In this busy modern world, the pace of life can often be a little overwhelming. Working routines tend to involve juggling a multitude of tasks at a frenetic pace while responding efficiently to an unending stream of emails and preparing for meetings. When the working day is over, family life begins, and you need to be at your best to organize your children’s school and social schedules while ensuring that everyone eats a healthy evening meal. The last few years have also added some extra challenges in the form of the Covid-19 pandemic, which resulted in restrictions on movement and national lockdowns in an attempt to slow the spread of infection. The effects of the pandemic on mental well-being is well documented and caused millions of people to struggle with their mental health.
Today in 2022, it is more important than ever to safeguard mental and physical well-being so that you can cope with the stresses and strains of modern life. This article explains eight ways that you can do just that to ensure you both look and feel great with a healthy mind and body.
Get enough sleep
A key way in which you can look and feel great each day is to ensure that you get adequate amounts of sleep each night. It is recognized that adults between the ages of 26 and 64 need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. Having regular, good-quality sleep is a vital way to allow your body and mind to fully recover from the physical and mental activities of each day. Firstly, when people sleep, their heart rate slows and allows their cardiovascular system to rest and recover. In fact, health experts have demonstrated that prolonged periods of minimal sleep can actually increase the risk of heart disease and heart failure. Having good quality sleep can dramatically improve your mood and mental well-being as it allows you to be well-rested. Your brains need to grow, recover and create new neural connections whilst you sleep. In short, regular good quality sleep is vital to ensure that you function effectively and feel at your best.
Exercise regularly
It is important to schedule regular exercise into your weekly routines. In terms of the mental benefits of exercise, it has been shown to improve your mood and is a key way to combat feelings of stress and anxiety. Regular exercise allows our body to release a range of chemicals into our bodies. Serotonin and dopamine are produced, which are recognized as our “feel-good hormones.” They allow people to feel more positive and good about themselves. In fact, having the release of these chemicals on a regular basis through exercise can do wonders for your general mental well-being. A regular exercise routine, when combined with a healthy diet, can allow you to effectively control your weight and feel your absolute best. Looking great helps you to feel great and gives us increased levels of self-confidence. If you are thinking about starting a new exercise plan, it is important to build levels of intensity gradually to avoid injury or overexertion. Consider working out with a friend to add more fun to the routine and help motivate each other.
Consider medical spa treatments
In 2022, there is an increasing demand for medical spa treatments, such as those offered by medspa West Loop teams. At such healthcare facilities, teams of highly qualified experts offer a range of services, from advanced skincare programs to non-invasive laser treatments that can allow people to look at their best. Many people have little imperfections or issues with their bodies that make people feel less body confident. It is important to remember that people feel better about themselves when they look their best. Having access to a high-quality medical spa allows people to seek treatments that are completely tailored to their needs and result in improved levels of self-confidence. Spa medical treatment packages can make an excellent gift for a loved one or simply a treat for yourself to look and feel at your best.
Practice mindfulness
In the fast pace of modern life, it can be all too easy to get caught up in a range of tasks which makes you steadily more stressed without having any respite or time to unwind. Thankfully, many people are starting to understand the power of practising mindfulness to allow people to focus on the present and give themselves the headspace to relax and unwind.
The benefits of regularly practising mindfulness are well documented.
You get to benefit from:
- Improved mood
- Reduced stress levels
- Having an effective set of tools to help combat depression.
Practicing mindfulness can easily be incorporated into most people’s busy schedules too. A session of mindfulness can take as little as ten minutes to undertake, making it perfect for a mid-morning break at work or late at night before we go to bed. Practising mindfulness allows people to unwind, relax and think about the here and now without the incessant “mental chatter” that is present in people’s busy schedules. If practising mindfulness sounds appealing, here are some of the best mindfulness apps available in 2022.
Eat a balanced diet
The benefits of eating a balanced diet that is rich in vitamins, minerals, protein and carbohydrates cannot be underestimated. The human body requires a range of nutrients for us to perform to the best of our ability. In addition, having a high-quality, balanced diet allows bodies to grow and repair themselves while minimizing the risk of suffering from common illnesses. It can be easy and convenient to opt for a TV dinner after a hard day’s work. It is not a routine that helps people to look and feel at their best. Processed foods typically have higher salt contents and are less rich in essential vitamins and minerals. Cooking from fresh is a far superior option and can be a pleasurable activity in itself.
Drink enough water
It can be easy to overlook drinking adequate amounts of water in your busy life, but it is imperative to do so to look and feel at your best. Medical experts recommend that male adults drink 3.7 litres of fluids a day and women drink 2.7 litres. Drinking enough water is a key way to allow your skin to look its best. In addition, being sufficiently hydrated ensures that you can concentrate effectively and stay focused at work. It can also be a key way to keep your weight under control as drinking water can reduce feelings of hunger between meals and helps to stop people from forming unhealthy snacking routines throughout the day.
Laugh more
Laughing is an intensely pleasurable activity that can dramatically improve your mood and make you feel good. When people laugh, serotonin, dopamine and endorphins are released in the body, and people instantly feel better in their general outlook. Put simply, finding fun and laughter in life allows people to feel great and look more radiant as a result. A great way to laugh more is to visit your local comedy club with a loved one and share a night of laughs and good times.
Talk about problems
As a final key way to look and feel good, it is of paramount importance to talk with friends and loved ones about any problems you may be facing in life. Everyone goes through hard times in their lives, and if they are not effectively dealt with, they can drag you down, causing increased stress and fatigue that can lead to illness and looking worn out. As the old saying goes, “a problem shared is a problem halved.” By talking to those close to you about your problems and feeling supported, it can really help to release feelings of pressure and stress. Having another perspective on the issue can also allow people to think with more clarity and see the problem or issue in perspective.
