Proven methods to nurture your mind and body and give you a competitive edge.
In today’s hectic world, we are increasingly becoming too busy for our own good. Work, schooling, family responsibilities, and hobbies; are all things that are taking up a whole chunk of our lives. With so many things that need to be done, your mind and body may be forced to take the back seat. Both of these things, the mind, and the body are very reactive to our everyday stressors. If we do not take the time to properly fuel it, they can quickly become lackluster and leave us feeling depressed and tired. We must make it a priority to keep nurturing our minds and bodies so that it does not become overly worn and torn before its due time. The following methods listed below can really help with the task of nurturing the mind and body.
Image by Igor Link
Pay attention to what you are eating
Having a healthy diet is paramount in keeping your mind and body fit and alert. Our mind and body both need the right nutrients to be provided by us to keep on functioning at an optimal level. It is not just about losing weight and maintaining a diet. There should be a holistic and all-encompassing outlook on our nutrition decisions.
Many people are not aware that what we put into our bodies has a direct impact on our performances and the huge impact it has on our physical outlook as well. We have to feed our body the right nutrients to have it functioning at peak levels.
One of the first suggested things we can do is to completely cut off our sugar intake. This substance really, really does not have any nutritional value. It is not only bad for our bodies but also for our minds.
Healthy media diet
This is another aspect of modern living that can have very serious consequences to our well being, both physically and mentally. With so much time spent consuming “content,” it is of vital importance that the content that we choose to consume is healthy for us.
If we are constantly watching negative content, we will have a negative outlook on life. The job of these content creators is to keep your attention on their content, they don’t care what the content does to the consumer’s well being and health. All that they do care about is retaining your attention. We are evolutionarily wired to pay attention to negative content. This is a mechanism that we have had right from the very beginning of our evolution. While it played an important function by keeping us on our toes when we live in hunter-gatherer situations, the modern man does not need the overactive vigilance.
Content creators capitalize on this tendency by baiting us with content that will keep us hooked. Too much of this type of content consumption will have very adverse consequences on both our mind and body.
Exercising
The benefits of regular exercise cannot be understated. This is one of the best ways to keep the mind and body as sharp as possible.
Exercising frequently has been known to ease depression and negative thought accumulation. Not only will exercise keep your body fit, but it will also really help with mental performance as well. Exercise has been shown to help with a number of mental health disorders as well. People with extreme mental health conditions have reported their symptoms lessening after periods of regular exercise. It helps with anxiety, depression, and a whole lot of other mental health conditions. You also have the added advantage of looking fit and young, qualities that we all desire. This in turn will boost your confidence and being confident is one of the most desired human traits.
Meditation
Meditation has been gaining a lot of traction in the self-care world. This is not without reason. The scientifically-proven benefits of meditation are quite extensive and thorough.
Just like exercise, meditation can help with a lot of mental health conditions. Regularly meditating has been proven to reduce stress, anxiety, boost self-esteem and self-image and increase concentration and focus. The benefits of meditation really are too extensive to discuss thoroughly in an article like this.
Some schools in Scandinavian countries have started mandatory meditation classes for all of its students. The results of mandatory meditation have been quite remarkable. The school authorities have all reported better focus on the part of the students, less physical altercations in the class environment, and much calmer and better-performing students. So, meditation is another supremely effective way of keeping your mind and body well nurtured.
Have you considered Light Therapy?
Light therapy has recently come into the spotlight for its numerous benefits. It has shown remarkable competence in dealing with the effects of low sunlight on people. It has been particularly effective in combating the effects of seasonal affective disorders. This usually happens to people living in places where there is little to no sunlight for prolonged periods of time. Light therapy has also been shown to be effective in treating insomnia, jetlag, and at times, for depression.
This type of therapy is also quickly becoming popular in other areas of the world as well. People are soon realizing the importance of light on their mind and body. It is a very effective way of keeping both in sharp condition. Once you start life therapy, the benefits start becoming visible in the space of a week. However, to fully get the benefits of light therapy, you have to allocate around 4 weeks. That is when the benefits of light therapy become apparent. For people living in the northern hemisphere, it is recommended to start the therapy in the fall months. This is the time when exposure to sunlight goes down significantly and is the time when the benefits of light therapy are most likely to be needed.
