus on a healthier lifestyle, calmer mind, supportive family, friends worth keeping, good things in your life, and the beauty around you.

It’s really simple to beat the winter blues when you pause, analyze, & try to get to the root of things pulling your mojo down.

We may not always be in control of the situations we find ourselves in life, but we always have the power to choose how to respond to it.

Important:

These ideas are not meant as a treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder. Please seek specialized advice from your medical practitioner in case you have serious issues.

Which of these did you find most helpful? Let’s talk about it in the comments below…meet you over there 😊

The post How to Beat the Winter Blues to Be Happily Productive & Motivated appeared first on Nandyz Soulshine.