Take Some “Me Time” (and watch the pounds drop)
Apparently there's nothing new about a stressful life. More than two thousand years ago, Socrates warned us to "beware the barrenness of a busy life." What Socrates couldn’t have known was the effect of our busy lives on our health, as science tells us chronic stress can cause muscle pain, fatigue, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, diabetes and obesity. Stress is a powerful enemy of weight loss.
So take the advice Socrates gave us so many years ago: slow down, breathe deep, and live in the moment. We've even made a list to help you relax, and we want to hear your ideas as well. Do you have your own special relaxation techniques? Tell us about them on Facebook!
1) Just Say No. It's easier than you think once you get the hang of it. And face it—saying yes to everything just means you don't do any of it well, right? So tumble the clothes in the dryer instead of dragging out the iron. Hire a landscape company to trim the bushes. Tell the kids to pick one sport instead of ten. Put yourself in control of your own schedule, and remember the word "no" may be the biggest labor-saver in the world.
2) Ask for help. Have you ever done dishes with a five-year-old? They love it. Put a dish towel in their hands and call them your little helper, and kids will feel like the most important person in the world. We never really outgrow that desire to be important, so let your loved ones do for you instead of you always doing for them. Sure, it’s not easy to accept help when you’re used to doing everything yourself and it may be even harder for your loved ones to learn to offer their help, but take it in baby steps. Just ask for their help for one task today, then maybe another one tomorrow or next week. Little by little you may find life getting easier. Just be prepared for them to do things a little bit differently, but different is okay when it means you get ten minutes walking in the fresh air instead of folding laundry.
3) Sleep. Study after study has proven that lack of sleep causes weight gain, irritability and illness. Not everybody needs a full eight hours but it's okay if you do and you have every right to get it. Maybe we need to repeat that because sometimes it hard to put yourself first: You have the right to get a healthy night’s sleep. How can you make that happen? A few tips:
Your body loves a routine, so set a bedtime and stick to it. Your phone’s health app can make that easier if you utilize it to remind you to wind down for sleep. You may be surprised how much easier it is to fall asleep if your head hits the pillow at the same time every night.
Get rid of the screens in your bedroom. At least that’s the standard advice, but if you fall asleep better to the TV then pick a show that’s so comfortable and familiar that you won’t be tempted to watch it to the end, especially one you’ve seen a million times such as “Friends”. A podcast with a gentle voice can also be soothing. The trick is to use the auto-off feature on your smart TV so that the sound and light go away shortly after you’ve fallen asleep and won’t just wake you again later.
Eliminate whatever it is waking you up in the night. Are aches and pains stirring you awake? You may find weight loss decreases those pains, but in the meantime talk to your doctor about your pain med options and consider well-placed pillows or even a full-body pillow to support your body better. Traffic sounds or snoring interrupting your sleep? Ear plugs or a white noise machine may be the answer.
4) Schedule Mini-breaks into your day. There's a reason the school day is broken up into shorter classes instead of focusing on a single subject all day. Your brain craves change and trying to focus on one thing for hours on end creates stress. Get up from your computer and take a walk. Or find some relaxing music and do your stretches. You'll probably find you get more done after your break.
5) Make time to laugh. Laughter may not be the best medicine, but it's darn good medicine. Not only does the muscle work of a good belly laugh draw extra oxygen into your lungs, but it also relaxes your other muscles and releases the physical stress you’ve been carrying around all day. Studies suggest this relaxation can last up to 45 minutes after a good laugh.
So take your medicine. YouTube is full of funny videos or catch a clip of your favorite sitcom on Hulu. Follow your favorite comic on Twitter. Skim through the day's posts on Facebook or Instagram—there's sure to be something funny posted!