This Valentine’s Day, we are sharing our top tips towards better self-care.
1. Start small
Our daily routines can be exhausting and the thought of adding exercise in can become even more overwhelming. Our top tip is to start by incorporating movement into your day in smaller, bitesize chunks. Many of us often set unmanageable goals for exercise. When we don’t achieve these goals, which are far reaching to start with, this then impacts our motivation, making us less likely to create new positive habits for our wellbeing. It’s great to set longer term intentions but start small. Over time this will become almost an automatic habit and you can build it up from there!
2. Get up, get moving
Exercise and physical activity has been proven to improve your mood. Not to mention, your back and body love to stay active. Try and move around every 20-30 minutes, whether at home or at work. If you don’t want to or can’t go full throttle with high endurance-based activities, look for smaller opportunities to exercise during the day. Why not walk to the shop instead of getting the bus, or go out on your lunch break instead of eating at your desk? Another top tip is to always stand up when you take a phone call and use hands-free technology when you can.
3. Fresh air will do a world of good
It’s important to ensure you get enough daylight, particularly throughout the winter months. Vitamin D is an essential part of maintaining your physical and mental wellbeing – and the NHS supports the use of Vitamin D supplements, especially if you’re spending more time indoors. Getting enough sunlight can help to improve your sleep and general mental health, as well as keeping your bones, teeth and muscles healthy – it’s a win-win!
4. Pamper time
After a long, busy day, try to find some time that’s just for you – whether it’s reading your book, enjoying the sunset in the garden or taking a relaxing bath, If you’re having a long soak, make sure you have a regular stretch and move while in the tub. Many patients agree that a nice hot bath can ease off some of the daily muscle aches we all experience, so make sure you are set up for the ultimate unwind!
6. A great night’s sleep
It’s all too easy to scroll through your phone from bed, and before you know it, an hour has gone. Try and protect the hour before you go to bed as your personal wind down time. Avoid blue light tech – most phones have a night-time mode, which changes the screen light and stops notifications coming through. Again, the main thing is about consistency and sticking to similar timings each night, so you train your brain for your new routine.
