Let’s bring in the new year a little more healthy, a little less stressed and a little more aware of oneself.

Self-care means taking the time to do things that help you live well and improve both your physical health and mental health.

Mindfulness is a powerful coping strategy. It lays a strong foundation in our self-care routine. What is mindfulness? Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.

Here are 5 mindful tips to bring in the new year.

1.   Daylight – Natural light helps our bodies produce vitamin D, improve circadian rhythms (wake – sleep cycle), it helps us focus and even makes us happier. Start your day and get your natural light before 11 AM with a simple stroll or even a morning stretch.

2. Gratitude – According to health.harvard.edu research shows gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, and improve their health. Let’s start practicing gratitude at least once a week. Find 1 to 3 things you are grateful for, write them down or just talk about them at dinner. By focusing on the positive you will feel energized, be better in your relationships, and it can help us improve our self-esteem.

3. Stretch – Medical news today states stretching improves mood and focus, relieves tension, headaches, increases blood flow, relieves stress. Follow a healthy proper stretching routine. Stretching regularly will contribute to a healthier you!

4. Mindful Hydration and Eating – Stress affects our eating, it can cause cravings of comfort food, highly processed snacks, food high in fat and calories. Mindful eating practice counteracts stress eating by increasing deep breathing, making thoughtful food choices, focusing on the meal and slow chewing. This will increase enjoyment of the meal and improve digestion. Hydration – Take a minute or two every hour or so and focus on drinking. Hydration has many benefits, reducing risk of migraines, increasing blood flow, increased energy, concentration, even lowering levels of stress and depression. Focus and appreciate the hydration of your body as you drink water.

5. Meditate – Meditation can produce a deep state of relaxation and calm mind. Take just a few minutes each day to reap the benefits. Better focus, improve self-awareness, lower levels of stress. Effects of meditation is cumulative. Taking short blocks of time, even just one minute will linger afterward and contribute and help in altering internal chemistry and nervous system.

I hope this helped you do just a bit more self-care for the new year.  I appreciate you for taking the time to read this. Have a  happy and safe New Year.  Till next time – Breathe……RitaLong.org