Take a Hike or Walk:
Daily exercise makes sedentary people more energetic and happier. Timothy Church, director of preventive medicine research at Louisiana State University and author of Move Yourself, writes in the book, “Small changes—like walking just 10 minutes a day—lead to big changes because motivation follows action.” You do not have to run miles or scale mountains to get the benefits. A University of Georgia study conducted by Patrick O’Connor, a professor in the Department of Kinesiology and co-director of the UGA Exercise Psychology Laboratory proved that a regular low-intensity workout, including a relaxed stroll, boosted energy levels by 20 percent while decreasing fatigue by 65 percent. So get outside!
Take Time to Laugh:
Laughing gets our body working in the right way. Even when we anticipate laughter, such as thinking about our favourite comedy, can increase health-protecting hormones such as endorphins while decreasing stress-related hormones. Lee S. Berk, a researcher at Loma Linda University found that people who anticipated viewing a funny video experienced a 39 and 70 percent drop in the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline, respectively,. More and more people are attending Laughter Yoga classes that initially mirror the actual act of laughing but deliver the same benefits of real laughter. Soon enough these classes end up in true laughing fits that add up to a fun emotional and physical workout.
Watch Your Temper:
An Angus Reid poll shows that 30 percent of Canadian women admit to losing their temper more often than they did last year. Anger is a health problem because it spikes blood pressure and heart rate, and triggers the release of stress hormones. This saps our energy. Iris Mauss, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Denver, suggests picturing yourself far from the situation that’s making you mad. Hmmm, that could take the form of going for a stroll followed by your favorite comedy.
Sleep Smartly:
To have energy during the day we have to get rest at night. Easier said than done especially when 40 percent of Canadians will experience a sleep disorder at some point in their lives according to the École de psychologie, Université in Laval, Québec and reported by CBC News. Experts suggest a few ideas to help saw logs including getting the television out of the bedroom because even if you don’t turn it on, your brain associates it with stimulation. It also pays to go to bed and get up at the same time every day. All of these can help.
There are no magic pills in life. We have to exercise, eat well, and get enough sleep. Our health is dependent on so many things so we must do so many things together to be healthy.
