For some people, today’s the occasion to think introspectively about their lives, or to look back on what they have already accomplished. Taking Valentine’s Day as a reason, dear reader, we invite you to celebrate your self-esteem: pamper yourself and thus maintain one of the most important relationships in your life, that one you have with yourself.
Making good decisions, allowing yourself to make mistakes, not judging yourself … sometimes easier said than done, especially when the 24 hours that make up a day seem to pass so quickly and you always have something more you would like to achieve. Maybe the solution isn’t to make big changes, but rather slowly adopt healthy habits that fit easily into our routine.
Here are 5 things to love yourself:
Breathing well:
You’ve probably heard it before: “Breathing well is an art,” that’s synonymous of well-being. It’s because of that, that those who practice yoga, for example, work so hard to breathe properly. There’s a misconception that being an automatic function, breathing is done correctly without thinking about it, but, in reality, we often breathe upside down! In contrast to the shallow breathing that many people are used to, we should use our diaphragm, so we could see our belly swell, and exhale longer than inhale, this way we’ll stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, i.e., activate a relaxation response. Here are some indications on how to learn to breathe given by Anxieties.com team.
Move:
Whether it’s a Zumba class, martial arts, walking, or stretching, the important thing is to move! Regular physical activity – at least three times a week – gives you more energy, helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, promotes good sleep, helps control stress and maintain a healthy weight. If you don’t have time, one solution would be to try interval training as suggested by the Montreal Heart Institute.
Eat better:
“You are what you eat. ” That’s why it’s important to eat as well as you can. Increasing your fruits and vegetables consumption and eating whole grains and whole proteins are good choices for a balanced diet. Another effective tip is to include superfoods, known for their high benefits, in our menu. Flaxseed, chia seeds, ginger and cricket powder are some foods that we’d benefit from eating them regularly to improve our health and slow our aging process. Not so obvious? Just mix these seeds into your smoothies or salads, or prepare your sandwiches with CrickBread, a delicious way to add cricket powder to your meals.
Living the moment:
When we frequently revisit our past or worry about our future, we risk becoming anxious and, over time, fall into depression. To manage stress and emotions and improve concentration, intuitive practices like meditation and mindfulness are effective and easy to integrate into a routine where we’re in a hurry. You will easily find online videos which guide you through the process like this from Jon Kabat-Zinn, posted by Sounds True.
Sleep well:
A good night’s repairing sleep helps us stay healthy and maintain a satisfactory level of energy throughout our activities. We don’t all need the same amount of sleep to feel well, however, it’s estimated that an adult need about 8 hours of sleep per night to be at his or her best. In order to improve the quality of sleep, which is essential for optimal physical and mental health, it’s recommended to go to bed at the same time each day, keep the room dark and avoid the use of screens at least one hour before going to bed and the excess of caffeine.
All you left to do is to decide which one of the above-mentioned little gestures you’ll make to start spoiling and being gentle with yourself. By the way, you could inspire other people around you. Happy Valentine’s Day!