Healthy Habits for a Bright November!
Here at Silver Linings we take a holistic approach to wellness. It’s based on 4 pillars: mindful movement, rest & recovery, sleep and nutrition. After years of working with clients both on retreat and now through our digital studio, we have seen it all.
Clients come to us with a myriad of different wellness goals and concerns and often make huge transitions on retreat and with our regular live classes. What we have learned is that is the seemingly small changes that can be truly life changing.
It’s important to take time to review each part of your life and asses your wellbeing goals and rather than striving for a goal that is unrealistic, aim to take small, even tiny steps every day. This is the Japanese concept of Kaizen and we think you will love the process and the results if you can take this simple, highly personalised approach to your wellbeing.
Below we have outlined a few ideas for you to consider trying and maybe integrating into your weekly wellness programme. They are small, simple and hopefully easy to incorporate into your daily life so that soon they become a habit. So, let’s explore some healthy habits designed to give you a glow!
Let’s hydrate! Whether it is buying a new water bottle or downloading an app like Waterly, find a way to make yourself stay hydrated. We think of this as a thing to consider in the summer months, but we forget that central heating is very de-hydrating and we need to replenish.
Vitamin D – to combat the winter blues start taking a vitamin D supplement. Whilst this can be found in some foods (eggs and salmon), a supplement is a great way to ensure you are getting enough during the winter months. Or you could of course join us in the Bahamas for our retreat in February for a dose of sunshine
Bath time – make a date with yourself once a week and run a lovely hot bath. Try adding magnesium or salts to soothe tired muscles and try to switch off all the devices so that this really is a little slice of ‘me time’.
Journaling – buy a notebook, a nice notebook, one that you want to write in. Then when the mood takes you, write about your feelings, joys and woes, highs and lows. Journaling is such a cathartic practice, and it doesn’t have to take the form of a daily diary and you don’t need to make it perfect as this is an entirely personal pursuit. Occasionally you can pick it up and read it back and perhaps you will suddenly see how you have repeated yourself or where you have progressed without even noticing you have done so.
Bed is a sanctuary. Your bedroom and your bed should be a sanctuary and you should look forward to bedtime. If that’s not the case then why not do a little review: do you need new bed linen, do you need to de-clutter, is the room the right temperature, are you being disturbed by a partner, child or pet? If any of the above ring true, then see what you can do to reduce these issues and interruptions. That might be difficult in some cases, but getting those eight precious hours of rest and repose are key to your long-term wellbeing
Put your phone to bed: one of the key components of our retreats is digital detox. We are so tied to our devices and so overwhelmed by information all day long that it is a hard cord to cut. One small change you can make that will have a huge impact on your wellbeing is to put your phone on charge in a room away from your bedroom. If you can aim to do this at least 1 hour before bedtime and reduce the exposure to blue light, you will find your sleep much improved, and your stress levels reduced. If you can encourage your partner to do the same, then you are all moving closer to a restful night’s sleep!
Try to move every day: mindful movement doesn’t have to be a full 75-minute Yoga practice, it can mean many things and you can fit it into your day. It can be a short walk, a quick sun salutation, playtime with your children, pushing the buggy round the park, HIIT class on Silver Linings Live…. whatever it is, make it count, give it your all. If you give those 5 – 75 minutes of movement your complete focus, it will have huge benefits for your wellbeing.
BREATHE – oh so simple and completely game changing. Whether it is a few deep breaths or following a beautiful breath practice with a Silver Linings expert, breath is key to staying calm and focussed. A simple way to approach it is to breath in for 4 slow counts and out for 4 slow counts. Do this 5 – 10 times and notice how your whole mindset can shift. It truly is a superpower….one that we all have!
We hope these suggestions make for a brighter November and remember the expert Silver Linings team is always here to support you in every aspect of your wellbeing so don’t be afraid to get in touch!
Here at Silver Lining we want to help you shine every day so why not try Silver Linings Live, our digital studio where all you need is a mat and we guide you through everything from Pilates Matwork to Meditation
