5 SIMPLE DAILY SELF CARE ESSENTIALS
by Katie Dutton
1. START YOUR DAY WITH A GLASS OF WATER
To get your hydration off to great start, have a full glass of water first thing in the morning. Link it to an existing habit - wait for the kettle to boil, wait for your smoothie to blend, stand at the back door while the dog runs around the garden - drink a glass of water while you do it. It will help you to remember, and your body and brain will thank you for it later.
WHY?
Water makes up about 60% of our bodyweight, and we need it for lots of important bodily functions - so much so that without it we can only survive for a few days. Our bodies lose hydration though sweat, urine and even breath so re-hydrating those losses is key to avoid dehydration. Keeping our bodies hydrated throughout the day can increase focus & productivity, energy levels, improve sleep quality and countless other benefits.
The NHS recommends 6-8 glasses of liquid a day. That can feel like a lot when you’re sitting in the house all day, so let’s break it down…
That 6-8 glasses includes hot drinks and, most importantly, food. If you’ve eaten soup or even foods with a high water percentage, you might not feel thirsty because you have taken in lots of water from your meals, which is great. Here are some examples of food with high water content:
• Cucumber, strawberries, watermelon, spinach, raw tomatoes, peppers (90 – 99% water)
• Apples, grapes, broccoli, boiled green beans (80 – 89% water)
• Bananas, avocado, baked potato (70 – 79% water)
• Pasta, salmon, chicken breast (60 – 69% water)
2. MAKE SURE YOU GET ENOUGH SLEEP
We know we need it, but we often don’t prioritise it. Does your sleep habit match your age below?
Younger adults (18 - 25 years) 7-9 hours per day
Adults (26 - 64) 7 - 9 hours per day
Older adults (65 years+) 7-8 hours per day
WHY?
Lack of sleep can have lots of adverse effects on the body in both the short and long-term, from affecting memory, judgement, temperament and concentration to increasing risk of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
Moral of the story - Get in bed and get those hours in!
3. LIMIT SCREENS BEFORE BED
On top of getting enough hours of sleep, the quality is important too. A big contributor to lower quality sleep can be spending a lot of time at a screen, especially before bed.
With most of the working day and social interactions now on video calls, it’s important we talk about what affect that might be having on our sleep quality, and therefore our health.
WHY?
When it gets dark, the eyes trigger a big release of the hormone Melatonin into the bloodstream, creating that “sleepy” feeling . This is what keeps our bodies in the standard sleep-wake cycle (Circadian rhythm). If the eyes are exposed to a lot of light (especially blue light which is given off by phones and laptops) the release of Melatonin is delayed, therefore causing a delay in sleep, and affecting the quality.
Try putting down electronic devices an hour before sleep, replacing them with a book or a podcast.
4. SET YOURSELF WORK BOUNDARIES
Whilst working from home, it is easy to let the line blur between work and leisure.
Try to set yourself a 1 hour lunch break where you do something un-related to work - go for a walk, do a crossword, a home workout, call somebody you love (and have lunch, of course). When you finish your working day, pack your work items away. Separating the two is easier if you can close the door of an office, but with every member of the house working from screens in every room, even putting the laptops away and clearing the space can really help to clear your brain of work and create boundaries to allow that all-important down time. Having a clear moment that office turns into home will help you wind down and may improve your sleep quality.
5. START THE DAY BY MAKING YOUR BED
"If you make you bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task, and another, and by the end of the day that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that the little things in life matter."
- William McRaven, US Navy Admiral
When the end of the day comes and you’ve packed away your work, put down the screens, you’re winding down… Going to a lovely tidy bed will help to relax your mind at the end of the day. You will be thankful to your morning self.
Watch the full speech from William McRaven
Looking after your own wellbeing is so important, now more than ever. Hopefully these tips will help to bring some more self-care into your day. Stay safe, I look forward to seeing you back in the club soon!
Katie