What are the Basics?
- Do you feel fully vibrant and healthy?
- Are you dealing with a symptom or a number of symptoms that won’t seem to go away, despite you trying a number of things?
- Do you experience niggling little issues or random pains, but nothing that you can really give a name to, or nothing that you feel is big enough to do something about?
It might sound silly, but often the first thing to do is to go back to basics:
- Are you getting enough hours of good quality sleep?
- Are you drinking enough clean water?
- Are you moving your body every day?
Many of us might initially answer Yes! to the questions above, but when we take a closer look we might realise that we are not actually ticking the boxes.
The amount of sleep needed for each individual may vary depending on age, health or other factors, but most adults require about 7-9 hours of good quality sleep a night. What do we mean by good quality sleep? Well it means that you regularly get 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep (This can include briefly waking for 1 toilet visit).
- Do you drift off to sleep with ease or do you lie awake for over 30 minutes on a regular basis. Possibly replaying events or conversations from your day?
- If you do get up once for a toilet visit during the night, do you quickly get back to sleep?
- Do you have young children who regularly require your attention during the night?
- Do you regularly experience racing thoughts either trying to get to sleep or during the night if you wake?
A good night of sleep can make a world of difference because our bodies do amazing work, every single night, whilst we sleep! During sleep our bodies repair themselves, they regrow tissues, build bone and muscle.
One of the most interesting discoveries in the past decade is that the brain has a “waste management system.” Like people, in order to have the energy to do their work, brain cells need to eat (to absorb, primarily, sugar and oxygen). And, as in people, meals lead to wastes that need to be disposed of. The waste management system (called the glymphatic system) is a series of tubes that carry fresh fluid into the brain, mix the fresh fluid with the waste-filled fluid that surrounds the brain cells, and then flush the mix out of the brain and into the blood. This occurs primarily during deep sleep. (Reference)
The benefits include:
- Improved memory and concentration
- Being more energetic and alert
- More emotional and social intelligence
- Lower inflammation
- Stronger immune system
So many good things come from water and yet we forget to drink it. Having a system around it is one of the most important things we can do for our health, so drink more water. And measure it! If you do get 8 hours of sleep during the night, that is a long time to go without drinking any water. Drinking water first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach is a good way to rehydrate your body quickly. If you can drink 1 litre within the first hour of waking, then you will be set up well to achieve your daily water intake goal. Drinking water first thing in the morning has many health benefits. Also drinking less in the evening, is important so that multiple trips to the toilet do not interrupt your sleep.
According to scientist Dr. Batmangheligj, after his extensive research, we should drink of 1 litre of water for every 22Kgs of bodyweight. If we are exercising or sweating then we might need more than that, to compensate for the water we are losing.
Reasons to drink filtered water and drink an adequate amount daily include:
- To reduce chlorine and fluoride intake (Which can prevent our cells from repairing properly and damage our gut flora)
- To flush out toxicity
- To lubricate and cushion joints
- To maintain a normal temperature
- To improve digestion
- To maintain optimal brain activity
- To improve mental clarity
- To feel better!
When you think of moving your body every day, do you think of it as a chore, or that it requires running for miles or bench-pressing your weight, or simply that you don’t have time?
Moving every day has the capacity to improve every part of your body, from your brain to your joints. It’s not just about high-intensity, sweat-inducing activity. We have looked at how important a good nights sleep is and being active during the day is one of the greatest methods to achieve a decent night’s sleep. Moving your body, exercise and getting your circulation going is key, when wanting to create or maintain good health and live a long life.
Movement does not need to be done all in one session. Possible ways to move your body include:
- Put on a favourite song or a few songs and dance along
- Do 15 mins of body shaking
- Attend Yoga or dance classes
- Swimming
The intensity and duration of your movement sessions will depend on your current health status and the amount of time that you can make available. There are many different ways to exercise but the most easily available and cost effective is very often walking and walking is one of the best things you can do for your body.
Try it: Go for a 30 minute walk outside (at a good pace that’s comfortable for you), in the sunshine (When the UV levels aren’t above 3) and get some fresh air. Combine this with drinking clean water throughout the day and a good night’s sleep and see if you notice any improvement in your mood, energy levels and overall well-being!
If you would like the support of a holistic health coach to develop new habits for your health & wellbeing, please click here.