To achieve lasting change in our health and wellbeing, the actions we take need to be sustainable. Just as there is little benefit in going to the gym once a month, real health improvements come from a combination of habits carried out consistently.
This is what National Wellness Month is all about. It is perhaps one of the lesser known health awareness months in the UK, but we like the emphasis on self-care – something we often neglect in our busy working lives.
In this article we’ll look at some of the many ways you can build a healthier wellness plan that works for you.
Build a healthier personal wellness plan
August is a time of relaxation and re-charge for many of us. Perhaps this will inspire you to come back healthier – and motivated to stay that way as we head into Autumn.
The good news is that there are no set rules to how you achieve this. The National Wellness Month campaign focuses on a combination of stress reduction and building healthy habits. Unlike fad diets or quick fixes, it emphasises holistic health, including better sleep, balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and mindfulness.
What’s more, there’s no need for expensive gym membership, all of our suggestions come without a price tag.
Healthier actions you can take
If you are looking to get involved or improve your own wellbeing, here are some actionable ways to participate:
Incorporate daily movement: Aim for 30 minutes of physical activity each day, such as a brisk walk, jog, swimming or cycling, to significantly benefit your mental and physical health. Daily movement, even in short bursts lowers blood sugar, boosts your mood by releasing endorphins, and improves cardiovascular health. Consistently staying active preserves bone density, increases energy, and reduces the risk of chronic illnesses like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Indeed, at the time of writing this article, the updated Chief Medical Officers’ physical activity guidelines found that even small amounts of physical activity benefit health. They reinforce the message that building activity into everyday routines can help improve health and wellbeing.
Prioritise rest: Dedicate August to establishing better sleep habits to boost brain function and overall mood – and try to keep those habits going. But achieving rest can be a challenge. We often see rest as a luxury rather than the necessity it is. Stress and tension build in our bodies without awareness, so rest needs to be a planned priority. Ask any athlete if they can perform consistently without rest and of course the answer is no. It’s the same for all of us.
Practice mindfulness: Mindfulness has the potential to bring improved wellbeing, reduced stress, and enhanced focus and concentration. It’s used to become more self-aware, feel calmer and better manage stress and difficult thoughts both in our personal lives and at work. In practice, mindfulness takes time to master, but we believe that the benefits are worth the effort. Why not find out more and try the exercises in our mindfulness blog.
Disconnect: Take time away from screens and enjoy the outdoors or connect with friends and family. Many of us are either unaware of how much time we spend in front of a screen – or feel unable to reduce it. But too much digital usage is bad for our health. A digital disconnection will reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep and allow you more time to do the other self-care tips we’ve mentioned in this article. We’ve got all of this covered in our digital detox article.
Improve your diet: A better diet delivers immediate and long-term health benefits, especially when combined with greater physical movement. Reducing food high in saturated fats, adding more fruits and vegetables to your meals and drinking more water are all ways to improve both body and mind. You’ll see improved energy and focus, reduced cholesterol and significantly lower the risk of chronic conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.
Do ‘Just One Thing’: The late Dr Michael Mosley’s book and podcast ‘Just One Thing’ looks at the things we can do that can make a big impact on our mental and physical health. He recognised that many of us want to be a healthy weight, eat well and do more exercise – but life and work often get in the way. His book really could be the blueprint for National Wellness Month. You’ll find many healthy ideas you can build into your daily routine – and as such see sustainable results. Find out more about the book here.
Conclusion
Embrace National Wellness Month and make a promise to yourself to prioritise your self-care. Taking small steps to improve your personal wellness will lead to healthy habits in your lifestyle. Think ‘little and often’ and you’ll discover that wellness changes don’t have to take up too much time to achieve real long-term and sustainable benefits.
Photo by Emma Simpson on Unsplash.
