Bring balance to your life

Practices that promote mind-body wellness place a high priority on the balance, health, and well-being of our bodily, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. In this article we explore how to incorporate mind-body wellness practices and activities in your life

Even though the mind-body connection is undervalued, research shows that a healthy mind and healthy emotions help maintain a healthy body. The two go hand in hand. Many of us have experienced stress and anxiety leading to tense muscles or headaches and we know that chronic pain and discomfort can lead to anxiety and depression.

Working on mind-body wellness and developing a positive approach to life can benefit your health. It can help lower stress levels and the symptoms of anxiety and depression, help reduce pain, ensure better sleep and, on the whole, lead to a happier, healthier life.

Here are some suggestions on how best to look after your mind and body and improve your overall well-being:

Meditate

With the hustle and bustle of modern living, meditation and its focus on keeping both your mind and body still can seem challenging, but the benefits of meditation are clear. It helps control stress, decreases negative thoughts and negative energy, and helps you become a more creative and self-aware person. Meditation helps restore mind-body balance.

Exercise

We know that exercise is good for our bodies but it’s also great for our minds. Regular physical activity can improve our brain health and cognitive function, help us sleep better, and reduce the risk of anxiety and depression. Just 30 minutes a day doing something you enjoy, from walking, to dancing to yoga can make a difference to your emotional well-being while keeping you in shape.

Eat well

There is growing evidence that there is a link between our food and our mood. Much of it comes down to the bacteria that live in our gut and the impact that different food has on our brain. Our gut produces chemicals, like dopamine and serotonin, that carry messages to the brain. Highly processed food, especially foods high in sugar, cause inflammation that gets in the way of the production of healthy bacteria. Poor nutritional choices result in mood swings and an unhappy gut, while eating healthily creates good bacteria that send positive chemicals to your brain, resulting in a more balanced emotional state, a clearer mind, and an ability to focus.

Sleep

If you don’t get enough sleep, if your sleep is continuously interrupted or if you don’t get regular sleep, you may be in trouble both physically and mentally. A lack of sleep has a negative impact on the mind and the body and can result in physical exhaustion, brain fog and an inability to concentrate. If you suffer from anxiety or depression, a lack of sleep can worsen symptoms. The answer is to get a regular seven to nine hours of sleep every night. If you struggle to go to sleep cut out all stimulants (like tea and coffee) at least four hours before bedtime, remove electronic devices from your bedroom, ensure you bedroom is dark and cool, and do something calming like taking a warm bath or doing breathing exercises just before you turn in.

Release stress

We’ve spoken about meditation but there are a range of techniques that you can learn to help you cope with stressful situations. Learning deep breathing, letting go of negativity, joining a yoga class or taking up something that improves mindfulness and gives you some quiet time like art, pottery, playing music or gardening. Anything that allows you to calm down, recharge and give yourself the time out you deserve.