Prioritising wellbeing often starts with a simple wish to understand and nurture yourself, a wish to feel a little better than you feel right now, or to continue feeling great and maintain a good level of wellbeing.
Whether it is a wish to start or continue to be well, a neccessary steo is to reframe the idea of me-time from a luxury to a necessity.
The Brain Needs Breaks
Regular breaks throughout the day and week provide essential brain resets, allowing the mind to unwind and recalibrate. Studies have shown that these moments of downtime reduce stress, improve productivity, and enhance emotional regulation. Just five to ten minutes every few hours, whether spent in meditation, gentle stretching, or quiet reflection, give the brain a chance to recover from the onslaught of demands we face, leading to better focus and overall calm.
Yoga, Meditation, and Breathing for Mindfulness
Unlike high-intensity workouts, yoga emphasises strength, flexibility, and inner stillness, supporting both physical and mental resilience.
A regular yoga practice improves mood, reduces cortisol (the stress hormone), and enhances your body's flexibility and mobility. You calm your nervous system with breathing during your yoga session, making it easier to deal with stress. As a bonus, your sleep quality improves, too.
Meditation encourages a calm, focused mind, reducing feelings of burnout. Even short meditation sessions lead to noticeable decreases in anxiety and emotional fatigue. Coupled with breathing exercises, meditation brings you a sense of clarity and relaxation. A simple practice like deep breathing during your breaks throughout the day stabilises your mood and makes demands feel more manageable when you are fatigued and burnt out.
The Power of Massage and Physical Relaxation
Physical relaxation techniques, particularly massage, play a vital role in alleviating stress and supporting wellbeing.
When I went through Frozen Shoulder (sadly one of those physical conditions that seem to creep up and are extremely painful and limiting), massage was what got me through the hardest weeks. Even if the physical symptoms were not entirely alleviated by massage to start with, it was the mind that benefitted hugely, keeping me happier during a really tough time of 24/7 pain.
Massage not only relieves muscle tension but also stimulates endorphins, your body’s feel-good hormones. Regular massages improve sleep, ease physical aches, and elevate mood, making it an excellent antidote to stressful times.
Treating yourself to massages, whether monthly or as often as possible encourages the habit of prioritising self-care: a first step in reframing me-time from a luxury to a necessity.
Ringfencing Time for Yourself
You are busy and stressed, your mind is frazzled and you are running around like a headless chicken. Or maybe that is just me, as I am guilty of simply putting too much on my plate and not saying "no" enough...
Ringfencing me-time is critical in this case. You take your responsibilities to family, work, and community seriously, but carving out dedicated me-time creates a much-needed balance. Whether you schedule a weekly yoga class or massage, set aside time for a hobby, or simply unwind with a book or warm bath - there are no set rules to your self-care routine other than it needs to fit you and make you feel relaxed. Treating me-time as non-negotiable safeguards against burnout and keeps you tuned into your personal needs. I know it's hard, especially when it's more in your nature to give than take - but you can only give when you are healthy and happy.
Research shows that engaging in enjoyable activities outside of your responsibilities on a regular basis significantly reduces stress levels and fosters a greater sense of life satisfaction. Taking these breaks not only recharges energy levels but also sharpens focus, ultimately enhancing performance in other areas of life.
How Old You Feel, Not How Old You Are
How can you create a positive mindset shift, especially as you get older? Focus on how old you feel rather than your numerical age. We know from research and a plethora of anecdotal evidence: when you do activities that foster wellbeing, it’s possible to feel more youthful and resilient.
Yoga, meditation, massage, and regular breaks provide a framework for maintaining vitality. It isn’t about ignoring the realities of aging but rather embracing them with the tools that enable you to feel your best.
There is no escaping ageing - we might as well do it gracefully and happily.
More information on upcoming Unwind offerings (once I have taken a little midlife rest after some significant life changes): https://www.unwindyogastudio.com/about
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